sinocity6

Nothing is more indicative of the wonder of Chinatown than its obscure alleyways. Visitors hardly explore them, however within their walls is the honesty of a true Chinatown revealed. It is where homes are found, and where inhabitants catch what very little sun they can on makeshift balconies resembling fire escapes. It is where laundry is hung to dry. It is the setting of successful businesses that shy away from normal sight, yet a peek through their front window reveals waiting rooms of "standing room only."
The San Francisco Chinatown experience is not only what one remembers after a visit or a guided tour, nor is it fully encapsulated by the mystery it evokes. The Chinatown experience is the realization that we have only begun to scratch the surface, in terms of learning, and the understanding that the only way to bridge the gap is to dig deeper through exploring metaphorical cultural alleyways. San Francisco Chinatown is one of the most photographed communities in all of the world. Ironically, we are farther than ever from capturing its "soul."