Chinatown in the Bay Area

San Francisco is filled with so many historical landmarks and an endless amount of things for tourists to do. I’ve only been to San Francisco a few times in my life, yet I was still unable to see all of the sights that the Bay Area had to offer. Out of all of the attractions that I’ve visited this summer, Chinatown was one of the most interesting places I’ve seen.

When I went to San Francisco during the summer of last year, I got the chance to check out Chinatown for the first time. I remember going through a tunnel as we were driving through the streets of the city and all I saw was a bright light at the end of it. The moment that we got out of the tunnel, all I saw were many signs with Chinese characters on it. Each block that we passed by, there were different shops and restaurants that looked family-owned.

Our first instinct while we were driving down the streets was that we had to find a place to eat. So we found this cute little restaurant and we enjoyed some shrimp fried rice and peking duck. The food was just so good that I filled up my stomach until I couldn’t take another bite. After dinner, we walked across the street and stopped by a couple of shops to get some souvenirs. At the end of the day, I got myself a couple of pairs of chopsticks and a Chinese designed kimono robe. But I wished that I could buy the whole store because there were so many cool stuff to get, like Chinese slippers, traditional jewelry boxes, and even mini Buddhas. Unfortunately they close the shops at 9:00 so we didn’t get to see as much as we wanted to. Luckily I still bought a few souvenirs to remind me of my trip to Chinatown.

During my research, I’ve learned that this community has been around for almost 150 years. The many generations that have passed through this beautiful city have been carrying on their Chinese cultures onto the citizens here in the states. Although that these immigrants have traveled thousands of miles to gain better opportunities, it wasn’t easy life. All those years of discrimination and hardships have finally paid off, and that’s because this community works together to better their lives and to set an example for future generations.

Also if you haven’t read “Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan, you should go out and read it. It’s a novel of a compilation of these Chinese women living in San Francisco and they discuss the hardships they’ve had living in China and the dramatic changes they’ve had to make while living in the US. I’ve read this book last year and it was so informative on how Chinese families have issues with adapting to a new lifestyle and continuing to carry on their Chinese heritage in their new homes. If you don’t feel like reading, there’s also the movie version that you can watch when you get the chance. Either way, the story celebrates family and the Chinese culture.

So the next time you visit the Bay Area, go stop by Chinatown. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

#chinese #travel #places