What is it about heights that leave a person breathless and awed? At the Coit Tower last Friday, I felt like I was floating above San Francisco and that the city was both distant and near at the same time. The homes and buildings seemed like little toys, miniature Legos stacked haphazardly against one another and staggered up the city's hilly landscape. I saw the world's most crooked road (Lombard Street?) twisting and turning vigorously into the horizon, and I even saw the UC Berkeley campanile from across the bay! Like Keith said, it was amazing to think that we were on campus just that morning, and that only after an hour of transportation by BART, bus, and foot, we were standing miles away, gazing at the Berkeley campanile which now appeared the size of a toothpick!
The hike up the Coit Tower was steep and exhausting, but the view was worth the effort. To see the city spread out in a colorful, textured carpet and the bay glistening in shimmering robes of blue... made me really happy. =) It was as if the whole universe had conspired for a wonderful day --light blue skies and tiny puffy clouds, cool winds but warm sunshine. Fisherman's Wharf was bursting with color and scents and families holding ice-cream cones and hot-dogs. It is such a picturesque little place, and I will never ever get tired of asking, "Is that a humpback whale?" when passing the Bay Aquarium, or skipping past the brightly colored restaurants and stores, or visiting the Chocolate Store (where I like to get chocolate covered marshmallows with M&M's). I like passing by the carousel and watching little kids bob up and down on their shiny horses. I like imagining what a funnel cake tastes like (especially with ice-cream and chocolate fudge). I like observing the tourists walking to and fro and wondering who they are, where they're from, and where they're heading to!
At Union Square, we saw a middle-aged Chinese man displaying tricks by the road and attracting quite a crowd. He could play a flute through his nose and make music using empty bowls and water hoses. I couldn't help but admire his courage and bravery to perform in public, and I thought of the hours of practice he must have used to perfect his art.
As usual, the day was never complete without buying egg tarts from thel little Chinatown bakery and then eating crepe with gelato (cherry burgundy) drizzled with nutella. =)
Highlights of the next few days: Hitch, "Waves of Mercy, Waves of Grace", Cookie Connection at Fentons, basketball and working out at the gym, watermelon and cantaloupe slushy. =D It was definitely a good start to spring break!
