I can't believe we are finally here in San Francisco. Everything seemed like one big blur, with images hastily crossfading into each other. I am here, sitting at the studio apartment I had only just googled about over 6 months ago!
Our Cathay Pacific flight was good. No lost or delayed luggage, food palatable, crew extremely friendly. I would rate the entire experience a 9/10. Things were a bit harder for Andreas who took charge of the baggage, while I took charge of the baby duties. I had the easier time I think because generally, Axel was a good boy at the airport, bribed with lollipops to behave. We arrived at 4:30 for an 8:10pm flight , no traffic en route. I'm glad we arrived when we did because the lines grew fast and within 5 minutes of our arrival, the line snaked around the entire NAIA lobby. I think we were among the first 20 checked in for the flight. The ground steward didn't even make a fuss about the luggage (which I strongly suspect were overweight). Immigration went well too. Payment for the exit clearance went without a hitch as well. All they needed were the ACR, passport, a valid exit permit and P2250.
I remember stopping over at HK airport before and I always noticed how nice it was that there was a playground for kids to let off steam. It worked great with Axel! He fell asleep within 10 minutes of the take-off, he was out like a lightbulb and slept the entire 11 hour flight!!!
Our location is great! The neighborhood reeks of vintage San Francisco and visions of Armistad Maupin. So diverse! Lots of aged hippies, Chinese storeowners and upscale yuppies. Our place has a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but it's been foggy so we only catch portions of it. We are also getting a lot of exercise. It feels like we are constantly on Stairmaster, hilly terrain, level 7!
Some early impressions of San Francisco:
1) Weather is highly unpredictable. We woke up to 10 degrees celsius, it misted over, then had some rain and then as walked into another neighborhood, the sun was shining.
2) There are a LOT of Asians. The minority has become the majority. We feel right at home here.
3) There are homeless people, even in the good neighborhoods. You find them snuggled under covered shop entrances, bundled in blankets and sleeping on newspapers. They scavenge through garbage to find food. Funny how you notice the differences. In colder climates, people freeze to death. In the Philippines, hunger consumes people. Life is hard all around.
