Learning Outside

So yesterday, the entire group managed to come together for the final assignment. Our first stop was Chinatown in San Francisco. Originally erected in the 1850’s, this community served as a home for the migrant workers that laid tracks for the Central Pacific or Transcontinental Railroad or became gold prospectors during the gold rush. When everyone arrived there, we visited a couple of the local shops. Coming to the area on a weekday proved to be more fulfilling, because we were able to see how the local residents lived on a daily basis without the usual flow of tourism. Throughout Portsmouth Square, elderly individuals were seen gambling on any surface they could. Storefronts weren’t as packed with outsiders coming in for groceries and other trinkets. Before we left Chinatown, we decided to stop by the cultural center to learn some historical facts like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

The second stop on the list was Japantown. Compared to Chinatown, the surrounding area was a lot calmer and much less busy. Just like the Chinese, the Japanese were brought over to initially work on railroads. They originally did not nestle in this area until after the 1906 earthquake. The buildings in the area underwent renewals in the 1960s and 1970s to accommodate an authentic feel. Nowadays, many of buildings are outdated and more changes are said to be coming to the area. Once again, we started to do a bit of exploring in the area. We started near the Peace Pagoda, which was designed by a Japanese architect and given by the people of Osaka. Inside, glanced at the specialty and novelty stores in the mall. Along the bridge connecting the two malls are a number of specialty stores that are locally owned. With the exception of the restaurant, the stores on the bridge are filled with traditional Japanese crafts.

The final area we went to was Little Saigon on Larkin Street. Although it is literally only two blocks long, the area hosts a lot of cheap eateries. The area itself has no real history unlike the previous destinations, but the area does serve as a central hub for many Vietnamese merchants. For the most part, we stopped by Lees to pick up some uber cheap food and looked around the surrounding area. Not too many historical buildings or landmarks for us to see.