I froze my butt off with a few hundred thousand other crazy people waiting for the fireworks display at Fisherman's Wharf. Even though the display was likely a bit smaller due to the recession, it was still really enjoyable; I haven't seen a good display like that in years. The only thing missing was some sort of patriotic big-band music. (I'm surprised how much an impact childhood celebrations - from when my dad was in the military - have left on me.)
Overall, though, the best part of the weekend was getting in to the Asian Art Museum for free. There was an extensive display of Hindu and Buddhist iconography spanning centuries and geographic regions. I felt like a kid in a candy store - given that my academic interests, once upon a time, focused so heavily on the development and diffusion of Buddhism and on religious iconography.
I found it interesting that I'd always presumed San Francisco would resonate deeply with me...and it, somehow, didn't. Don't get me wrong, I liked it just fine; it just wasn't everything people have hyped it up to be over the years. I still prefer Eugene or Portland for West Coast liberal vibe, and I prefer a variety of cities I've been to in other countries. Life's funny like that, though; you never really know how you'll react to a place...until you just go...
