This time I want to write about some of the places to go in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since I live here I haven't been to too many places that I would consider tourist attractions. That doesn't make me any different than most people, but it's a shame that we don't appreciate the local sites because they are constantly there.

The San Francisco China Town is not a specific location, but more of an area. When I younger and living with my parents in Sacramento we'd go there a few times a year, usually with visiting relatives. Lots of restaurants, lots of little shops, narrow streets, heavy traffic, lots of people. The de Young Museum is here -- I've been to it twice. Once for a class field trip to see an exhibit which I don't remember and once to take an Windows NT class which was really boring.

Fisherman's Wharf is another area. Probably more touristy than China Town. There's Ghirardelli Square, a rather nice little shopping mall; picturesque and the Ghirardelli shop has good chocolate. Also at Fisherman's Wharf are a few piers with shops and entertainment. Pier 39 is probably the best known, where you can walk down the pier and wander into the stores and such. Buy from fresh fish, crab, or other seafoods. I've been to Ghirardelli Square once and Pier 39 once or twice.

The San Francisco Exploratorium is a fine science museum where kids and older can try out the hands on experiments. I've been there twice, several years apart. The exhibits change regularly. It's one large room, kind of dark in certain areas, and not well air-conditioned. Another good science museum is the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose, which is much nicer and cleaner and brighter. Less exhibits though, about 150 vs over 600 at the Exploratorium. I've only been to the Discovery Museum once.

Another place to visit is the San Francisco Zoo, which I've gone to once with my sister. It's a big place, lots of walking. Kind of neat looking at all the caged animals... trapped, nowhere to go. Can't breathe. *gasp*... Anyway, it's a nice with penguins and lions. Another animal place is Marine World in Vallejo which is not quite the Bay Area but it's close. Marine World also has rides and animal shows so it's a little more interesting than the Zoo.

For such a sports fan, I've only been to a couple of games. One was a Cal - USC football game when I was a Freshman. We lost by a lot, something like 30 to 7. My roommate Darren's friend from USC came over for the game, so we sat in the USC section, right behind the band. That was loud. The other game I've been to is a San Jose Sharks game with Dave. The played the Calgary Flames and beat them 6 - 0, I think. Very fun, loud crowd, especially whenever the Sharks scored. It's a nice stadium, and the food is ok.

There's the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. A very large house, built up in little bits over decades by the wife of Winchester. So you can take a tour and they a small part of the house over the course of an hour. Lots of stairs that go nowhere, rooms with wildly different architectures. Kind of interesting I suppose, although I guess I wasn't in the mood when I went with my family.

So those are the places that I can think of. There's so much more to do and see, but who has the time, really? Only if I were on vacation. And it's kind of silly to take a vacation just to see the local sights, you might as well go to a faraway place and see those sites.