The disappointments - they weren't that giant, but it felt a little bit appropriate.
Cabs.
I hate taking cabs. However, the first place we were staying at was very inconvenient to get to by public transit, and it was already sunset when our flight came in. So I wasn't expecting much but we specifically told our driver that we were heading to Millbrae, and it was only after we got into the car and he was driving away that he told us he didn't know that area. So he drove us around and around and we had to call our host (who informed us he drove way past where we needed to go), and not once did he stop the fare or apologize for the circle he took us on. Needless to say, that was the first and last cab we took. Tangent: I had my first rideshare experience here via Lyft, and we had really awesome drivers and I was pleasantly surprised.
In-N-Out.
Not sure if I was expecting fast food to somehow be amazing, but with all the rave reviews online, I was sorely disappointed. My friend said the location we went to wasn't as good as others she had tried, so I will give you one more chance when I'm in the West Coast again!
Pier 39.
It was neat and all but chock-full of tourists that it was too overwhelming. I didn't have any preconceived ideas of what it was going to be like, and while I did think it was a gorgeous spot, I always felt anxious there wearing my backpack in the crowds of people.
Other than that, I had an amazing time in San Francisco and I would love to go back again soon. The good memories from this trip are definitely more numerous, and the moments that stand out are:
Hike up to Twin Peaks.
This was an unexpected addition our friend recommended to us, and though we took the long, windy way reserved for cars, we made it up there and got the beautiful (and terribly windy) view of the city.
Palo Alto.
The weather here was more what we would have expected from California. Warm and sunny, we explored the Google HQ and wandered through Stanford, which was probably the most beautiful campus I have ever seen. It could seriously pass as a resort, and the fact that they had eduroam made me feel right at home.
Berkeley.
The city is more low-key than San Francisco, and just more friendly and offbeat. The campus of UC Berkeley is beautiful, and we went during move-in day, which brought back fond memories of my own first year. Also, the entire campus is smoke-free! This was probably my favourite area of our trip.
The people.
Everyone we met was so nice and friendly (excluding our one and only cab driver). When we went to visit the Painted Ladies, one unfortunately was under construction, but we stood around the area taking pictures anyways. A gentleman walking his dog stopped by to talk to us, and said he was the owner of the blue house. He gave us some tips on where to get beautiful shots of the city, and what other houses to see.
