When my mom rushed into my bedroom at 6 in the morning on a Saturday and shouted, "Get up! We are going somewhere great!" My first thought was Disneyland. What else could a 13-year-old think of? I was so exhilarated with the thought of visiting the happiest place on Earth that I got up without question, pushed my sister out of her bed, and within ten minutes was in the car dressed and ready to go. Little did I know that we weren't going to Disneyland. My mom had a special day planned for my sister and I in classic San Francisco. I didn't suspect anything different until I realized we were heading north instead of south. I threw the biggest fit.
What is in San Francisco that could be so much better than meeting Mickey Mouse? Let me tell you –everything. Coming up over the hills and seeing the magnificence of the bay made my jaw dropped. My jaw almost fell to the floor when the Golden Gate bridge came to view. Then my mom parked the car just outside of the bay. I was more than confused. We headed through the Ticketmaster for the bridge and I remember questioning my mom, "Are we walking across this thing?!" My mom only slyly smirked and pointed. My uncle was about 30 ft away with 4 of the best looking bicycles I had ever seen. He had rented them from this place called Blazing Saddles that he lived close to (my uncle works in the bay). I practically sprinted towards him with joy. Biking across the Golden Gate bridge is one of the most perfect experiences you can ever have. There are no words to describe the awing sights, the breeze in my hair, and the utter happiness I felt.
From there we traveled on the classic cable cars to the Fisherman's Wharf. The cable cars are perhaps the only way to travel through the lively city. The up and down hills and historic, vintage buildings give you a sense of peace. The Fisherman's Wharf broke this peace immediately but in a fantastic way. Besides hearing the exploding sounds of the sea lions, the rush and crackle of the ocean and sounds of sizzling fish flooded the atmosphere. It was so overwhelming. We got lunch at the Pier Market which literally had the best clam chowder in the world. You can never go wrong with a nice hot bread bowl. After bugging my mom for waffle cones at Ben & Jerry's, we walked through the crowds at the Fisherman's Wharf we hit the Wax Museum, family-owned shops, and the local aquarium. Those times places we went through fast but when we hit The Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, we were lost for a long time. Now, we weren't lost in a bad way, but simply were fascinated by all the awkward and extraordinary sights the museum offered. It was defiantly perfect for my weird thirteen-year-old-self. Something else entertaining was the carousel – which had the most beautiful pictures all around it, the Turbo Ride and the Riptide Arcade. We wasted a whole lot of money there.
After walking through The Cannery we headed to the wonderful sandy beach where we then along the beautiful shores of the bay. I remember finding the most delicate seashells and treasuring them in my backpack. The sand between my toes and the wonderfully cool breeze were so welcoming on my skin. Perfection is not enough to describe it. My mom had one last treat for us. We took the Blue and Gold Fleet ferry across the bay and straight under the grand Golden Gate Bride and to Angel Island. We enjoyed the natural environment as we hiked through the island. It was like the island was caught up in its own time, far away from the craziness of the world. There were so many different kinds of plants and trees. The quietness was also stifling! The only noise to be heard were the slush of the waves near the island's end. We had a lovely, filling picnic as the sun began to set. The island closed at sunset so we had to leave the sanctuary and, to my dismay, head home from there.
If there is one place in the world everyone needs to visit, it's San Francisco. The city is a classic amongst classics, with so much history, life, and excitement to offer to a person's bland life.
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