"The Land of Kids, Soccer Moms, and... " a Sacramento Travel Page by mydreamquest

Welcome to Sacramento, the capitol city of the state of California!

I usually spend a couple of days a week here in my home away from home in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although I work in the San Francisco Bay Area, I live here during the weekends and sometimes, I skip coming here to stay in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I have been here 25% of my time since December 2002. My house has turned into more of a storage place and I usually come here to get away from the noise of the San Francisco Bay Area and to wash my clothes. All in all, Sacramento is a very politically Conservative City. The people are very friendly and helpful though distant, in the typical American sense.

As a foreigner, you will be perplexed in Sacramento about the level of effort a person will go thru in order to ensure that you've made the "right choice" when purchasing anything. And they will help you with a charm that will make you feel guilty of being a cynic. Politically, the distance from Sacramento to San Francisco is further than what the two hour drive would indicate. In San Francisco where there are constant anti-war protests, you will find veterans and celebrations for soldiers returning from the war.

In San Francisco, the people are harsher and more in hurry. In Sacramento, the people smile more and tend to take their time. In San Francisco, the local news focuses on global issues that threaten the security of freedom of expression or social spending. In Sacramento, the local news will focus on families and educational issues.

What's really hilarious in Sacrametno is that at least 10% of people interviewed in News Stories are less than 10 years old. It was cute the first 20 times. But now, I'm cynical about it.

The children in Sacramento are both the charm and achillies heal here. Although I love kids, there's an overdose of children in Sacramento. That wouldn't really be a problem, if they were, well raised. But you really have to be extra careful. The other day, while I was at cold stone ice cream, I accidently kicked a young girl in the stomach, because, I walk fast, and quite frankly, I did not see her. She came from nowhere. I felt bad about that, but it made me realize that they are everywhere.

If you listen carefully to the English spoken in Sacramento and compare it to the English spoken in say Los Angeles or San Francisco, you will hear a regimented, old fashioned kind of a voice and it may even remind you of lthe dialogue heard in sitcoms from the 1960s or 1970s, such as Leave it to Beaver or The Brady Bunch.

When you watch the local news in Sacramento, you will be perplexed at how much time is given towards children and families as opposed to global events. Those from most big cities will find this perplexing and like myself, might even react somewhat arrogant towards this. However, all this being said, Sacramento is an interesting world to be a part of and let's face it, a lot of hard working moms and dads work here, so the issues and areas of focus here would obviously shift more towards family and children.

Quick Facts about "Sacto":

1. It's the Capital City of California
2. Population: over 400,000 and growing.
3. Area: 350 Sq miles maybe (?)
4. William T. Vollman lives here
5. Basketball team: The Sacramento Kings
6. Famous Bands from here: Tesla, 7 Seconds, and The Deftones
7. Cost of a 3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom house (2000 Sq Feet): $400,000 maybe? Brand new: $500, 000.
8. Primary Landmark: The State Capitol Building
9. Baseball Team: The Sacramento Rivercats

December - March:

Temperature is very cool and often rainy. The low gets to around 40 F and the high no more than 60 F. This is a dangerous time because in most of Sacramento, there are days where the fog is extremely thick. At night it is scary to drive because at times, you cannot see more than 20 feet in front of you.

April-June

During this time of the year, more sun comes out and there is rain from time to time. The plants, grass, weeds, etc. grow at alarmingly fast rates.

The low is 55 F and the high will see 85.F .

July-August

The weather is extremely hot. Without an air conditioner or water, you'll die of heat exhaustion very quickly. If you live in Sacramento, you risk of pest problems (ants, mice, bugs, spideres, etc.) are at its peak because these animals realize that it's too hot outside.

The high is up to 110 F and the low 75.

September-November

This is the best time of the year to visit Sacramento. The temperatures range from a high of 80 F and a low of 55 F.