San Francisco’s population is about 800,000. Compared to Seoul’s 10 million, it’s just a fraction in terms of people and area, making it a relatively small city. However, the influx of visitors is massive, especially around Market Street and Fisherman’s Wharf, where you’ll mostly find tourists. When a big conference happens, the number of people coming into the city can be a fifth of San Francisco’s population, which is astounding! Thanks to this, hotel rates can skyrocket to $2000 a night during such times. Meanwhile, on the same day, you might find empty rooms in Las Vegas for just $20, but then again, the whole city is like a giant hotel… 🏨
Adorable grandpas squeezing into toy-like cars parked in front of a restaurant. Just to clarify, they were tourists and not the car owners. I was the only one nervous about the owner possibly coming out! 🚗
While Seoul residents mainly rely on the subway, in San Francisco, it’s all about the buses (Muni). Taxis and Uber are also popular, but nothing beats the Muni. San Francisco does have a subway, but it’s just one line cutting through Market Street, unlike Seoul’s intricate web of over ten lines. I used it occasionally for trips to the airport or across the bay to Berkeley. 🚇
Most people use Clipper cards or monthly passes for Muni. Cash users were quite common too, but I’m not sure about now… Passes are valid from the 1st to the end of the month, so plan accordingly. Sometimes, even when you follow the bus app to a stop, it’s hard to find any trace of it—often there’s no sign or even a bench. So, keep an eye on the ground; sometimes ‘bus’ is written there. 🚌
San Francisco is dotted with parks, both big and small. Some are massive, like Golden Gate Park, which is even larger than New York’s Central Park! (Both were designed by the same person, by the way.) Regardless of size, these parks are filled with dogs. Without a pet, you might feel a bit out of place. The variety of dogs is so fascinating that it keeps you entertained just watching them. Huge dogs, almost as big as sheep, often roam without a leash, and I sometimes get chills thinking one might suddenly nip my neck! But, I’ve never seen them charge at anyone; friends say most are well-trained. “But how do you know that?” 🤔
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