Drug addicts inject right on the street, theft and the homeless: how California shocked a tourist from Russia - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

Drug addicts inject right on the street, theft and the homeless: why California shocked a tourist from Russia

Russian Ekaterina Novikova, traveling around the United States, told what to do for a tourist in Silicon Valley and why it is difficult for an ordinary Russian to live there, reports Lenta.ru.

Photo: Shutterstock

Many travelers call California a separate state. It's all about its diversity - there are mountain ranges and a beautiful Pacific coast, chic megacities with business centers and cozy villages with farms, wild protected areas and huge zoos, expensive neighborhoods and the most dangerous criminal areas.

Within this contrasting state, another "state" suddenly emerged - Silicon Valley. It would seem that you can go here only if a brilliant idea for a startup was born in your head or you have a huge baggage of IT knowledge behind you, but this is not the case.

The path is not close

Around San Francisco, California, and the bay of the same name, there is a scattering of small towns - collectively they are called the San Francisco Bay Area. Only a few of them are considered to be Silicon Valley.

There are three international airports near the Valley: San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. These are three major cities, in each of which you can stay for the night before your trip to startup paradise. The only difference is that San Francisco is in the north of the Valley, San Jose is in the south, and Oakland is on the other side of the bay, across the bridge.

Most travelers advise staying in San Francisco for at least a few days before going to the Valley for the sake of history, architecture and sea lions. From the airport to the city center and even to the historic Berkeley campus, you can take a subway called BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).

The city itself is not as lively and loud as, for example, New York, but it is very colorful and vibrant. It is famous for its charming houses, similar to those in which the heroines of the TV series "Charmed" lived.

The central districts are nice with picturesque streets and colorful Victorian-style buildings, there are more than 14 thousand of them here, but it's hard to walk here without physical training, the roads constantly take on a sharp slope - San Francisco is located on 50 hills.

City of Mists

Unfortunately, not a trace remains of the disco style that originated in local clubs in the 1970s - in recent years, the city has become dirty and unsafe: there are a lot of homeless people on the streets, and they are not always harmless. Homeless people live at the expense of various charities that support them with money and food. Even the concept of "chronic homelessness" has emerged in relation to the San Francisco society.

On the subject: No More Surprise Medical Bills: U.S. Law Enters into Force Protecting Americans from Huge Hospital Debts

Here you can see drug addicts who do not hesitate to use directly on the sidewalk in the city center. For tourists, this is something like an attraction, but the locals are outraged by what is happening. You cannot leave things in the car, homeless people can break the glass of a parked car, even for a bottle of water, if they suddenly feel thirsty. Some car owners are already desperate and leave a note on the windshield "Don't break the window, the car is open, if you need something, just take it."

The USA is a country of contrasts, and San Francisco only confirms this fact. For example, the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge, which flaunts in all the photographs of the city, is no less famous as the Suicide Bridge. It occupies one of the leading places in the list of locations popular among those who want to commit suicide. There are even special telephones on the bridge that the desperate can use to call the support center. Near them there are signs with the words “There is hope”.

Despite this sad fact, the Golden Gate Bridge is still worth seeing, and from both sides. Tourists usually restrict themselves to walking along the Golden Gate Promenade, but the best viewing platforms are located on the hills from the side of Kirby Bay, and for a full range of emotions you can walk across the bridge on foot.

San Francisco is surrounded by water on almost all sides, so the local piers deserve special attention: they run along Embarcadero Street along the bend of the northeastern outskirts of the city. Previously, these places were bright gateways to the world, but when the dam was more than 100 years old, about 20 piers collapsed right into the bay.

Later, the port authorities decided to restore the coastline in order to preserve the history and culture of the location. Now the piers are home to fairs, sightseeing tours, restaurants and street food stalls; on weekends, tourists and locals with their families walk here.

Pier numbering begins at the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street; on the left - piers with odd numbers, on the right - with even numbers. The most famous is Pier 39, where you can see a sea lion rookery (but be patient, the animals are very characteristic and smell strong), go on a small cruise along the bay and go for a fish lunch at Fog Harbor Fish House. You should definitely try here the fishing chowder soup with seafood: it is inexpensive, but it is not prepared so tasty anywhere else.

Photo: Shutterstock

Due to the climatic features, you can watch an amazing sight here - the setting sun rises above the low fog. It can be seen especially well from the Bay Bridge, from which it is just convenient to set off on a journey along the Valley.

Expensively rich

In contrast to hectic San Francisco, the cities of Silicon Valley seem like a paradise family oasis - it's a very safe place, clean and peaceful. The standard of living here is quite high, so there is little crime: there are a couple of unfavorable areas - for example, East Menlo Park - but they still keep order there.

IT-specialists are the most lucky in the Valley, but in addition to them there are waiters, bartenders, hairdressers, cleaners, managers and a million more representatives of different professions. It is not clear how these people survive, because the prices here go off scale for everything. Except avocado.

So, a good one-bedroom apartment in Redwood City and its environs will cost $ 3,5- $ 4 per month. This is only rent, no housing and communal services. Detached house rentals start at $ 4 and go on and on. You can find it cheaper in other towns in the Bay Area, but the climate there will be worse.

Например, в городе Пасифика вечный туман и холод, поэтому цены там ниже, хотя местность очень красивая. Самая дорогая аренда — в Пало-Альто, где расположен Стэнфордский университет и офис Skype. При этом самым дорогим «индексом» во всех Штатах считается местный городок Атертон — с 2017 по 2020 год он лидировал по медианной стоимости дома на продажу — $7 млн.

By the way, most of the buildings in the Valley are classic one-story America, and they go to bed very early here. So the Bay Area is definitely not for those who love ancient architecture and hang out until five in the morning. Even the few bars that have noisy parties on Fridays are quiet until midnight.

At the same time, for fans of Asian cuisine, this is a real paradise. There are many Asian representatives in the Valley, so in a local restaurant there is a chance to get the most authentic Chinese, Thai or Japanese dish.

In addition, there are a lot of Hispanics in California. Their vibrant culture has seeped everywhere: food, music, events. At every step you can find Taqueria - a shop or cafe with Mexican tacos, quesadillas, burritos. Such a snack is in the hand of travelers - you can feel the national flavor, and eat well, and pay a reasonable price. Latin Americans behave quite calmly here, they often move with whole families, walk with numerous children and do not really live up to stereotypes about violent southerners.

Photo: Shutterstock

But in other restaurants and cafes you will have to pay a fortune. The average bill for two coffee with dessert is $ 20- $ 25, for dinner - $ 100 for two without alcohol. In addition, here it is customary to leave a tip for everything, preferably 15-20%. In many establishments, they are already included in the bill. In addition, it is important to consider taxes: in all of America, on top of the cost, you will also pay additional state tax, sales tax and some other tax. As a result, it may turn out that you wanted to buy a sandwich for $ 13, but paid $ 22.

Getting around the Bay Area is best done by car, but it's not cheap either. You can rent a car from $ 1100 per month, for a week - $ 200- $ 350. At the same time, gasoline costs about $ 4,5 per 3,8 liters.

Public transport is poorly developed here. Trains do not stop everywhere. There are, of course, buses, but you have to work hard to plan the bus route. But the cost of the trip is only $ 2,5 in cash.

Wind of freedom

In general, the emergence of Silicon Valley was due to one tragedy. At the end of the 15th century, the only son of a major railroad tycoon, former governor Leland Stanford, died of typhus at the age of XNUMX. In memory of the boy, the parents decided to build a university on the site of the former farm, which very soon became the educational center of California.

By the way, the university's motto is The wind of freedom blows, it was originally conceived as an innovative institution: both men and women were accepted here, and the curriculum was devoid of the religious component adopted at that time.

This is where the startup spirit that Valley is now famous for: in the 1940s, engineering professor Frederick Terman began encouraging Stanford graduates to invent their own technology products and commercialize their ideas. A large number of high-tech and semiconductor firms already then helped Stanford to become a nursery of innovation, which was eventually named Silicon Valley - after a key ingredient in transistors. Therefore, Terman is often referred to as the father of Silicon Valley.

In some premises of the university you can look completely freely - for example, in the library and museum on campus. The territory of Stanford is like a park, and the buildings are made in the Spanish colonial style, it is a pleasure to walk there.

Glass of sunshine

The main attraction of the Bay Area is its flora and sometimes fauna. Therefore, after living a couple of days in San Francisco and the towns of the Valley, it is worth going on a trip around the neighborhood. If you drive from north to south across the entire Bay Area, you can feel the temperature swings from plus 14 to plus 33 degrees. And this is within half an hour. While it is cloudy and damp in San Francisco, the nearby city will be eerie heat.

At the same time, Northern California is not like the Hollywood series about Malibu lifeguards - there are almost no palm trees and warm beaches, and very rarely swim and only the most daring. The climatic zones here are changing at an eerie speed, which means that you can see a desert with scorched grass, and greenery wet from rain on the hills, and warm sunny suburbs.

For example, in the town of Aptos, located near the famous surfer Santa Cruz, there is a real bamboo park (Bamboo Nursery), and in Monterey, in addition to a beautiful rocky bay, you can admire marine life in the huge Monterey Bay aquarium. It was in this city, by the way, that the atmospheric screensaver for the series "Big Little Lies" was filmed.

Many complain that they were bitten by wild squirrels, and they are here on the streets like pigeons in any Russian square. Such an event not only threatens health, but also costs a pretty penny: a rabies injection in a hospital costs several thousand dollars if the patient does not have local insurance.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

Beyond nature, California is famous for its wine - even non-drinkers enjoy visiting local wineries and vineyards. It's all about the species. One of the most famous locations is the Napa Valley, with over 400 wineries scattered on its soils. The valley is considered one of the best wine-growing regions in the world, known for its valuable Cabernet Sauvignon variety. As the locals say, visiting Napa is like drinking a glass of pure sunshine.

All Californians are true hiking fans. They love to walk in hilly areas with babies in sling, with dogs, which are officially more numerous here than children, with elderly parents and teenagers. Moreover, they do not walk chaotically, but along a specially laid route - a trail. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, armed with a light snack and water. At first glance, this seems like an easy walk, but in fact it turns out to be quite tiring.

By the way, it is during hiking that you notice that Northern Californians are very seasoned: while the Russians are wrapping themselves in an autumn jacket, they wear T-shirts, and their children - in short shorts. The fact is that there is no heating as such, and from a young age local residents get used to the invigorating cold wind from the bay, drafts and low temperatures in the house.

About the mentality of the locals

Most Northern Californians are friendly, helpful and easygoing people. Here you do not notice the negative attitude towards Russians, rather the opposite - when meeting, many answer something in the style of "and I have a grandmother / second cousin / uncle's wife from Kaliningrad / Odessa / St. Petersburg" or ask to tell how the situation in Russia is now ...

At the same time, no one will look askance at a tourist who is confused in English cases, because many have recently arrived in the USA themselves. This is not surprising - young professionals around the world are now dreaming of a place in the sun among the technological diversity of Silicon Valley.

You can easily hear from a taxi driver that he "taxis for the soul", but in fact - a programmer in some startup. Russian taxi drivers also say so, the only difference is that here it may well turn out to be true.

A fabulous amount of money is spinning in the Valley, but it is not at all customary to boast of wealth here. You can stand in a traffic jam next to the head of a multi-million dollar startup and not understand it by his appearance or his car. And, by the way, about cars: locals simply adore electric cars, Tesla is here at every step, and charging for them too.

For all the apparent friendliness and politeness, the locals do not strive to reveal their souls - it is easier for many to tell a psychologist about their thoughts and problems than to have a heart-to-heart chat with friends. Friends are needed for joint common hobbies - hiking, cooking courses, travel. This is not easy for a Russian to understand.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Year of Biden's presidency: he failed to reverse Trump's immigration policy despite promises

Six American Holidays That Wouldn't Exist Without Immigrants

Miscellanea In the U.S. California Silicon Valley personal experience
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google News

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis. 



 
1068 requests in 1,171 seconds.