San Francisco Walks: Chinatown

bevy of buddhas
Originally uploaded by Katherine H.

I had a great weekend in San Francisco earlier this month, and even took some photos. But I have been lazy about processing and posting them here to share with you. This Thursday, I take off for a week in Idaho with my family. So, here are a few pictures from my walk through Chinatown.






These are the steps leading up to St. Mary's Square:



This was my favorite urban oasis that I found in the city. If you didn't know it was there, you'd never go see what is beyond that set of unassuming stairs.

But when you do...



You'll find benches perfect for a little afternoon newspaper reading...



...and benches perfect for quiet conversation in the midst of a bustling city. As I exited the square, I met Stella and Claudia, to friends from Columbia (though one now lives in Texas and the other in England) searching for directions. I hope I didn't lead them astray!



There were lots of tea shops with numerous varieties of ginseng to buy.



And of course endless shops with housewares and knicknacks. I picked up some wooden chopsticks, a rice paddle, and a bag of chocolate fortune cookies to share when I returned to Oregon.