I’ve gone out photographing in San Francisco and especially China Town last weekend, when I was able to escape to the city! Hopefully it will now be a weekly opportunity to spend some time in this beautiful place, with the dirtiest streets and saddest stories that I have ever seen.
So much neglect, so much wealth, such a strange city. So harsh and so addictive. Opportunity is always only inches away but if one grasps and doesn’t reach it, then one could fall far, as there are no security nets. I purposely avoided photographing the people and their fates whom I am referring to. A lot of tragedy is present.
But in these photographs San Francisco shines.
This, too is San Francisco. Photographed from atop Stockton Street Tunnel. There is more to this city than the Painted Ladies and the Golden Gate Bridge. View of the busy street before the city woke from it’s slumber last Saturday morning.
Below I enter China Town
Early morning exploring of the neighbourhood in China Town, before the tourists got out of bed, still seeing sleepy locals out for their morning walks, hearing buddhist chanting faintly waft through the air from a nearby Temple on a second story of a building, hidden somewhat from passing strangers. It seemed that nobody else noticed the sweet sounds, as I stood with one ear perched upwards to catch just a little more of it..
Eastern Bakery seems to be a neighbourhood institution. I will ask if their sweets are vegetarian the next time I pass by. I would love to try a snack. But I also know that Chinese baking is prone to using animal fats and I of course want to avoid that, being vegetarian.
Chasing Dragon Murals in Chinatown, San Francisco
Finding dragons in China Town is really not difficult..
Out of the frame of this photograph, to the right is a phoenix. I wonder what the story is, why the lady turns away from the phoenix. Maybe something in her past, maybe something in her present that she does not want to be tangled up with. But it looks like the flames of the fire that engulf the phoenix have caught up with the lady already. There seems no escape. I shall as the resident neighbours when I next pass through. (I am hoping to visit China Town again this coming Saturday)
Just off to the side of a building, along the main thoroughfare of China Town is this glowing mural of a Buddha. In his heart he carries San Francisco.
As I leave China Town:
Last but not least, this view of San Francisco. Perhaps one of my favourite. It seems to glisten, like as if reflecting the light from a pool of rippled water.. Can you see what I mean?
I saw so many more things, and took many more photographs but as I am writing this and editing these images it is nearing midnight and it is time to close the computer and get ready for sleep.
Birgit Over 7 Seas 