AIChE 2006年会在San Francisco，于是三番两次(借用po的创意，这里两该用序数 2nd) - 所有导游书和网站上都说"You can visit San Francisco comfortably any time of year." 却不提醒说别在海上呆太久：(上一次是四月份，在绕Golden Gate Bridge的cruise上大太阳底下冻了个半死，这次十一月，按纽约的标准，也不算最好的旅游时间，当然，我们主要是去conference, 不是vacation了。

 

“The climate here always feels Mediterranean and moderate -- with a foggy, sometimes chilly bite. The temperature rarely drops below 40°F, and anything warmer than 80°F is considered a heat wave.” - sf人真是被宠坏了。 sf的雾倒是很有名的，很多照片是整个城市被飘渺的雾气笼罩着，btw,城里高楼并不多，但因为山坡的起伏，Nob hill的3层小townhouse或许还要高于finanical district的摩天楼，在雾里很是错落有致。如果再加上亮橙色的金门桥若隐若现，这幅照片就可以卖200万了，据说。四月份的时候不记得见过一次雾，或许因为没有太晚出去过的缘故，这次某一晚看到雾底下夜里的海，仙境一般，要不是有栏杆，估计就非得下去走走看了，呵呵。

 

据说一个城市的气候决定了这个城市的性格，new york big apple可以不加掩饰的表示对winner的温情和对loser的冷漠；chicago windy city能在风里不动声色，恐怕也有些风的chilly刻薄；boston比new york还要冷些，就多了点儿骨子里的傲；那么sf foggy city是怎样的呢？雾里看起来朦胧的美，不露骨又有那么点儿挑逗，那么多的homeless让你以为看到了不羁，仔细追究却也都得为生计发愁。在LP上看到"San Francisco has an atmosphere of genteel chic mixed with offbeat innovation and a self-effacing quality so blatantly missing from brassy New York and plastic LA." 真是贴切。

 

California很多的地名都有San，san francisco, san jose, san diego, san barbara...问过别人到底是什么意思呢，没有确切的回答，于是google了sf的历史：

“During the years 1500's ...all began...

The navigator Francis Drake landed a little farter in the North of San Francisco in the bay which will carry its name. He planted there the British banner, but nobody paid really attention to it.

The earth which will be called much more later, San Francisco, was already populated by the Indian tribe of Ohlone. After the discovery of this new earth by Francis Drake, it will be necessary to wait until 1769 before than a Spanish expedition steered by Gaspar de Portola, arrives by earth, in the bay of San Francisco. They built a presidio ( barracks) and a mission which should convert and educate the Indians.

A dozen years later, towards 1780, first colonists arrived.

The first boat which entered the bay was San Carlos, on August 5, 1775. It was commanded by the Spanish lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala.

Mexico was freed from the Spanish custody in 1821, which allowed it to go out of this earth by the North, in the direction of California. The Mexicans built several missions throughout their journey leading them to San Francisco. Years after years, the lands of the church were distributed to the colonists who constitute immense domains. The Indians were not able, naturally, to take advantage of these lands and met themselves shared between two civilizations, as usually.

On July 9, 1846, while the United States are in war with Mexico, the USS American sloop Portsmouth exceeded the Golden Gate.

The Captain John Montgomery planted the American flag on Plaza, renamed Portsmouth Square. Today, in the financial district, a street was immortalized with the name of this national hero.

San Francisco was called at first " Nova Albion " Christianized by Francis Drake. Then when John Montgomery arrived on the lands of California, the city was renamed " Yerba Buena. It was called San Francisco since January 30, 1847.”

既然最早是spain的殖民地，那么都是西班牙文了，据说相当于英文里的St. 吧。 还好我没有活在1847年前，这个 yerba buena怎么发音啊？

 

Anyway, sf还是很有些可看的，“The treats of San Francisco are not just for locals. The basic pleasures of life here - wonderful food, sparkling nightlife and those glorious views - are there for everyone. Watch the white fog fill the Golden Gate as the sunset lights up the windows across the bay, and prepare to leave your heart.” 慢慢看慢慢写吧。

 

忽然想起，sf也可以 = so far (away)，和纽约相距6个小时的飞机，还有3个小时的时差。

some of the pictures~