Volcanic Hills Loom Over the Italian Bay

OR NOT, to be precise. I found the above view of San Francisco rather charming, a touch Neapolitan even, and decided to share it. The domed building is the Palace of Fine Arts, designed by Bernard Maybeck for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. It used to exhibit various works of art, but is now an “interactive” science museum. The Palace of Fine Arts was actually built to last only two years but the San Franciscans couldn’t bring themselves to tear it down. Eventually, the elements took their toll and in the 1960′s, it was torn down and completely rebuilt to the same external design but with a permanent structure.

This view, on the other hand, has a rather Latin American feel to it, only if it were in Latin America the rolling hills in the background would be covered in luxurious villas or shanty towns. The church in the foreground is dedicated to Saint Ignatius and the tower to the right is part of the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit institution.