I Believe It Is Magic
California
01 CHAPTER
SAN
FRANCISCO
My trip to the western part of the US began with a visit to a strange city, San Francisco, California. The city is multifaceted and very alive. We only had a couple of days here to explore its main sights before going on a trip along the canyons and national parks of the United States.
Microclimate in a microclimate
A special moment was captured: I am wearing layers. Behind me, is the most famous and mysterious suspension bridge: Golden Gate. The fog envelops the bridge, while I am shaking from the icy oceanic breeze that’s blowing against my back… Nice to finally meet you! This part of the city has its own microclimate. Almost all year round, a thick foggy cloud hangs over the Golden Gate Bridge, while the temperature doesn’t rise above 15 Degrees Celsius. However, if you walk towards any other part of the city, away from the bridge, it becomes warmer.
When walking along the shore of San Francisco, we heard a distinctive wild cry coming from the famous Pier 39. While making our way through the dense crowd of bystanders, we rushed to see who made those sounds and were surprised to discover about a dozen sea lions peacefully sunbathing on the pier. The sea lions did not pay attention to the people watching them. Each time the animals performed an unusual act, the crowd cheerfully exclaimed with delight. All the wooden decks were “sprinkled” with these creatures, who were fussing around with each other at all times. Some of them jumped in the water, while others, on the contrary, hopped onto the wooden surface by throwing a neighbor into the water. Somewhere nearby, the other group of sea lions were fighting and loudly roaring, while a few meters apart, in the group tightly pressed against each other, the peace reigned. Ships, fishing vessels, small boats with tourists who were taking pictures of this cacophony – all floated alongside the crowd of shouting sea creatures. Meanwhile, on the pier, a massive number of people was watching the scene, as if it was some performance rehearsed in advance to entertain them. On the opposite side of the bay, the city and its skyscrapers towered against the setting of the wild sea world. In general, it looked somewhat bizarre, but at the same time just amazing!
You would ask, where are they coming from? The reasons for sea lion’s migration are not clear, but they emerged in the Bay of San Francisco a long time ago, in around 1989. These ocean creatures even managed to kick out the owners of yachts from the pier, which caused great dissatisfaction, but to this day, they continue to delight tourists. Such a miracle can no longer be found in any big city!
First time driving.
I could write a whole different story about how we rented a car in California and drove on the “Roller Coasters” of San Francisco for the first time, but instead, I want to mention it briefly. Without allowing us to come to our senses first, as soon as we got into our rented car, a command was thrown to leave the parking lot immediately. We hadn’t had a chance to figure out how this “beast” functioned, when someone began to impatiently shout at us, indicating that we would have to figure this out on the road. In such a rush, we had to get behind the wheel and make the first “twitch move.” It is hard to name this process otherwise since the car first jumped in place and then started slowly rolling. Riding in the city was not at all easy, because you had to maneuver now and then through the steep, winding streets of San Francisco. At some point, we had to drive up the hill, and this part really could be compared to the “Roller Coaster” ride. You get pulled up, or rather, you drive a car so that it does not roll backward. There is nothing but the clouds hanging right along the course. It feels like you are driving straight into the sky. And then, as if before a free fall into the abyss, you stop at the highest point of that hill for a second to take a deep breath, and immediately abruptly roll down, bending down the bumper almost vertically. Sweaty palms and involuntary exclamation, but you overcome the critical moment!
During such extreme trips, it is vital to know directions. Therefore, the most important thing for us was to each time plan a route.
The planning of the route became an integral part of our travels. Like daily prayer, this ritual had to be performed before we could relax, even after the most intense days of our wanderings. After the killer treks and long hours spent in the car, when we were half asleep, the most vital question would come up: "Shall we plan a route for tomorrow now?" Planning of the route was always a priority. Then, everything else: dinner, shower, sleep.
Of course, the first thing we went to see was the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Moreover, we walked there by foot along the entire coast, and at some point, deviated from the course. This way, we managed to see the less-touristy side of the city as though we were the locals. The most picturesque places located closer to water, especially the parks.