"If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."
It's been 11 years since I last stepped foot in the Golden State. I was fortunate enough to visit San Francisco with my dad when I was 10 for his business trip. Pieces of memory from that trip still come back to me once a while. Now, as a student who will soon devote her whole life working full time, I knew I had to travel somewhere. Thus, the nostalgic memories of the warm air in California brought me and my mom back to San Francisco.
It's a blessing to have family members live across the country—even the world. I stayed with my great uncle and aunt while I was there. As I walked out of the house the afternoon after I landed, I was welcomed by a beautiful breeze under a 60 degrees weather. For a second I thought summer came early. I absolutely despise the cold on the East Coast during winter. I could move to California just for the sake of the weather.
The whole purpose of the trip was to visit my relatives; however, it wouldn't be a successful trip if I didn't visit a place on my bucket list: the Golden Gate Bridge. After an hour drive, a postcard-looking scenery was presented in front of me. As I imagined, that place was filled with tourists. The blue sky made a beautiful contrast from the red bridge. The weather could not have been more perfect that day. It was an eye-opening experience overall. Crossing this off my bucket list.
Now, would it be a trip to California without trying THE famous In-N-Out burger for the first time? Fortunately there was one around the corner from where I stayed. I made a trip there when they just opened at 10:30am (never too early for a good burger). My verdict? It was definitely worth the hype and Instagram worthy; however, nothing beats Mickie D's fries in my opinion.
For the remaining part of the trip, I caught up with some other family members that I had yet to meet. We went shopping in several places including Santana Row, an outdoor shopping area filled with gorgeous Christmas lights. We also went to "Christmas in a Park" in downtown San Jose, which is equivalent to the Christmas Village in Philly. On another note: I was blessed to have a great uncle who knows how to cook—my mom and I enjoyed great meals every single day.
As I am writing this, I am buried under my blankets in the horrendous blizzard. I'm already missing the warm winter in California. My trip was undoubtedly an enjoyable experience. Until my future visit to Los Angeles, I'm back to the brutal cold.