The problem with a short vacation is that, for me at least, it's hard to slow down and absorb in my destination. Let alone to fully appreciate it. Now, this is especially true with a city like San Francisco. I've heard many good things about the city. My friends raved on and on about how beautiful the Bay Area is. Somehow, it took me three short trips to get to a point where I can hesitantly say, "I like San Francisco." So, I plan on posting randomly as to how I arrived to 'liking' San Francisco.
My last trip there was about two weekends ago. I flew out on a Friday night and met up with my family who got there a day prior. The purpose of this trip really was a quick getaway for my mom, whose parents just passed and in addition to, almost lost her job due to a State's budget cut. On the way to the hotel from the airport, my mom's car got a flat tire. We had to pull over and exchange it. After pulling myself together from fearing of running into San Francisco infamous zombies (read: bums), we were under a bridge after all, I used the opportunity to take some photos of nearby murals. I loved the bright colors and some of the characters. Of course, they are none in comparison to those of world renowned artist like Banksy or Miss Van. But I like 'em nonetheless for they are crude, cheesy, and cute at the same time. Here they are and please ignore my ugly mug:
This sort of things; wild murals and walls covered in graffiti are things people who live in the suburbia will never get accustomed to. Unless, of course, they have lived in the city prior or somehow have been exposed to the beauty side of it. As opposed to art, some people like my Mom look at it as an eye sore. If there's even a small pencil drawing on a wall found anywhere in Rancho Cucamonga, it'll be soon painted over and done with by the city officials. Of course, like art itself, not all murals and graffiti are pretty. So, I get the sentiments of wanting your town to be spotless clean from any form of vandalism. Now, tho, more than ever, graffiti has been accepted and widely respected by many. So much so that a lot of big companies used it as a form of advertising. Take for example, Sony PSP and the recent one, M.A.C. cosmetics.
In San Francisco, I came across a lot of really nice, detailed graffiti and I thought, only in cities like such one would find them. Honestly, they add characters to the city and it makes riding in a cable car, cramming in between people and inhaling people's hair odor a lot tolerable when I spotted one out the window.
My last trip there was about two weekends ago. I flew out on a Friday night and met up with my family who got there a day prior. The purpose of this trip really was a quick getaway for my mom, whose parents just passed and in addition to, almost lost her job due to a State's budget cut. On the way to the hotel from the airport, my mom's car got a flat tire. We had to pull over and exchange it. After pulling myself together from fearing of running into San Francisco infamous zombies (read: bums), we were under a bridge after all, I used the opportunity to take some photos of nearby murals. I loved the bright colors and some of the characters. Of course, they are none in comparison to those of world renowned artist like Banksy or Miss Van. But I like 'em nonetheless for they are crude, cheesy, and cute at the same time. Here they are and please ignore my ugly mug:
This sort of things; wild murals and walls covered in graffiti are things people who live in the suburbia will never get accustomed to. Unless, of course, they have lived in the city prior or somehow have been exposed to the beauty side of it. As opposed to art, some people like my Mom look at it as an eye sore. If there's even a small pencil drawing on a wall found anywhere in Rancho Cucamonga, it'll be soon painted over and done with by the city officials. Of course, like art itself, not all murals and graffiti are pretty. So, I get the sentiments of wanting your town to be spotless clean from any form of vandalism. Now, tho, more than ever, graffiti has been accepted and widely respected by many. So much so that a lot of big companies used it as a form of advertising. Take for example, Sony PSP and the recent one, M.A.C. cosmetics.
In San Francisco, I came across a lot of really nice, detailed graffiti and I thought, only in cities like such one would find them. Honestly, they add characters to the city and it makes riding in a cable car, cramming in between people and inhaling people's hair odor a lot tolerable when I spotted one out the window.
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