Gadgets Philippines – July 2019

http://www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph JULY 2019 81

Palace of Fine Arts

It was originally built as a venue for the 1915

Panama-Pacific Exhibition. Today, it is not only

a famous tourist destination but also an events

place. Its design was inspired by Greco-Roman

heritage. The enormous colonnades also boast of

impressive and meticulously designed ceilings. Its

surroundings are peppered with flowers, gardens,

and lagoons.

I was extremely lucky to have found Fort Mason as the place to stay during the
break from work. I had the luxury of lounging on the grass along with others who
brought their pets at the park while feasting my eyes on one of the most beautiful
creations in the world while the sun sets.

The song is true. Anyone who’s been to San Francisco surely left his or her heart in
the Bay City.

Painted Ladies

I actually wanted to see the house where “Princess
Diaries” was shot. But for some reason, I found
myself admiring “The Painted Ladies” in the mid-
morning sun. I sat under a tree across from the
street quietly playing Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” in
my head.

The brightly colored Victorian houses were built

between 1892 and 1896. Web writeup says that

artist Butch Kardum, who is from San Francisco,

experimented with bright hues on his own home.

Several houses in the neighborhood followed,

which led to what is now among the most visited

places in the Bay City area.

Golden Gate Bridge

Still, the Golden Gate Bridge rules them all. Yes,

I did cross the bridge when I got there... on foot.

It was mid-afternoon when I got there via the

free bus that roams every few minutes from the

pickup point in Presidio. The connection I felt was

indescribable. I think it was there that I vowed to

come back for a visit, if not spend the rest of my

life there.

The steel bridge was completed in 1937 with the

initial objective of replacing ferry rides from the

city to Marin County to the north. The towers on

either end of the bridge stand at 746-ft tall and the

deck is 90-ft wide. While it still serves its purpose of

connecting one end to another, it has turned into

an icon that represents everything San Francisco.