DREAMY SAN FRANCISCO

Dear Readers,

When I was little, sitting in front of the television, watching American tv show... San Francisco was probably one of the most filmed city I've ever seen in both American movie and in the Chinese Drama. And I always thought, is this what America looks like? I mean... they even filmed one of my fav Bollywood superstar- Shah Rukh Khan in the movie "My name is Khan" in this city! So when I think of America, I think of this place. 

I have always wanted to go to this dreamy place.... and here I am finally blogging about this place! 

I was traveling for work outside the city. So I've decide to use my day off to drive to this dreamy place.

If you have not already been here, I hope my little snippets will make you dreamy about this beautiful city too. 

Bon Voyage!

The highlight of this dreamy place is the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge! 

It was a foggy day and we weren't able to see the bridge at any view point, I was a little disappointed at first, but we tried to find another way driving up the mountain. We came out from the fog and the view was breathtaking. Here is a picture of the city floating on the cloud. 

Great scenery. Much history to see. Who knew that there was an old military airfield at the base of the bridge? 

Fishermans wharf is one of the most beautiful places to be, packed with fine restaurants and seafood stalls. Def a tourist filled area to walk around by the Pier. There are many shops and restaurants. You can also see Alcatraz from the pier. 

A trip to San Francisco just isn't complete without getting Boudin Sour Dough bread. We ate lunch here while sightseeing through the Wharf and surrounding areas. The weather was windy but sunny so we sat at the outdoor seating. Great view and ambience.

Alcatraz Island, located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, is a must-see attraction for any visitor to the area.  One of the most infamous prisons in the country for housing notorious criminals. You can see this island  from the Fisherman Wharf.

 Fresh calamari!

Next stop to the Oldest Chinatown in America! First off the gate, it was beautiful. There were lanterns, busy sidewalks and shop full of anything!

Walk down the street and browse through the open market stores. See dry fish and unusual fruit and vegetables. You'll feel like you're in China. 

A trip to San Francisco would not be complete without a ride on a San Francisco Cable Car. They still turn the cars around by hand and watching how they operate the cars is fascinating. It's a must !

Read about the Golden Gate Bakery before visiting San Francisco and so glad I stopped not only for an egg tart but also for other sweet and spicy specialties. It is Easy-to-find bakery on Grant Ave - it is the only bakery I saw with a 10-12 person line outside the store. The egg tarts were delicious and lived-up to its reputation. Look at the crazy long line, def worth the wait! 

Alright, and the last stop for shopping to conclude my one day trip is The San Francisco Center .

Bon Appetit at Bangkok Noodle house, walking distance from San Francisco Center. It is a very tiny store packed with people. The food is pretty tasty at a very reasonable price.

Hooray, another city crossed off my list! Until next time, bon voyage :)

EXPLORE TAIWAN

Dear reader,

One of Asia must see destination- Taiwan! Taiwan is famous for it's amazing food, cultural and leisure. If you ever make a trip to Asia, you can take Eva air or China airline enroute to Taipei for a few days or a longer layover, this is a place you must see and visit. 

This is also my very first trip I ever plan for myself as a solo traveler, and mapping out my itineraries for a week long vacation! 

Here are some of the places I have been during my time there. 

My Top 2 favorite spots for Taiwanese food : 

Taipei Shilin Night Market - This location is all about food! It is one of the biggest night market and it has almost everything local eatery has to offer! 

Jiu Fen- Unique place with beautiful old building and shops. Hidden in all those shops, there is a market square selling all sort of stuffs like in a night market. It is usually a half day long trip, but it is definitely worth the drive. 

My top sites to gain Taiwanese cultural & historical sites:

Chiang Kai Sek Memorial Hall :

The chiang kai-shek memorial is probably the best historical spot in the city. The gardens surrounding the memorial are beautiful and the hall shows a detailed history of the life of chiang kai-shek and his influence during WWII and the communist revolution. Such a big historical place and the construction is really magnificent! The good thing, the MRT exit is just right next to it. 

National Palace Museum : 

I am a museum lover and I totally spend my whole day at Taiwan National Palace Museum, This is also a must visit attraction in Taiwan. Best to reach early and go off early before the tour groups come in. Once the tour groups is in, it is havoc like a market place filled with people. The museum has tons and tons of collection which you'll need a day or two to finish browsing through all of them. They have amazing artifacts collected all the way to 6000 years back! It is spectacular way to learn about the history and culture of the making of Taiwan.

ANDDD ... Some of the other cool places that I think you must see: 

- Taipei 101 : Definitely one of THE must-go places, especially for a first-time visitor to Taipei. 

- Yeh Liu Geo Park : Must see scenery of Magnificent sea view, unique rock and all the scenery there is marvelous. 

- Favorite clubbing spot : SPARKS at Taipei 101 and ROOM 18, they have very good music and sound and lovely people and great DJ with good mixing. 

- LongSan Temple : A must go place for Buddhist followers, seeing the difference architecture and a beautiful landscapes.

- Xi Men Ding Shopping district : Fantastic sites for all the trendy shopping for low cost! P.S I got my belly piercing done here. 

I hope you enjoy Taipei as much as I do! 

Bon Voyage!