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eSA (Extended Stay America) Room 210 (2)
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eSA – Extended Stay of America Part 2
Having had our lunch, today I walked with my wife in the nearby Bayland Park. Despite it being mid-February it was nice and warm so it was quite nice.
After lunch today we went to the park once again after a small break. The weather was somewhat cloudy but was still nice. After 15 minutes of walking through the forest of industrial buildings, there in the open was the cool, meadow of the park.
It was not that windy at the entrance of the park, but the deeper we went the stronger the wind got. The reason was because the park is located near the end of the San Francisco Bay; the cold winds from the ocean came in strongly. Fearing that our hat would fly away from the fierce wind, we held on to them for our dear lives and finished the usual course and came home.
When we first came to this motel, we took the left entrance from the park. My wife and I thought this was just an ordinary park and almost neglected it. Since 25 years ago my wife and I started to walk early morning as a routine because of this we were seeking for a decent place to walk around the motel. But all that were the forests of giant manufacturing companies for computer parts. Further out, there were many more towering company buildings and the roads nearby lacked pedestrian sidewalks because of lack of houses.
So we were originally forced to walk around the entire motel complex which is divided into three sections. Each building has 40 rooms each, so there are 120 rooms. Because the complex was built long ago, the parking garage is large and with our walking pace it would take us 6 minutes to complete the course. But one day, one of the motel workers told us about the nearby park and introduced us to the Bayland Park. So we had used the bike lane (since there are no sidewalks for us to use -) and walked to there. Even the bicycle lanes are rather quite.
The park itself is an open reserve with the marshes connected to the ocean with the natural habitat. There are many birds including the Canadian Geese who are peacefully resting nearby. There are about 10 very high poles stuck around and several kites are sitting there solemnly on the top. In the open area, there are many open spaces for people to enjoy baseball and soccer, and another place there is a place for children to play. Most of the nature is well preserved here. One of the interesting thing about this area is, the park it s mostly natural. From November to February the park has free parking. There are abundance of tables for people to enjoy (about 100 people capacity) and many other small nooks and crannies for people to gather around. Some run, some ride bicycles, and some people walk hand in hand in leisurely fashion. There was a shout of cheer from the nearby baseball field which was great to hear.
Sometimes we meet people while walking around house and sometimes even a small conversation starts. I am pretty sure many a group of people have come and gone, stayed for short, stayed for long. Since we will be staying here for 8 months, I thought we would be the longest staying guests. In the morning there are coffee and small snacks in the lobby. So my wife and I came to grab some of that with water. I was curious who had stayed as a guest here the longest to one of the workers and the answer was quite a surprise. I couldn’t believe my ears. 5 long years! I asked how the rent is being managed and the person replied that the company pays for the bills. Surely, without the company pay for the rent 5 years would not be possible. I am certain the hotel prices here are the highest amongst this nation. Since my wife and I had to leave for the re-construction of our senior apartment, the price is controlled but still, the rent price is not very cheap.
They have left now, but for about 2 weeks a middle aged American couple had stayed here. During the early morning to grab our coffee, I would see the wife (who looked in her mid-40s?) to grab 2 cups of coffee and return. After a short time, the wife and husband would come out in harmony and saw that the wife would wave her arm happily at her husband as he gets in his car to go to work. It is like one beautiful picture. I remember way back in Korea, this was during the time when Korean economy was on the rise thanks to the technical cooperation with Japan. There is an apartment near the school which is on a hill. In the early morning, I see a young Japanese couple in the morning to ride the bus. The wife would carry her baby in the back and would wave her hand at her husband as he would get in the bus in the morning. That picture was brought back to me.
I will wrap up with the Bayland Park. After a short hike from the entrance, there is a large plaque on the wall explaining the park’s opening in 1993 with this quote: “As Steward Of The Land, It is Ours Both To Hold And Enjoy Today, And To Preserve For The Future.” After 2 minutes of walking through a dirt path, there is a small playground for the children which were donated by the ESL Teacher’s Association (English as a Second Language) on February 16th of 1988. One other area has a brass plaque with “Discovery Play Area” in large letters. From the bottom 3 lines, there is this quote: “The Future Of All Children A Special Place To Share Joy, Laughter And Friendship.” I wonder why this playground was made – this was a dedication the future generation of children brought by the Sunnyvale teachers.
(February 25th, 2018) |
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Why? 
eSA (Extended Stay America) Room 210 (2)