Home of fortune cookies, Levi’s jeans, cable cars and perhaps the world’s most famous bridge–the Golden Gate Bridge–San Francisco is more than just a tourist spot. According to Filipina Jeanette Acosta, a 22-year resident of nearby Foster City in California, it is also a great place for Filipinos to live.
With barely a half hour’s drive to San Francisco, Acosta said she is close enough to the “big city”, to shopping, entertainment and family.
“We are also in an area where there are a good number of Asians and Filipinos. Most people know about (Filipinos), our food, and to a certain degree, our ways,” she said.
She added that one of the reasons she likes living in California is that “the systems are in place. Public transportation is on time.”
“You can get pretty much any basic needs easily, and most people can afford them. If they can’t, there are various help and assistance that are available for those who need it.”
A public transportation system that’s fun to ride and fits San Francisco’s hilly terrain, the first cable cars were invented in this golden city, running up and down its many hills and twisted streets.
Acosta said that air pollution is “almost not a problem” in this area, as it’s close enough to the coast and to the mountains.
A visit to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Golden Gate Park, Leo J. Ryan Park, Seal Point and Half Moon Bay are her top five recommendations when visiting San Francisco and neighbouring Foster City.
“The first two places are top attractions at the most popular city near us (San Francisco), while the next two are places by our city where one can see and appreciate how nature and engineering enhance the neighborhood.”
“(Half Moon Bay) is a coastal city near us that is by the Pacific Ocean, the body of water that separates us from our motherland, the Philippines,” Acosta said.
A day trip to this golden city certainly wouldn’t be enough to discover its many charms.
Other must-see places to visit include the hustle and bustle of Pier 39, where you can observe hundreds of sea lions resting on the docks by the water, as they lazily swat and honk at each other.
If you have time, visit the notorious prison Alcatraz, or head to nearby Ghirardelli Square–for what else–chocolates. There’s even a Filipino owned store called Lola (grandmother in Filipino), where they sell San Francisco souvenirs and Tagalog children’s books.
Make sure to add San Francisco to your bucket list. You won’t be disappointed.
