1415T1g1 Silicon Valley/Participant Information/Reflection
Along the way, we visited other places of interest such as the “7 sisters”, which is a row of the most photographed houses in the bay area. The owners were smart to copyright the houses so they earn passive income through royalties. It reminds me of the owner of “Grumpy Cat”, who has recently earned millions in royalties.
Before we knew it, we were taken to the highest point in SF, Twin Peaks. Just to give you an idea of how high it was, my ears popped as the bus was coasting up the slopes. It was so foggy up there that one could barely differentiate the fog from the clouds. Thankfully, it wasn't too windy so the temperature was pleasantly refreshing when we stepped out of the bus. After countless selfies and landscape pictures, we were on our way once again.
One of the highlights of the day has to be the Golden Gate Bridge. Having seen the bridge in postcards, it was surreal seeing it up close. The story of the bridge itself was intriguing. Between the 2 towers lies a ridge 400 feet deep and about 1km long. There were many naysayers because there was no suspension bridge that could span such a length. The bridge was built in 4 years despite an economic crash. It is indeed a testament of perseverance of the people in SF.
We then visited Innov8. Interesting place. When we went there, it was a pretty empty office. Then we saw 2 guys popped out from the staircase and we soon realised that they are the only 2 people working here. It’s a venture capital arm of Singtel after all. Generally VCs are lean but control a large amount of capital. From what they say, Innov8 is doing pretty well. What was interesting to me was that Innov8 measures of success need to be tied to Singtel, albeit vaguely at times. So if one day I have a company that might be of some help to Singtel, Innov8 is probably the best way to go.
Last stop of the day was Twillo. I’ve came across their API a couple of times while browsing the web and I can’t believe I’m now at their office. Peter, a well-built guy in an orange shirt, greeted us. From Singapore many years ago, he seemed to have lost the Singaporean accent only having worked at Twillo for a year and a half. The presentation seems like a sales pitch and it didn’t really help me understand the company more than I already do. I mean I could probably get what he said from the Twillo website. That said, the walk around the premises does offer a glimpse of the benefits of working in a SF startup. Free food, pingpong, work-life balance are just some of the perks of working in Twillo. Working with amazing people is probably another unspoken perk. Peter said that he still “worked” during Chinese New Year partly because he cared about his project and the company. That’s true isn't it? If everyone is as passionate about the project as you, wouldn’t you enjoy working too?
Had a tiring Day 0, travelling and finally arriving in SF! But alas! We're going into the city to see the the tourist sites! Been 10 years since i came back to SF!
We started our tour at the Civic center checking out the different buildings that were built a long long time ago and it was impressive that they were still so well maintained.
Next we moved on to the Vantage point which features the 7 Sisters or some say the 6 Painted Ladies which are 6/7 of the most photographed houses around SF due to their prime location that features the entire SF skyline behind. It featured in the famous sitcom, Full House, which span from 1987 to 1995 - Click HERE for a link to the sitcom's intro which showcases the 7 Sisters.
After our visit to the 7 Sisters we climbed up to the Twin Peaks to get a better vantage point of the entire city, the view was impeccable and breathtaking especially since we were particularly lucky that today was not as misty as when i last came to San Francisco. We could see the entire city if i could i'd showcase pictures i took here but it'd take up too much space - probably link the Facebook images of the others in the future.
Next we visited the Golden Gate Park and Bridge, the park was particularly tranquil and we were able to visit the top of the observatory to get a 360 degree view of the entire park and the city from on top. The Golden Gate Bridge was superbly magnificent standing strong and linking up Marin & San Francisco Bay. We were able to take pictures of the iconic structure which signifies San Francisco as well as walk across to the first pillar. I was amazed by how huge the entire structure was standing at the base of one of the pillars.
At the Fisherman's Wharf, We managed to chomp down on some delectable seafood! Me, Amanda and Jun Ming shared 3 of the more famous dishes that they serve at the pier - Clam Chowder Bread Bowl, Fried Calamari with Fries and the Crab Cocktail. Later, we boarded the Red & White Fleet Cruise which brought us under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island. Once we were done with the cruise we were given some free time to wander around and a group of us went to the Ghirardelli Square where we sat down and had some great chocolate drinks!
I was really excited to go around sight seeing today! Ever since we arrived here, I cannot stop admiring the clouds, especially since there wasn't any tall buildings to block my view (like in most parts of Singapore). The trees and flowers here so exotic too. So I was really excited to go see more of the nature and architecture in SF, and of course the ever famous Golden Gate bridge!
Our first stop was at the City Hall in the City Centre. The architecture of this place is so amazing. I’m so jealous that Singapore is so small and most of our architecture is modern and does not have much ancient architectural influence such as the Victorian influence in the case of San Francisco. Some of the unique architecture in Singapore is mostly the shophouses in Chinatown and the bungalows built by the British when Singapore was under the British colonial rule.
The houses and sloping streets here were really fascinating as well. Have always admired housing on streets like the ones we passed by today. Would always see them in movies and in famous sitcoms, but it was really exciting to see them in real life today. Wish I lived in a pretty apartment like that too. I would paint my house light purple and have intricate architecture at my doorway and at my window sills, just like some of those we managed to drive by today.
We then got to a park and was able to catch a glimpse of the famous Seven Sisters that was apparently very famous. Never heard of them until this trip though. Loved the ambience in the park where we saw owners playing fetch with their pets, and photoshoots of babies happening while an artist was actually sketching the Seven Sisters from a bench in the park. Love the slow paced life we were able to observe today at the park.
Next we went to the Twin Peaks, which was really cool too. My favourite part was when a few of us stood up on the 1.5m wall to take a picture. Viewing the city of SF while standing on that wall was completely exhilarating and I felt like I was on top of the world for that moment. A little dramatic, but I really felt like that.
We then headed to the Palace of Fine arts where I saw a seagull up close for the first time. The place looked like a perfect place for a memorable wedding to take place. With tall buildings, a lake right in front, and pretty houses lined up beside, it looked so picturesque and surreal to me. Our tour guide Don also went on to tell us that the pretty houses could cost from 3 million to 6 million! Well, with an amazing view from your front door, I could understand why.
And finally, we went to the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE! So glad the fog did not block our view of the amazing bridge and we managed to take pictures of it and with us in the pictures as well as memories. We then went on to walk on the bridge, which was amazing too until it the winds were starting to get stronger and colder. And I will always remember the sounds the cars made as they travelled on the bridge, when it ran over the bumpy things which connected the bridge together.
My next favourite part was the cruise to look at the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE and the ALCATRAZ ISLAND! It was amazing to look at the bridge during sunset and enjoy the moments we had on the cruise. And of course capture those moments in pictures to share with loved ones as well. The roundabout around Alcatraz Island was really cool too. Could not imagine how it is to be confined there as a prisoner, knowing that there are sharks around the island and to be living in cramped up spaces. Oh my. Oh and it was really cold and the wind was mad as well. Super thankful for my scarve and gloves.
Fisherman’s island was really interesting. Saw the Ripley’s Museum, wished we had a chance to go into the Madame Tussauds Museum though! But going around the place was really fun. We saw exotic cars, limousines, funny needy people who were pulling pranks on people passing by and watching the beautiful sunset once again. We ended the day off with dinner together at Fisherman’s Crotto.
Loved today, cannot wait for tomorrow; the start of company visits!The reason for this fog is attributed to the warmer temperatures from the land and the cooler temperatures from the surronding waters of the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean - when the two are brought together by sea breeze, condensation results and forms the fog. One interesting thing to note is that when the lands get warmer in summer, it brings about a thick and low cloud layer on the surface and this makes San Francisco cold even during the summer! This makes it a great city to visit all year round because of it's natural "air-conditioning".
People here live in a very relaxed culture. Many factors generate the overall relaxed feeling. Firstly, you don’t see people rushing, they enjoy work and life here. Secondly, we hardly see any tall buildings outside of CBD, most buildings are maximum 3 to 4 levels, the clear sky makes you feel really close to the nature. Lastly the weather is so comfortable that when you step out of the room, you feel refreshed and cannot wait to start a new day.
Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge was once concluded as a bridge that is impossible to build. With a deep trench in between two lands, there has no place to put the pier of the bridge in the middle of the sea. However, people still managed to complete it by building a suspension bridge so that no pier in the middle is required. And it has become the longest suspension bridge in the world. It is amazing that people about hundreds year ago were able to complete it. The determination and wisdom involved is definitely something we can remember.
Structures and monuments in San Francisco all have its fair share of history to tell. We got a tour round the Civic Center learning about the how the structure withstood the numerous earthquakes and fires that surely will bring any other structures to the ground. The classical architecture of these structures was indeed something that one should stop and admire. We went past blocks of Victorian Houses which were decorated in designs brought from all over the world before arriving at the Painted Ladies which gave us a glimpse of San Francisco's skyline.
Mouthwatering Scenery
Want to view the whole of San Francisco? Twin Peaks is one of the highest points in SF which offers a 360 degrees of panoramic view of the city and the bay. Other than the beautiful scenery it offers, be prepared to enjoy the chilly winds or just the company of your loved ones. Next up, the icon of SF. The Golden Gate Bridge offers yet another photo-taking spree as we started snapping as soon as we alight. You will be fascinated about its history, especially when you learn how much it contributed to SF's suicidal rates and how the bridge ridiculously bent.
For seafood lovers, Fisherman's Wharf Pier is one stop you MUST surely visit. Boosting a variety of international cuisines, it is surely one of the best dining places in San Francisco. Indulge in fresh Dungeness crabs, steaming hot Clam Chowder and tasty Calamari which are served along the outdoor stands of the Wharf. If you still cannot decide the one seafood to try, I recommend getting Seafood Cocktails which are a hit among tourists. A group of us finally treated ourselves to some smooth Hot Chocolate at Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory which is situated a few streets away from the bay.
As itinerary IC, I am know what's going on in the day. I know who is when and what time we will be at which area.
But the tour was something I never expected. When we reached the central library, I expected to meet an obnoxious tour guide, that's my impression of them every time I travel. But Don was friendly, experienced and very knowledgeable. He wasn't pushy, wasn't a clock watcher and most importantly made me feel welcomed. I remember him asking me - Your first time here? Yes, I said and he said Welcome! His warmth and and hospitality was something that I really remembered because it was rare from a tour guide.
Next up, the 7 sisters, I have seen so many different movies on it, finally, I get to see it up close. One thing I didn't know was that for every time the houses were featured, the owners would earn some money.
Civic Center was such a beauty. Gold plated, even more astonishing at how they restored the building and made it earthquake proof.
Twin peaks was a bit sad though it was so foggy and we can't see much. I would love to go back there in summer. One interesting point is that the city is so compact, I think it's probably as big as one housing estate in Singapore. however, the density of the city is really dense, yet is able to hold so many startups.
I remember 7 sisters from the different sitcoms I used to watching growing up. The skyline of SFO at it's back, a nice park at it's front was something that I am way too familiar with. The amount of money made from just sitting that house there earning royalty from the media is a smart move.
The golden gate bridge tour was the highlight. What I see in photos, I am there and I even took a selfie! For it's 50th anniversary, they invited hundreds and thousand of people over to the bridge, causing it to bend in a very scary looking way. However, thanks to modern engineering, the bridge was able to support the weight and nothing bad ever happened.
Twin peaks was another attraction that I do hope I stop travelling during Winter. The fog made the view not too good, but it was good enough for me. Seeing how the city was compressed into a small area, probably the size of Yew Tee made me realise how small but efficient the city is by having multiple attractions and companies in it. I think that it's important not to judge a city by it's size.
Golden Gate Bridge / Park - The peak of the tour, the highlight of this small city, the golden gate bridge. Never in my wildest dreams that I will ever be on it. It should be known as one of the wonders of the world. Hearing stories from Don on how it was made, the 50th anniversary event and finally how is it today made me realise how big this element of the city was. Took a selfie with one of the pillars. That was a highlight of the tour!
Cruise and Fisherman Wharf - The boat tour was interesting, I was able to take the a photo of the golden gate bridge from the bottom. It was without a doubt a rare opportunity. I was hoping to see a seal or probably a great white. After the cruise we had a short F&E where I purchased Ghirardelli chocolates before having a simple dinner of shrimp rolls.
It was a good start for my month long holiday in USA!
Our tour guide, Don, really knows his stuff. He easily remembers the highlights and important dates of significant events, such as the San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fires, at the back of his palm as he brought us on the tour of the city. Not only did we get to have a breath-taking view of the city from Twin Peaks, the iconic sight of the 7 sisters with its unique backdrop of the city adds a nostalgic view to the San Francisco of old and how modernity blends with the old architecture. A thought I agree with Don is the fact that it will definitely be a shame to see these Victorian houses torn down or remodelled as San Francisco has an identity and character of its own that shouldn’t be replace in order to emulate other cities. I guess it remains to be seen to see how the new skyscrapers will affect the future skyline and decision of the residents here in The City.
The Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco is an example of how a seemingly impossible task was realized through an exceptional vision and the combined efforts put together to solve a problem. Although it was a great walk with a good view, I think the boat ride from Fisherman’s Wharf gave a better view as the setting sun adds to the majesty of the Bridge.
Ending off our day with a walk and a meal on Fisherman’s Wharf basically puts an end to Day 1 of this trip. With a start on a high note, euphoria and excitement courses through me as I await to experience the endless possibilities and a week-long life here in the Valley.
P.S. The Fish & Chips was bad, don’t order it, got scammed big time. Crab sandwich and the soup bowl a must try
We’re finally here at San Francisco, California!
The tour started with learning about the architecture of San Fransisco, especially the classical buildings such as the Civic Center. Classical buildings are built so well that they with stand great environmental pressure such as earthquakes and storms. The Civic Center itself is build on top of a shock absorber that prevents the building from swaying at low ground tremors.
The twin peak located at the center of San Francisco is an vantage point view of one half of SF. The city viewed from the top is amazing. The city is well planned and is properly constructed with conglomeration of buildings separated by wide roads/streets. The top view gave an overall perspective of the entire city and to how small it actually is in terms of size and population.
The visit to the Golden Gate bridge is definitely the highlight. The bridge’s architecture and engineering is just mind-blogging. Being constructed in the cold over a long period of time, it portrays the success of man’s engineering achievements.
The cruise around SF lake and to Alcatraz Island was remarkable. The feel of the chill wind and the surrounding water, the open sky, the dock, the rocks, the island was indeed an unique experience of the city life of California.
Since young, I have always been watching American shows but could never get the concepts behind them. It is probably due to the lack of relation between Singapore and San Francisco. However, it really opened my eyes of how San Francisco looks, and more importantly, feels like. Being at the top of Twin Peaks, the feeling was awesome as we had unobstructed view of about a third of San Francisco. Blessed with good weather, we had a phenomenal outlook of the beautiful city. At that moment, one will feel that everything else is so small and insignificant. Subsequently, a trip down to the Golden Gate Bridge was one of the most exciting part of the journey that I was looking forward to. There was only one word to describe the Golden Gate Bridge: Breathtaking. When I look at the bridge, the entire concept of building it seems impossible even by today's standards. It took strong determination and guts in order for such a massive project to succeed. It was really an awesome feat. One interesting fact that we learned is that the painters will have to start over from the beginning of the bridge once they are done with painting the entire bridge. This truly demonstrated the importance of determination when we are doing anything, and not to let critics bring us down even though everything seems impossible. Fisherman's Wharf is the true definition of a port. The number of seagulls, occasional blasting of ship horns, fisherman boats, smell of fresh seawater and the cool sea breeze all made up the picturesque port. Combined with a few street musicians singing a few tunes, it was truly 'American'. This short but meaningful tour really opened my eyes to San Francisco.
Twin Peaks are two of the highest points in San Francisco. They allow the individuals to have great view of the entire San Francisco city. It is also a popular spot for the runners and cyclists who want to keep their bodies fit.
Golden Gate Bridge is one of the iconic landmarks in San Francisco. The construction took a total of 4 years and was completed in the year 1937. The Golden Gate Bridge links the San Francisco Bay and the Marin Country, thus greatly improving the accessibility between the two areas. According to the tour guide, there was a slight dent in the Golden Gate Bridge on May 24 1987 when 300000 people attempted to cross the bridge simultaneously. There were fears that the bridge would collapse at any moment. However, the fears were unnecessary as the bridge returned to its original state after everyone has crossed the bridge. Also, there was plan to install security barriers along the Golden Gate Bridge as there are an increasing number of people committing suicides by jumping down the bridge. The security barriers would act as deterrence to these people. However, there are a lot of critics regarding this plan. Firstly, the security barrier will destroy the picturesque of the bridge. Secondly, the security barrier does not solve the root of the suicides issue. Lastly, people who intend to commit suicides will seek all means to achieve their aims. For the foreseeable future, the orange Golden Gate Bridge will continue to attract the tourists around the globe due its unique nature. This will indirectly or directly contribute to the GDP of the United States.
As the name suggests, Fisherman Wharf used to be a fishing port before being converted to a popular tourist attraction. Currently, Fisherman Wharf has many delicious foods such as the Clam Chowder Bread Bowl, Fish and Chips and Lobster, especially at Pier 39. Also, the tourists are able to pay and aboard the ships situated at Fisherman Wharf to enjoy the beautiful sceneries and the iconic islands away from the main island. One of the islands called the Alcatraz houses the most notorious criminals as it is deemed impossible to escape from the prison since it is surrounded by the water. However, this is not the case as three prisoners managed to escape from Alcatraz even though they have not been seen after their escape. In recent years, the Alcatraz prison was closed down due to the lack of funds. It has since been converted to a tourist attraction that is only accessible via the ships.
