A contribution from David Olivier, living in San Francisco

Hi. My name is David, I was born and raised in San Francisco, and I’ve been a professional tour guide here for about 25 years. After all this time I must confess that I still love my job. I feel privileged to be able to introduce people–especially first-time visitors–to this most cosmopolitan, most sophisticated, most photogenic of American cities. Simply put, what I get to do for a living is to show people the beauty; not only of this city, but all California and the American west.

It’s no surprise that San Francisco is repeatedly voted by Americans as their ‘favorite city to visit’. For many Americans it’s a bit like traveling to a different country. Europeans constantly tell me that it’s the most European city in the U.S., and the Italians say it’s the most Mediterranean. Apart from the obvious physical attractions–the hills, the water, the light, the homes–I think that’s largely due to the truly unique character and feel of San Francisco. After all, this city was mostly founded by adventurers and gamblers and dreamers from around the world who came in search of gold and a better life. Today there’s still an underlying sense of being on the frontier here, an environment which inspires personal freedom and transformation, and which attracts creativity and opportunity. San Francisco is always on the cutting edge of social change in America. There’s probably no greater proof of the city’s desirability as a place to live than the property values, which happen to be the highest in the nation.

Yes, it’s rather a cliche, but I do indeed leave my heart in San Francisco every time I go out of town. When I come back, and I’m crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to get home, I’m always a little thrilled to see the fog, the Pacific ocean, the city skyline, or that golden sun about which Tony Bennett sings. No, it’s not a perfect city, but I have yet to find one more appealing.

By David Olivier