I moved to San Francisco last week and is just getting acquainted with the city. This blog post is a summary of my first impressions of SF to share with a lot of friends whom I have not been able to keep in touch and who have been wondering what I am up to.

It is cold here

I landed in SF without enough winter wear. I had a windbreaker that I used in Bangalore and provided more than adequate warmth back in Bangalore. Soon, I realised that it won’t be enough. Temperatures were under 10 C. I had to get a proper jacket.

The views are stunning

Pretty much wherever you are in the city, you have nice views - the bay, the Golden Gate bridge or the downtown. As a bonus, the place where ThoughtWorks put me up has nice views of the bay.

Vehicles actually stop for pedestrians

Walking to work on Bangalore’s roads was a tough experience because nobody waited for the pedestrians to cross and the red signals were eaten away by bikers eager to squeeze in. Walking on SF’s streets is a pleasant experience. Sidewalks are wide and clean and when you have to cross the road, vehicles actually stop and let you pass.

Diversity

SF is a place with huge racial, religious and cultural diversity. There is something for everyone here. From the busy people in the Financial District to the guy selling weed at the Fisherman’s wharf to the people roaming the market street, SF has a lot of variety.

The Golden Gate bridge is magnificent

It looks stunning in the pictures. It looks even better when you see it up close.