3 Miles in Chinatown/Nob Hill
I'm back! For one weekend, anyway. Over the course of two days, I knocked out four walks. This is the first of them, attempting to fill in a funky gap in my master map. It is split between Chinatown and Nob Hill, starting at The Fairmont on Mason and California. Here we go!
This is my first time back in San Francisco post-pandemic and I could immediately sense the reduced traffic volume on the streets. Not sure that it's sustainable for the local businesses but it's an urban walker's dream.
Chinatown was much easier to walk than in years past and it was so enjoyable! I could amble down the street and window shop without feeling rushed by sidewalk traffic.
There are plenty of beautiful scenes in Chinatown, but this might be my favorite mural. Earlier this year, the mural was defaced with ugly graffiti but I'm happy to see it has been restored.
Nothing adds ambiance like street lanterns and flags. Right? I noticed a lot of those red flags with blue square and suns hanging around Chinatown but didn't recognize the nationality. It's the flag of Taiwan.
Cable cars are a main form of transportation on this walking route. If you are in this area, be sure to stop at the Cable Car Museum on Mason and Washington.
I had to wait a few minutes, but I think I snapped a real money shot of one of the cable cars heading down Washington Street.
We are huge WOOM bicycle fans. My girls have been riding this Austrian brand of bikes since they were 4 years old and we now have an entire fleet of them in our garage. I usually order the bikes online so I was very excited to discover the Woom Pop-Up store on Mason and Jackson. I stopped in to say hi to the guys and check out the new pink bike color and picked up some stickers as souvenirs.
What neighborhood is City Lights Books even in? Should I say it's on the very edge of Chinatown? It was on this route and very worth a visit. The murals outside and the books inside make it a must-see on the corner of Broadway and Columbus.
An early present! Thank goodness for your type A commitment.
ReplyDeleteThe walk certainly appeared tranquil.
I always considered City Lights North Beach but that is a dated perspective.
Glad to see you back.
Oh, you're correct that City Lights is in North Beach! I happened to swing past it on the outskirts of Chinatown and lumped it into this walk.
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