Crowded sidewalks. Big and small buildings supporting sloping decorative roofs with upturned corners. Storefronts overflowing with all kinds of merchandise. Streets lined with red and green lamp posts with figures of dragons around them. Shops labelled in the artistic oriental script. And Chinese lanterns strung across the streets I had heard of San Francisco’s Chinatown and wanted to see the place. But little did I think it would be so very Chinese in character.
Our guided tour of this Chinatown began near the famous Vesuvio (cafe) on Columbus Avenue. We walked up the alley and entered Grant Avenue, which was such a delightful sight.
What first caught my eye were the lamp posts and the golden dragons twirled around them. Then I noticed the crowd and whole lot of colour and activity. Red seemed to be the signature colour; there was red on the lamp posts, some red on the walls and roofs, red on the signboards and red just about everywhere.
San Francisco’s Chinatown seemed to have everything: bakeries, Chinese restaurants, toy shops, grocery stores, supermarkets and banks; all very Chinese-looking.
There were shops selling Chinese ethnic wear, home decor, Feng Shui pieces, a whole lot of electronic items and everything you can think of. To me this his place felt like a blessing to Chinese folk living in the whole of the San Francisco Bay Area. And for curious travellers this is taste of what the mainland of China holds.
According to the recorded history of California, the the first Chinese who arrived in the San Francisco area, came in the late 1840s. Then, the Gold Rush brought in many more. Over time the numbers grew and this over one mile area of land around Grant Avenue became the hot spot for the immigrants from that part of the world.
San Francisco’s Chinatown is now believed to be the biggest Chinese community outside Asia.
It is not a novel idea for people of a certain ethnic group to lead such a close-knit life in a foreign country. What amazes is the way this locality has been transformed into an authentic Chinese town and how it has managed to stay so culturally rich in the midst of San Francisco’s pop culture. This place really is a little China, ‘made in San Francisco’.
Lost in the Chinese ambiance I had almost forgotten that it was San Francisco that I was in, until we walked down Washington Street and wound up the walking tour of ‘happening’ Chinatown.
Another grand post! Thank you Divya for showing us around:)
That's because the place is pretty grand. 🙂 My pleasure, Amit.
Happy weekend.
A different America I must say…
And some people do like to create a new 'home.' And they do it so well. I'm glad they've keep their doors open and let us have more than a peek at their culture.
The Chinese New Year Parade of SF (also considered one of the largest, takes place in this area. Last year I got to go and see a part of it. It was very enriching.
Nice images – I wonder if China Towns in different parts of the world are different!
I believe they try to make these China Towns all over as Chinese as possible. And they succeed, too. A few days back I saw another Chinatown, also in the US(somewhere on the East Coast)in a movie and it did remind me of the one in SF. And that was a small-budget film, so the Chinatown in it, was definitely not a staged one.
Long live these beautiful Chinatowns. 🙂
Lovely … I loved the lamp post .
That was the first thing that caught my eye. They add so much of character to the place, right?
Thank you TTT for coming by. 🙂
Hi DN,
Wow, lovely, we actually drove through these roads and as you've correctly highlighted, this place looks completely like a mini China town. Unfortunately, we couldn't stop there for a bite or a stroll.
Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures. 🙂
Regards
Jay
My Blog | My FB Page
It does, right Jay? I hope it'll always look like that.
The day we walked this way, we didn't get to step into the restaurants here. But we mean to, sometime. I hear there are some really great ones here.
Thank YOU, Jay. 🙂
Beautiful plc in SFO downtown…Evrytime I go there I try not to skip tea tasting and one made in china product for sure…Makes us as we are in china…Nice clicks and well written…:)
It's a fun place to go shopping. I'm glad you agree Chinatown is a must-visit. It is, it really is. 🙂
Thank you Vajra.
Wow! One may be forgiven to assume it were a suburb of China. Great captures and well written.
Thank you USP. The place really is well-dressed up. 🙂
There are some beautiful images and a good post 🙂 I like that lamp 😛
Those lamps were the first things to catch my eye, actually.
Thanks Puru. 🙂
Love the golds and reds. Did you try buying anything from the shops? Always wanted to when i was there…
Beautifully done up, right. No meoww, never got to buy anything as yet. The only two times I got to walk this was during the walking tour and when we went to catch some of the Chinese New Year Parade that also happens here. During the walking tour, there was no time for shopping really (only window shopping) and during the parade, I didn't even notice the shops; was lost in the cultural activities. 🙂
We drove by this place a few times and it seems to be difficult to find parking space. Ah, SF on a weekend! But I still love the city. 🙂
Wow, wonderful post! really, chinatown looking amazing to visit.
thanks for sharing