Around the World in 80 Days: A Walk Down Misery Lane

When I asked a friend where I should stay during my time in San Francisco, he didn't think twice and recommended "The Mission", San Francisco's up and coming district with the artiest bars and best vibe. 

I don't often disregard good advice, but decided against The Mission in favour of a more central part of San Francisco. But once arriving at my hostel, I couldn't help but notice that the staff's "insider tips" for coffee shops, boutiques and bars all seemed to be in the seemingly über-trendy Mission...

And so, not wanting to miss out on the hottest place in town, I went to explore The Mission. In retrospect, I am not sure what I was expecting, but I guess it was probably the opposite of what I found.

Instead of a young crowd sipping skinny Latte's, I found people queuing in front of soup kitchens. Instead of fashionable yuppies hiding behind Ray Ban's, I saw people wearing clothes that other people had donated or thrown away. Instead of artists and musicians, I came across people who tried to make a living by collecting empty plastic bottles. Instead of modern apartments and galleries, I found people sleeping and living on the streets.

Sadly, at first encounter The Mission was living up to its name and not it's reputation. I have no doubt that all the organic coffee places, young designer shops and independent theaters are there as well, but the untrained eye sees little else but a sad display of America's many social problems that are so easy to ignore in the rest of beautiful San Francisco.

Contrasts - A Five Star Restaurant in front of Alcatraz

When strolling along the harbour, eating ice-cream and reading the famous quotes about the city; or wondering through the busy shopping streets and districts full of restaurants where people queue up to pay $35 for a single-course lunch with a glass of wine; or jumping on the (prohibitively expensive) cable car to give those feet in high heels a rest, it is so easy to forget that a lot of people in this beautiful town and all throughout the country struggle to feed their children, pay the bills and make a living. That some people do not just have one job, but two or three; that the loss of any of them can financially ruin a family and without sufficient social systems in place, force not only mothers into soup kitchens, but families onto the streets...

Help line for people considering suicide by jumping...

...of the Golden Gate Bridge

My walk to The Mission Street showed me a very different reality to the one found in the center of town. I guess it's true what they say, Misery loves company. In this case, well-dressed one.