This article is classified "Real"
This sprawling, not-quite coastal city was once made famous by the dulcet
tones of.... Well, I can't remember who actually sang it, but everybody
knows the song, "Do you know the way to San Jose?" (La la la la-la, la la,
la laaa la.) Well, people think they know it anyway -- I bet you can't
actually remember more than the first two lines.
Now, why anyone would want to know the way there is somewhat of a
mystery. Notable only for the higher-than-normal percentage of people with
pocket protectors in the population, San Jose is similar to Los Angeles in
its sprawl, but lacks the exciting bits like Disneyland and a high crime
rate. Yes, this is the place where Messrs. Hewlett and Packard started
inventing computers in their garages, probably because there was bugger-all
else to do.
If you should find yourself caught short in San Jose - on a geeky business
trip or some such - here are a few facts to help you cope:
Population: Around one million - roughly 40% Hispanic, 40% Asiatic, and
40% Geek [1].
Transport: Despite the existence of a clean and reliable public transport
system, most people rely on cars to get around. Unfortunately,
most of them try to do it at the same time, which is rather a
pity for those of us that don't enjoy drowning in exhaust fumes
for an hour on the way to work.
Sights: Hmm, tricky one this. If you're not keen on over-passes, then
there's not an awful lot here for you. If you must go look at
something, try the "Winchester Mystery House."
Best Bar: "San Jose Live," right in the middle of downtown San Jose.
Perhaps the biggest bar in existence, here you can find
everything from disco to piano bar, pool and pinball, with
a good (over)dose of TVs showing sports. Oh, and lots of
wiggling bar-persons wearing tight/short skirts and/or shorts.
Worst Bar: "O'sheas," a seedy little ex-Irish pub, on Union Avenue
near Blossom Hill. Good beer, cheap vinyl seats and a
neo-unimaginative decor somehow give this bar a charm
that it doesn't seem to deserve. Try it!
Exchange Most people use US dollars, although geeks often start
rate: conversations with "So how are your shares doing?"
So, next time the "Do you know the way..." song starts up, you can reply
with confidence "Sure, head south down 101 from San Francisco, get off at
Brokaw, and you can't miss it!"
[1] Real geeks don't need statistics.