San Fo is the short term for San Francisco. Indeed, I had the opportunity to travel to California. I came here because my aunt, who is on the west coast, wanted me to come for this one-week vacation.
Despite the fact that we are not really close, I have to admit that I was very excited to visit her home. Since I don't have any relatives in the area, she is keeping an eye on me while I'm in the United States, which is why we have spoken on the phone multiple times. I'll be sharing my short vacation with you here in this amazing place.
San Jose
This is where my aunt lives as well, and this is where I initially arrived around lunchtime. When I visited her, she asked me what kind of Filipino food I would like to have, so we headed straight home. Oh my! I was amazed by the surrounding landscape. They reside in a neatly organized, peaceful neighborhood. My aunt took me to the nearby weekend market the following morning. It was nice to walk around because it was not too hot outside and the fruits and vegetables were less expensive than at the supermarket. We next went to Morgan Hill Park in the afternoon, where you could have a picnic and enjoy the view of the mountains.
San Francisco
We were going to go to San Francisco the following day, which is an hour and ten minutes away from Morgan Hill, to explore the city and see the tourist attractions. After passing through the well-known Golden Gate Bridge, we looked for a location from which we could capture a vantage point photo of the bridge. The bridge offered us a wonderful early look at the fog creation, which was very fortunate for us.
The Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay are connected by this Golden Gate Bridge. Kudos to the engineers who carefully designed and constructed this absolute work of beauty, with its long wires and architectural structure are truly breathtaking. After that, we went along the coast and saw Alcatraz Island, home of the federal penitentiary and former maximum security prison, Alcatraz Prison. It was windy and the location was closer to the bay than I had anticipated, so it was chilly . Luckily, I had brought a jacket.
We had dinner at a Filipino/Asian restaurant. The majority of diners were Filipinos, and their crispy pata was the best dish we ordered. Oh my! I missed Filipino food a lot. Before leaving for home, we made one more stop at Our Lady of Peace Church in Santa Clara, California. We enjoyed spending our day with a mass at the end to show gratitude to the Lord for keeping our entire journey safe and sound, allowing us to eat and have a great time.
Morgan Hill
We made the decision to take the day off to relax and run errands. Since there aren't any milk tea establishments in my neighborhood (Pawleys Island), I was able to get milk tea. After that, we headed to the Asian market to purchase some fresh fish and meat. We watched a lot of food vloggers from the Philippines till we tried to make sticky rice. Haha. And guess what? Stirring the sticky rice and coconut milk mixture continuously in a large pan was a little challenging. It was an experience plus we are both “craving satisfied”.
Santa Cruz
The well-known Santa Cruz! This location, which is about an hour away from Morgan Hill, is exactly what I am looking forward to visiting as well, as I love beaches and surfing. The most memorable aspects of my trip were the peaceful beach town, the boardwalk with its superb roller coaster rides, the wharf with its vibrant atmosphere of people and music, and the sea lions attracting attention with their loud calls.
We arrived early in the morning in order to eat at the popular Stagnaro Bros. Their fish and chips and creamy clam chowder are definitely must-tries if you visit the restaurant. The wind usually hugs you tightly especially since it was an alfresco dining, and the area wasn't at all crowded.
I recalled that this was one of the filming locations for the movie "Us." Hands up if you already watched the movie.
San Jose
I assisted my aunt call the insurance company after she woke me up early because her car was not starting and she needed to replace the battery. Considering that it's a Sunday, it took two hours for the person to arrive and change the battery. Playing tennis on the court in front of their home was an enjoyable way to spend some alone time; it's quite calming for an active lifestyle. We then made the decision to window shop and eat at Eastridge Mall. To leave the mall with just one button-down shirt and a coffee is a major accomplishment for me.
Untie mentions that there's a Jollibee (a well-known fast food business in the Philippines) nearby as we travel home. OMG! Since there isn't a Jollibee in Georgetown and I am really craving chicken joy and peach mango pie, I asked her to go there. I placed a large order that I am going to bring to my roommates back home.
Also, she asked me to try the In-and -Out burger, I would say 8.5 out of 10 because of its juicy patty, generous serving of french fries and the sauces and cheese in it.
This is my last day in Cali and I am still in awe of everything I saw and experienced. I'm hoping to return to Los Angeles for a visit in the summer.
Side note
As my aunt and I were returning home the night before my flight, one of the car's tires entirely wrecked. Aunt's cell phone battery was low, mine battery was less than 50%, and uncle was the only person at home when we pulled over on the side of the road. Before we could get assistance, we made two calls to her insurance companies. It was dark as we waited for the towing company for three freaking hours. That was also my aunt's first experience with the situation, and she told me she was fortunate to have someone there to mediate the matter. That kind of unanticipated circumstance was incredibly frightening, but we're thankful it didn't hurt us and we made it home safely.
I shall carry these memories in my heart and mind forever. There is always a first time for everything, as the saying says. How about you? What surprising experiences did any of you guys have when traveling?
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All images and video clips are mine unless stated otherwise