A funny thing happened in San Francisco. I came out of my shell. I didn't want to cling to the sidelines, not speaking and staying to myself. I felt an incredible urge to reach out. And I did.

But I could do this only for one reason - I finally accepted myself wholeheartedly - my introversion, my quirks and my need to recharge my batteries away from large groups of people.

Somehow, my full acceptance finally (finally) helped me relax. I took breaks and didn't feel guilty about it. I walked into and then quickly out of a huge (HUGE) banquet hall full of people and instead chose to have lunch by myself in a small cafe. And I spent my Friday evening alone at the San Francisco Zen Center, reading and falling in and out of some much needed sleep.

Which meant I had plenty of energy to spend time with friends (and make new ones), take lots of photos (some of the polaroids actually turned out alright!), take a tour of Muir Woods (more on that later), devour soft hazelnut macaroons on Market Street and eat wonderfully strange powdery sweets in Japantown.

I love San Francisco. I think it loves me back. Maybe. But it doesn't really matter - I will always be grateful for this wonderful city.

(my soundtrack for the city: Grimes - Genesis)