游旧金山（2）

金融区的街道宽阔整洁。已经快十一点了，街道却如早上六七点般的安静。不但不觉得孤寂，反倒因为独享这美丽又摩登的临海街道而高兴。经停的公共汽车，外观崭新漂亮，车体长成宽阔，让我顿生出一种亲近感。因为我来自于中国城市，在那里，公共交通是市民主要的出行工具。即使很多有私家车的人，若无急事，很多时候也宁愿选择乘坐公交工具出行，省去了停车之苦。

在海岸大道行走时，有两座摩天大楼吸引了我的目光。它们直入云宵的雄伟气势，与位于旁边半山上的一座座方块宅居形成了强烈对比。于是我便在原先的目的地：电报山， 最弯曲的街道， CHINATOWN之上，又加了那两座摩天大楼。

Here, on the street, only about a hundred yard away from SF Pacific  bay, I saw a public bus coming into the street, then stopping at a bus stop. The bus looks very nice, long and wide with red body ornamented with orange lines, bringing me a sense of the combination of modernism and classicism. Now, the public transportation is the 3^rd thing after the palm trees, the waterfront walking street, brings me a feeling of my 2^nd hometown  in China.  

1.Transamerica Pyramid(泛美金字塔大厦)

Big cities across the world are recognizable due to their unique architecture and distinguishable skylines—San Francisco is no exception. Tourists can easily pick out the Transamerica Pyramid from photographs of San Francisco.

The Transamerica Pyramid is located in SF’s financial district and just a stone’s throw away from SF’s historic Chinatown. The looming landmark features a white quartz exterior and more than 3000 windows.

Constructed in 1972, the Building was originally met by public outcry and residents claiming that SF was no place for an obelisk-shaped skyscraper.’ Its unique shape was actually built for environmental practicality in order to let natural light and airflow teach the already crowed streets of SF.

Today, the building stands as a symbol of pride for the city and an undeniable characteristic part of SF. Originally the Building was built for the Transamerica Corporation, the it was bought out in 2000 by NYC investor, Michael Shvo, and currently sever as office space for financial and insurance services. Transamerica Corporation moved to Maryland.

2. Salesforce Tower--the current tallest building in SF.

Since the completion of Transamerica Pyramid, it has been holding the title--the tallest building in SF. This title was moved to Salesforce Tower in 1989.  Salesforce Tower is a 1.4 million-square-foot, 61 story icon, is adjacent(邻接的)to the Transbay Transit Center. The tower is a landmark addition to the SF skyline and is the 2^ND tallest building on the West Coast, with its crown soaring to a height of 1070 feet. Hines sold Salesforce Tower in April 2019, the building is owned and operated by Boston properties.

图中最高的那座建筑为SALESFORCE TOWER.

Transamerica Pyramid 并不远，走了十几分钟就到了。见并无行人在此地驻足观望它，显得我的痴傻。于是在儿子地催促下，我也只是经停一下，就去看大众推荐的ATTRACTIONS了。

Transamerica Pyramid is pretty easy to get by feet. After crossing the street, getting into Financial district, it will take you about 10 minutes to get there if you have no interest to stop and take a curious glance at the street scenes, like my son.

金融区并不很大，不过二三十分钟的步行后，建在临海地势较低处的高楼大厦就被甩在了身后。我们开始有了辗转于异域海边山城小镇的感觉。商业民宅最多不过三四层，一户一宅基本上是墙贴墙，像连在一起的。低处房屋的外观不很养眼，差不多均作商铺之用，小间的为餐厅酒吧（模样像是意大利，土耳其，希腊裔经营的），大的有银行，汽车修理场（那修理场位于一个平坦的三角地带，注意到它是因为它的中文名字，让我想到以前在国内时，位于城乡结合部的小汽修店）。越往上走，房屋越以民宅为主，三四层楼的半山望海小楼，想来就知价格不菲。尽管地面道路缝缝补补，极尽简朴；上下行的道路会陡到呈30几度角，停车行车都如在练胆。我边走，边想：选择住在这里的都是什么样的人呢？

又见三角梅

不知名的树花

这种树分布在几条街道两旁，想必是本地的特有树种。树干为白，一枝主干，在底部分成数个支干。各支干朝上生长，收放得恰到好处。看着有种铁丝先拧合，再分拆所出的效果。树叶小却繁茂，你争我赶地，朝着天空的方向成长。此树白色的干，葱郁的叶，独特的造形，带给人一种特立独行的美感。

 

 

Lombard Street---the most crooked street in the world.（九曲花街） 

This street is famous for a steep, one block section with eight hairpin turns.  It is located along the eastern segment in the Russian Hill neighborhood. It is a major tourist attraction, receiving a round two million visitors per year and up to 17,000 per day on busy summer weekends, as of 2015.

2015年的世界与今天不可同日而语。当日去时见到游客，但并不很多。站在街道高端的那头，视野极佳，可以眺望整个海湾。

Why is it called Russian Hill?

The neighbor hood’s name dates back to the Gold Rush, when settlers happened upon a small Russian cemetery at the top of the hill. The cemetery was moved, but the name stuck. A tiny park at the top of Vallejo Street includes a small plaque and memorial from the Russian government dedicated to the cemetery.

An interesting artical gave me a glance of the life people who live in Russian Hill neighorhood

"San Francisco is a city of hills—big ones, small ones, curvy ones, ones with stairs, ones that make your stomach drop, and ones featuring views so picturesque they stop you in your tracks in wonder.

I grew up near the peak of one of these treacherous slopes in my grandparents’ three-story flat. At the top of one of the city’s most famously steep streets, I lived the kind of life where, at home, quite literally everything was “all downhill from there” I have been wondering the grade of the street in my neighborhood, but couldn’t find the data for quite a long time. Fortunately, a fellow data nerd Stephen Von Worley, who operates the visualization website Data Pointed, took the time to comb through some topographical maps in search of SF’s most intimidating inclines. Thanks to his diligent fieldwork, we have a real list."

Top 10: 31% grade

Top 2: 37.5% grade--Romolo between Vallejo and Fresno( North Beach district and the adjacent Telegraph Hill.)

Top one: 41% grade--Bradford above Tompkins.