Leaving My ♥ In SF #2: Public Transportation
A few nights ago, I was coming home from a San Francisco Giants game, and I was enamored. Not with a man. Not with a food item. With San Francisco's public transportation system. Admittedly, there are plenty of frustrating, teeth-clenching delays in the daily commute schedule. And even I tire of the inherent pushiness and rudeness of the majority of San Francisco riders. However, there is a lot to be in awe of.
San Francisco's transportation lines are the life-sustaining arteries to the City. Ferries skate across the watery surface of the Bay to transport passengers to the Marin, the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport System) subway whizzes commuters into a pressurized, tubular tunnel to the East Bay, and the MUNI's (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) street cars, trains, and electrical buses carry people to any imaginable destination within San Francisco.
Continuing my series featuring images depicting the beauty in San Francisco, I wanted to share some vivid photos of what San Franciscans encounter everyday when using the public transportation system.
And how could I post pictures of a San Franciscan's commute without featuring pictures of the food consumed during Happy Hour, immediately before the commute home? One of the best places for Happy Hour in the City is Hog Island Oyster Co. in the Ferry Building, where they sell oysters for $1.00 each.
A few nights ago, I was coming home from a San Francisco Giants game, and I was enamored. Not with a man. Not with a food item. With San Francisco's public transportation system. Admittedly, there are plenty of frustrating, teeth-clenching delays in the daily commute schedule. And even I tire of the inherent pushiness and rudeness of the majority of San Francisco riders. However, there is a lot to be in awe of.
San Francisco's transportation lines are the life-sustaining arteries to the City. Ferries skate across the watery surface of the Bay to transport passengers to the Marin, the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport System) subway whizzes commuters into a pressurized, tubular tunnel to the East Bay, and the MUNI's (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) street cars, trains, and electrical buses carry people to any imaginable destination within San Francisco.
my godd, the oysters are so cheap !! btw, the subways there are much cleaner than the ones in NYC though :)
ReplyDeleteeverything is so clean and fresh and beautiful looking! from the train system to those spectacular oysters. oooh how i want some right now with a martini.
ReplyDeletewhy do the chairs in the train look like they're upholstered in fabric?!
Yay! Food bloggers apparently now specialize in posts about... public transportation :-)
ReplyDeleteThe picture you took at West Portal station brings to mind new frustration about how the Metro subway overhead wire replacement is taking eons. Kind of a drag, huh? I feel like in any other major city, this project would've taken a few months, tops. Still, you're right that Muni does go pretty much everywhere, for however much we might complain about long delays and overcrowding. (Unfortunately, though, the first days of T-Third service have been much less than stellar.)
Luscious oyster pictures! PE, I think you're the only blogger I know who could so seamlessly integrate pictures of Muni and BART trains with some great looking oysters :)
I love oysters. Can't believe it's so cheap! I'm so there the next time I'm in town.
ReplyDeletethe bart is so clean! i used to live in the mission, i love sf too :)
ReplyDeletethose oysters are so cheap, i wonder how many i could eat. probably an embarrassing amount!! yum....
Hi passionate...my sister lives in San Jose and her and the family are always heading over to SF to enjoy the sights, sounds and foods. I loved San Francisco when I visit there...the seafood restaurants alone make it worth the trip.
ReplyDeleteMmm... those oysters look delicious! I think at one point a restaurant in the Seattle area did 25 cent oysters during happy hour. You made me crave oysters so I'm going to have to research which restaurant still does that deal.
ReplyDeleteHi PE - Wonderful photos and story as well! Brings back a very nice memory of taking the In-laws to SF for a visit.....we used public transportation the entire time(why is it that PDX, SF, and even Seattle has excellent public transportation, but we in SoCal are not so lucky), and it turned out to be one of the least stressful and fun vacations we've had! I could eat a few dozen of those oysters right about now(did I tell you that the Missus once downed almost 4 dozen Herself???)....
ReplyDeleteJust what I needed... a field trip to San Francisco! Great pictures made me feel like I was there (except for the chill of the 2nd winter we are having here in Hampton Roads!) I love oysters... got some tabasco?
ReplyDeleteI'd just fly to the west just for that oysters!
ReplyDeleteBut all the flatforms and the trains look so modern and clean, eh?!
I love the public transit system in SF. When I go to the city, I leave my car in Silicon Valley, hop the CalTrain, and let public transit take care of the rest. Much cheaper and less stressful than driving in the city and looking for parking.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had a good public transportation system here in OC. Of course, it would have to be an extensive network since everything is goshdarned spread out!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments everyone!
ReplyDeleteYes, cheap seafood during happy hour is the best!!
Also, I want to note that the BART and the MUNI are "generally" clean, but you shoulda seen the pictures I took that ended up on the cutting room floor because there was graffiti or litter in the picture. :(
To answer your question Pink Nest, those ARE fabric chairs, and I have to admit, they are a tad nasty as a result.
Also Eric, after I finished this post, I have been biting my tongue! I have been extraordinarily frustrated by the delays in the MUNI train from the new T Third service (and I've been late to work every day this week as a result). I hear you brother! I hear you! ;)