West Coast Best Coast, East Coast Beast Coast [Picture Post]

The last few weeks have seen me staying away from home for the longest period of time since I studied abroad in Denmark. Being in training in the San Francisco Bay area has definitely been an experience. Meeting people from across the US and seeing just how different people are has been thrilling, hilarious, and at times uncomfortable. While long days of sessions, role plays, and readings take their toll and drain you by the time they all end, I managed to find time to still enjoy what the city has to offer.

It had been many years since the last time I had been in San Francisco. I don't recall much in all honesty. I remember driving down Lombard Street with my dad, exploring Chinatown, and being tired constantly from the endless long hills. If I'm going to be in this area for as long as I am, I decided I would do everything right this time.

Here are a few of the things I've been up to the last few weeks:

I met up withMs. X's boyfriend and he was genrous enough to take me around San Francisco and show me some of the beautiful neighborhoods in the city. While the hills are a pain to climb, they defnitely lend themselves to some amazing skylines. 

San Francisco Pride was somewhat of a letdown. I attended DC's pride with my boyfriend and a few other people and that was a blast. Beads and giveaways were being thrown everywhere, people were cheering and excited, and it was a great 4 hours. San Francisco's was also fun, but at 5.5 hours, it defintely felt like it dragged on. Also, I got ZERO beads or cool giveaways. Madness!

Over July 4th Weekend, my boyfriend came to visit. As he had never even stepped foot outside of an airport in California before, I tried to plan everything possible into the time he was here. That meant crash course San Francisco and lots of walking. One thing we did? A ferry cruise around the bay, under the Golden Gate, and around Alcatraz. Tickets onto the island were sold out so I tried to get the next best thing.

If you're going to sail under the bridge, you better believe you're also going to walk on it. We walked/hiked the Presidio area of San Francisco and then walked out onto the bridge. It was a beautiful view, even with the light fog.

A few weeks ago, they closed off Lombard Street to all non-resident traffic. Now it's a pedestrian attraction. Getting up there is a workout for your quads and glutes, but it was worth going up and down the famous winding road. Dodging photo bombing other tourists' pictures was less fun. Many selfies were taken.

Of course you have to go to Fisherman's Wharf if you plan on visiting the city. I took him to a nice steakhouse instead of getting dungeness crab though. I don't think he minded. 

After the BF left, I went to a SF Giants game against the Oakland Athletics with some of my coworkers. We (SF Giants) handily won. It was my first major league baseball game and it was well worth it. I don't know if I will go to another game on my own accord anytime soon, but I can at least sorta see the appeal now.

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San Francisco is a beautiful city with lots to offer. I've taken it its wonder, it's food, it's people, and it's culture. That all being said, I'm ready to start going back home. I have less than one week before I fly back east to Virginia and start working. While the constantly sunny days, mild temperatures, and low humidity have their appeal, I miss the bustle. I miss my dog. I miss my friends. I miss driving. I miss my boyfriend. All of this and many more. I've loved my time here, don't get me wrong, but I don't think I could ever call the West Coast my home. People may say the West Coast is the best coast, but we all the it's all East Coast, Beast Coast.

All the best,

JP