A Touristy Day in San Francisco

 
No. I didn't not indulge in a Segway tour.

But I did end up on a bus tour of the city that never seemed to end. I didn't have to do it so I shan't blame anyone or anything but myself.

I am not adverse to tours. In fact, I've done scads of tours over the years.  But to me they can seem a bit simple and easy - travelling for the dumbed down crowd, if you like. My favourite tours are small, intimate, walking tours where you take your time, are able to interact in a deeper manner with a knowledgeable local guide, and you aren't on a rushed schedule. I like to do tours when I'm new to an area - its a brilliant way to get an overview of the place you're visiting.

Yesterday I went on a tour with a chatty guide who had clearly told the same jokes a gazillion times. We were on a large bus with limited opportunities to get out and explore. When we could get out we had 20 minutes and not one second more to wander. We were on a schedule. . . a tight schedule.

Here's how it happened . . . my colleague really wanted to go on a bus tour of SF. She went to the hotel concierge and asked about tours and was advised the the tours offered by Tower Tours were the best in the city. She and her sister asked me if I wanted to come and I said 'sure' figuring I'd learn some new things and get an overview of some new areas of the city.

The bus picked us up at the hotel which was brilliant. After picking up the rest of the participants we made our way to the office near Ghiradelli Square where we paid our $ 47 for the tour. The official tour itself was 3.5 hours long.

During that time we criss crossed the city learning more about city and its funky history. I did get to explore some new areas which I really appreciated. I finally made it up to Twin Peaks where I was treated to the most amazing view of the city (and the clouds moving in looking heavily laden with rain). I got to walk on the Golden Gate Bridge which is something I have always wanted to do (although my walk was brief for fear of missing the bus).  I learned more about the distinctive San Franciscan architecture. I finally got a good view of the famous painted ladies along Alamo Square. And for the first time, after 5 visits to the city, I finally got to see Haight and Ashbury.

 
 
 
The tour itself was amazing for someone who was new to the city and I would highly recommend it. Judging by the expressions of the folks on those 'other tours' our experience was better by FAR. Our guide, George, was amusing (at times), quirky, knowledgeable, and able to juggle multiple languages and culture (not unlike the city herself).

However, the tour reconfirmed for me that I am not really a big tour person and I value being on my own schedule and being able to explore a bit deeply where I want to and to gloss over the things which don't really interest me. Guess what I am doing today? A tour of Alcatraz!

It was about 3:30 when we got back to the hotel. There wasn't a ton of time before our 6:00 reservations so I caught up on work e-mails, read for a bit, and got changed for dinner.

Dinner was at a Vietnamese restaurant called Le Colonial. It isn't one of the top restaurants in the city but we had been to their sister restaurant in Chicago to celebrate our birthdays a few years ago and had a wonderful meal so I decided to try it out. The restaurant is a bit hard to find, being located off an alley in the site of the iconic Trader Vics restaurant. It was an easy walk from our hotel.

Le Colonial is an immense dining room with natural wood paneling and slow ceiling fans which evoke 1920s French-Colonial Vietnam. The large menu is an imaginative mix of traditional Vietnamese flavors and Western ingredients. It was hard trying to narrow down my order . . . even harder trying to help my colleague order (she being of the 'nothing foreign, nothing weird, nothing I haven't tried before, nothing spicy . . . mushy, bland, and fried a plus' food palate). In the end she made her choices and seemed to enjoy them.

I started off with the classic drink - the 'Dark and Stormy' - a delicious combination of dark rum and ginger beer.

 

It was a perfect choice for a day that began lovely but had become decidedly dark and stormy.

Fo my appetizer I ordered the  Cha Gio Vit which are crispy duck rolls with taro and jicama served with lettuce wraps, herbs and, a ginger dipping sauce. These were amazing - you wrap the crispy roll in a fresh lettuce leaf, toss in the herbs (mint and cilantro), and some carrot or jicama, roll it all up and dip away in the ginger sauce.  A perfect combination of tastes and textures. I'd go back for these alone!

For my main course I ordered Thit Heo which was beer braised pork shoulder, caramelized fennel and a chili soy glaze with sieved egg, served with broken rice. Again a wonderful choice with interesting combination of flavours.

Our waitress had suggested that we order a vegetable and recommened the  Xu Bruxelles - pan fried brussels sprouts, portobello mushrooms and crispy shallots with a sweet chili sauce. Oh. My. God. These were one of the best things I have eaten in years.

Le Colonial isn't cheap - but then again, what is in SF . . . but the service was great and the food wonderful. They must be doing something right since this immense restaurant was full by the time we left.

Comments

[bellini]

The first time I was in SF I did a Shuttle Bus tour and was even able to go inside one of those Painted Ladies on Alamo Square. If your new to an area it gives you an overall view of the city and you know where you would like to explore more and go back.

[Eden]

Thanks for the info on Le Colonial. I have not been there, so this is on my list! Sounds like a perfect place...

I loved reading your tour recap. Tracey, my daughter's first apartment in the city was right behind the Painted Ladies. That place turned condo so she moved to another place on Haight! I always thought "who lives above these places masquarading as stores (on Haight?)"... (That was before daughter moved there.) Answer: daughter. :)

[JDeQ]

I agree bellini - its a great thing on a firts visit. I'm torn between a bus tour vs a walking tour (although guess a walking tour would be well near impossible with a city like SF).

That would be a cool neighbourhood to live in Eden! I envy your daughter.