Chinatown - San Francisco

Last Friday we rode with our friends, Dirk and Jeanne, to San Francisco for a wedding on Saturday. We wanted to go a day early in order to do some sight-seeing and have fun with our friends. The bride, Melissa, whom I’ve known since she was 10 months old, had reserved a block of rooms at the Hotel Nikko near Union Square. It’s owned by a Japanese company, so it has a very elegant Japanese flair to it.
The sink in our bathroom looked like a big porcelain bowl sitting on the black marble counter…all black and white and muted elegance.
This is the view of San Francisco from our room on the 15th floor. I hoped and prayed there would be no earthquake that night.
After getting settled in our rooms, we went in search of a reasonably-priced restaurant, and we found it at O'Doul's Pub.
It was cafeteria-style with good home-style cooking.
After dinner that evening, we took a stroll to Union Square in search of some new swimming trunks for Dirk. Here’s a view of Union Square showing some of the palm trees and tall buildings surrounding it.
And here it is, the temple of consumerism, Macy’s department store.
Another view of Union Square
The Niemann-Marcus building, a department store of glass and steel.
Another view of Macy’s with colorful flags waving in the breeze

At last Jeanne found a pair of swimming trunks (at Macy's) that Dirk liked, so we returned to the hotel and then changed into swimsuits and swam in the pool and sat in the nice hot spa. It was very relaxing and we chatted with other guests using the pool and spa. One couple was from Ireland.

The next morning after breakfast we headed off to see Chinatown.


We stopped along the way to check out the Ritz-Carlton Hotel…very fancy! This is the lobby. Now you can see where the word ritzy comes from.
This is a garden area where weddings are held at the Ritz-Carlton. Jerry's relaxing on a bench after our steep uphill walk. The streets of SF are VERY STEEP!
I’m standing on a riser in a wedding tent in the look at me pose.
Outside of the Ritz-Carlton...It looks like a grecian-style courthouse in the front.
Jerry by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel sign...we're such tourists!
I’m on a steep street approaching Grant Avenue, the main shopping street of Chinatown.
Looking down Grant Avenue
Colorful shops

We heard a band playing hymns, and walked toward the sound and saw this 33rd Street Mortuary Band marching and playing old hymns, going down Grant Avenue. It was a funeral procession with about 20 cars involved in it.




Family members hold up a portrait of the deceased, the frame decorated with flowers and ribbons.




A view of the TransAmerica building

We went into several of the shops and I bought a short kimono, called a Happy Coat.
We went into a tea shop and I tasted several different kinds of tea...all interesting, but I didn't want to spend twenty dollars for four ounces of tea.

They had some interesting names for their teas, such as Blue People and Ginseng Iron Goddess. That last one sounds like a good fake name for a blogger.
Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil bronze monkeys on a bench on Grant Avenue
Busy shoppers looking for deals in Chinatown
A sparkling light, sculpture and furniture store on Grant Avenue
This sculpture reminded me of reading to my three boys when they were young.
The Levi's building, another temple of consumerism. That cynical comment belies the fact that I am all for capitalism.
Back at the hotel, I tried on my new Happy Coat and I was happy with it---it’s very comfortable and I love the colors.

Our little mini-vacation to San Francisco was fun, especially since we were there with friends. Hope you enjoyed the mini-tour of Chinatown.

See interesting places around the world at My World Tuesday.