The Ibnu Al Battutah's Apprentice: San Francisco, Part I

Four of my siblings were in this country for a long stay either for study or work - which I had dreamt to be there since I was 6 or 7 years old. I was so excited when I received the flight ticket to United States of America and the 'long rally' journey did not tiring me all the way. Prior to the visit, I heard so many stories and rumours about US (mostly were not good to listen), but I didn't bother about it at all. For me, I only accept advice and precaution warning but not to rumours. Just like when I was in Turkey during the protest against Gezi Park development. Though it was not good around Taksim and Gezi Park, Istanbul is not situated in Gezi Park indeed! Sultanahmet was safe, Eminonu was safe, Karakoy was safe, and I saw only smiling face in the city - so what's up? OK, back to my US visit. It was San Francisco, a big metropolitan city in the state of California. What do you want to know? 8% tax? Nevada has cheaper tax. Hehe. What tax? never mind if you don't know. When I arrived in San Fran, all got well, I could find my hotel easily, the sky was clear and I had 'warm up' walked around the business district which was in walking distance from my hotel. My previous British ascend was automatically changed to American mode ascend, i.e: from wa'er to wattrer, bues to bas, centre to cen'er etc. (dasar melayu suke sangat ikut loghat orang lain bile berkomunikasi). I did not realized one of the major threat to US - the weather. Things changed when I started for my next day - fog! Fog surrounded the whole city! No wonder they call this city as "Fog City". Ok, I would not going to cry for that. Allah had determined it for me so I accepted it.

My journey to the otherside of the world

Map of San Fran

Early in the next day morning I took the 'retro' metro to the famous Fisherman Wharf (thank to my brother who suggest this place for me). Initially I thought it was a typical waterfront like Kuching waterfront or Danga Bay but it was not at all. I think this is a true waterfront. There were shops, museums, restaurants, gardens, recreational bicycle pathways and boat cruise to the legendary Alcatraz island as well as the Golden Gate. I met few Malaysians when I was in the Fisherman Wharf souvenir outlet area. I walked there without aware that I had passed few piers. Each pier was unique. From my overview, the Kampung Panglima area in Terengganu would be so nice to be the Malaysian Fisherman Wharf with just few upgrades (Terengganu state also seems like California, rich with long shape boundary). There are Bukit Puteri Fort, jetty and Pasar Payang in that area. Just add boat making museum, renovate the jetty for Masjid Kristal - Pulau Duyong cruise, songket/textile museum, jewelry museum, copperware museum, more seafood restaurants, children park and elevated parking lot. Complete. I love it and I think the ingenuity and authenticity of this place would gain more local and oversea tourists. My opinion, you can create Disneyland to attract people but Japan and HK already had their Disneyland and it will be very expensive project (think the ROI bro!). Japan and HK had studied their market. There is no need for gambling lots like Vegas too. There is an university near the area and it will be a good place to get new ideas and discussion place. Imagine how J.K Rowling got her ideas? FW model is enough. The fresh seafood will bring in the men. The jewelries will landed the women (is it fair/unfair?)

My transport to FW (teng..teng..teng..)

the foggy Alcatraz Fisherman Wharf

Seafood? FW also famous with its seafood, and above all is it crab. You might enjoy the fresh crab in the restaurant or buy boiled crab with chilli sauce dip as cheap as USD 6 from the hawkers - many, many hawkers. So far I did not see they put any alcoholic elements in the boiling water (hope so!). Don't imagine the crab size as ours in the back home. Its really big. A tastier seafood? Try the seafood chowder. Mmmm. Which one will win? the best Kelantanese Tom Yam Pok Tek vs the best San Fran seafood tomato chowder. Perghhh. Don't tell me about this during Ramadhan.