| Rating |
Date Attended [v] |
Reviewer |
Gender |
Age |
Where From? |
Group Type? |
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Interesting, insightful, and educational tour!
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| Mon, Jul 23, 07 10:00 AM |
sarahans |
Female |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| Alberta, our guide, was born and raised in Chinatown. She was very informative, upbeat , experienced, and humorous as she led us through the different areas of Chinatown. She knew many locals and exchanged friendly greetings with them as our group made our way through the busy streets and alleys. She showed us shops and temples that we would've never been able to locate on our own. Many points of interest were in the heart of Chinatown, located in alleyways...inside a a Tso temple, an original fortune cookie factory, a tea tasting lesson in a shop, markets, etc. She taught us some common Chinese (Cantonese) phrases to use when speaking to the shop owners. Most people who live in Chinatown do not speak English. We got helpful shopping and dining tips. The tour taught me so much about the history, architecture, culture, art, and daily traditions of the Chinatown community. We were so glad that we stayed for the dim sum lunch at the end of the tour. Alberta arranged for the restaurant staff to be ready to serve us immediately. The restaurant was very nice. The tables had white tablecloths and large lazy susans in the midddle of each table. The attentive staff were quick to refill water, tea, and bring more food. Alberta told us what each item was and recommended which condiments would compliment each item. We had MANY courses of various dim sum items...all different and delicious. We also enjoyed two kinds of tea, a huge noodle dish, and dessert. Alberta made sure we had enough to eat and drink. There was so much food that we couldn't finish all of the items. The tour didn't allow time to shop, which meant more time to explore and learn about the area. I was very happy about that. If we were interested in returning to a store to shop after the tour, Alberta got us a business card with the address. She recommended many fine shops for various shopping requests. All of my questions were answered in detail. The only thing that I would suggest for the tour is to have the various Chinese phrases typed up with pronunciation guides and meanings. I had to grab a piece of paper and write them down so I wouldn't forget. I'm so glad my husband and I went on this tour on the first day of our vacation. After we were finished with the tour we were able to explore all of the areas of Chinatown freely and without hesitation. We knew where we were going and what was appropriate to say and do. We stayed at a hotel right in front of the Chinatown Gate, so we were able to spend time in Chinatown everyday to sightsee and shop. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TOUR!!! It was the very best tour we were on (and we went on 5) while in San Franciso. |
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Our Wok Wiz Tour with Alberta
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| Mon, Jul 23, 07 10:00 AM |
cugirl01 |
Female |
20-29 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Other |
| We had a great time on our tour, it was informative and it gave you a better view of China Town beyond all the shops. Our tour guide was very personable and she was able to give us greater insight to the Chinese American culture. We had a great time! And the lunch was good too! The restaurant was not a tourist trap, people from the neighborhood were enjoying lunch with us. I would definately recommend this tour |
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Interesting but lunch disappointing
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| Mon, Jul 23, 07 10:00 AM |
sdduke |
Female |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| Our tour guide was pleasant and knowledgeable. She gave us many insights into how Chinatown came to be and the current culture that exists. We were able to learn a great deal more than if we had just wandered around Chinatown by ourselves. The last part of the tour involves seeing a vegetable market, a Chinese deli, and a fish market. Fried pidgens and live toads available for purchase for someone's dinner left me no appetite for lunch. Also I simple did not like the food that was served at our dim sum lunch. My husband thought it was ok. He really enjoyed the time we spent at the Chines tea shop. |
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Short review of the Wok Wiz tour
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| Sun, Jul 22, 07 10:00 AM |
Mollen |
Male |
40-49 |
International Tourist(s) |
Family With Children |
| We enjoyed the tour and our guide Howard very much. We are a family of 2 adults and 2 children of 11 and 8 years old. We tought, however, that the background information on Chinatown given during the stops was a bit too thorough. Especially for the children. We might suggest a longer walk and seeing more of the sights.
The dim sum lunch was absolutely perfect.
The Mol family from the Netherlands. |
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Insider's View of Chinatown
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| Sat, Jul 21, 07 10:00 AM |
jrothenberg |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family With Children |
| My teenagers, aged 17 and 14 were never bored and found this to be a very interesting tour. They both commented that they felt they were in a different country.
Personally, I have been in Chinatown many times, but I never have seen it from an insider's point of view until this tour. It was a totally different experience. Shopping on Stockton Street was wonderful. She explained the vegetables with which we were unfamiliar and I must admit being totally surprised by the live fish and foul being sold.
I would recommend this tour to anyone with children over 10 or 12 years of age. You learn history -- personal history -- and a deep appreciation for the people that inhabit this mini-city within San Francisco.
Fantastic! |
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morning of funI
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| Fri, Jul 20, 07 10:00 AM |
lornan |
Female |
50-59 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Couple on a Date |
| I enjoyed myself and would recommend this as a fun morning! I thought the items at lunch were good, put i think there should have been a few more choices. |
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A Wonderful Tour
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| Fri, Jul 20, 07 10:00 AM |
SharonDS |
Female |
60-69 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Group of Friends |
| We certainly enjoyed the tour of Chinatown provided by Alberta. The first hand accounts of being raised in Chinatown brought much of the area to life.
The shops we were introduced to (and most especially the Red Blossom Tea Company) were well chosen as representative of the area.
Thank you so much for provoding this wonderful experience.
Oh, and the lunch at The Imperial Palace Dim Sum restaurant was wonderful. |
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GREAT!!!!
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| Tue, Jul 17, 07 10:00 AM |
audreyj1818 |
Female |
50-59 |
Local |
Family With Children |
| What a wonderful opportunity to introduce my grandchildren to such a important part of American history as well as another great culture. Thank you, Audrey |
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behind the scenes you can't see yourself
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| Mon, Jul 16, 07 10:00 AM |
amydawson |
Female |
40-49 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family With Children |
| Alberta was a great guide. I had been on a Wok Wiz tour years ago with Shirley and thought my kids would enjoy it. Sure enough, they did. I learned just a much this time around as I did the first time. Definitely worth doing for first-time or repeat visitors to San Francisco's unique and intriguing Chinatown. |
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Excellent Tour!
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| Sun, Jul 15, 07 10:00 AM |
skasitz |
Female |
20-29 |
Domestic Tourist(s) |
Family Without Children |
| Great experience. Our tour guide provided with a super tour through Chinatown. We visited many of the key tourist sites (Chinese markets, tea shoppes, temples, etc), and she had plenty of historical knowledge and personal stories about the town. I definitely would not have gotten as much out of Chinatown without the tour guide. Lunch was also a treat!! |
