| When traveling to most cities of the world, finding | | | | from the low 100's and going up to the high 600's. |
| discount accommodations when arriving to your | | | | We got in our car to make our investigation and |
| destination is always a possibility. Not so in the | | | | inspected one hotel after the other, some dark |
| diverse and complex city of San Francisco. From | | | | and dank and some bright and classic. We settled |
| the hills of Daly City to the plains of Berkeley, the | | | | on the Grant Plaza Hotel at $180 a night. We had |
| environments and people are so diverse that your | | | | a rollaway brought for my two children and spent |
| vacation could with one dial of the phone be a | | | | the rest of the day recuperating for our previous |
| paradise made in heaven or an inferno designed in, | | | | nightmare. |
| well you know, that other place. | | | | That evening, we ventured out to walk around |
| Families making their hotel reservations at the | | | | the Streets of San Francisco and I must tell you |
| smaller hotels that dot the periphery of San | | | | it was scary. There were destitute people lurking |
| Francisco might be able to land a bargain, but find | | | | at every doorway, down every alley, sleeping |
| they may find themselves sharing | | | | above the street vents for warmth. This was a |
| accommodations with other crawling critters that | | | | haven for the homeless and I am not sure where |
| would make even the toughest among us parents | | | | the tourist fits in. It was both sad and a |
| squirm. | | | | frightening, especially since coming from an |
| I did this once. I came to San Francisco on a | | | | isolated small town in Minnesota. I passed out |
| budget and thinking to wing my accommodations; | | | | quarters to those asking as if I were passing out |
| I found a phonebook and booked a motel for $59 | | | | flyers for a corner store. |
| a night. Well, the minute I saw the hotel along a | | | | We eventually found a Starbuck near Union |
| poorly lit side street I knew we were in trouble. | | | | Square and quickly ducked in. After a family |
| This hotel was something I would expect to see | | | | meeting to discuss our situation, we decided to |
| in medieval Europe, not in actuality. But it was late | | | | catch a trolley car and make a dash to the |
| and we succumbed to our basal instincts for sleep | | | | famous Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli's Square. |
| and it was 'just one night.' But the bed was so | | | | We scampered out of Starbucks and caught the |
| grimy we actually slept on the floor, and the | | | | next trolley. It was a wild ride straight up and |
| occasional voices we heard in the alleys were so | | | | straight down a city built on a mountain. We all |
| hair razing I don't think sleep was an option for | | | | screamed with joy. We spent an enchanting |
| any of us - and we were in their 'best room!' | | | | evening among all the tourist shops, street |
| The next day I called numerous hotels in San | | | | performers and family attractions that populate |
| Francisco city proper. You know, where the | | | | Fisherman's Wharf. We bought a big pound of |
| Trolley Cars roam and the street performers | | | | fudge at a fudge shop and drank coke and |
| perform. I found a number of places, ranging | | | | champagne until late in the evening. |