Second International Conference on Processing Materials for Properties: Destination Information

The Second International Conference on Processing Materials for Properties (PMP2000) will take place November 5–8, 2000, in San Francisco, California.

Under the joint organization of The Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan (MMIJ) and The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), PMP2000 will provide a forum for the world's materials community to address the continuing globalization of materials production and the creation of new technologies and materials which are broadening the horizons of materials in associated processing routes. The Renaissance Parc Fifty-Five Hotel will host this prestigious conference.

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco is a golden dream come true, a place where heart, mind and soul embrace, lost in the simplicity of delightful deliverance. Fog and sun mingle playfully above America’s favorite city; the cool, cloudy comfort of early morning slowly dissolving into the peaceful warmth of a gentle afternoon glow. Touch it....it is real. Feel it.....it is the essence of escape. Savor it.....it is one of a kind. Little wonder why San Francisco has been named the world’s top city twice by readers of Condé Nast Traveler; the top U.S. city seven times since 1988. San Francisco’s neighborhoods comprise its inner beauty, enhancing daydreams, opening doors to new and exciting visions. The City is a cultural wonderland, an ethnic treasure chest where custom, tradition and history are preserved, celebrated, shared. So take your time and explore The City. You’ll find that the Gold Rush days have never really ended here; there’s still plenty of gold to be found. The restless spirit of The City’s Barbary Coast past lives on, fueled by a desire to be different, nurtured by infinite viewpoints, personalities, styles.

Magical moments abound. The echo of cable car bells from atop great hills. The rejuvenation of the soul upon crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The splendor and elegance of a boat cruise on San Francisco Bay. The soft touching of wine glasses over a gourmet meal. The views. The people. The sights. The sounds. The City. So come and share the wealth. Let your heart, mind and soul wander. Stay as long as you like. San Francisco encourages lingering. It was designed with adventure, romance and pleasure in mind. It is one of life’s great indulgences, so indulge. It is one of the world’s most gratifying escapes, so escape. It is where the world comes to unwind. It is America’s preeminent playground.

The Bay

San Francisco Bay, a 500-square-mile cleft in the California coast-line, has a split Personality. It is both a major center for water-borne commerce and a delightful excuse to just go play. From the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada, 16 California rivers flow into San Francisco Bay. A steady stream of container ships, freighters and cruisers docked at more than 40 deepwater piers attest to its role as a major shipping lane. But it is the fun side of the bay, that lures mariners about and aboard, to skirt the Golden Gate Bridge where ebb tide meets west wind or happily paddle single kayaks in Richardson Bay. Scheduled ferry service, sightseeing and dining cruises offer another opportunity to ply the bay. However, for those who don’t trust their sea legs, landside pursuits on the edge of the water can be just as engaging.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Eighty-seven percent of San Francisco’s visitors include Fisherman’s Wharf on their itinerary. With good reason. Waterfront marketplaces include The Anchorage, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square and PIER 39. The Wharf’s working hub, “Fish Alley,” sells thousands oftons of sole, shrimp, salmon, sea bass, squid and other deep sea delicacies annually. During the crab season (mid-November through June) devotees line up for the best of the catch. For an impromptu picnic, order some cracked crab and pick up a loaf of sourdough French bread from a nearby bakery. A fleet of historic ships berths at Hyde Street Pier, a component of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which also includes the Maritime Museum. The USS Pampanito, a WWII fleet submarine, may be boarded at Pier 45. On The City’s northern waterfront beyond Hyde Street Pier and the lagoon of Aquatic Park (this is a nice side trip from Fisherman’s Wharf), the nearly four-mile-long Golden Gate Promenade winds past bocce ball courts through Fort Mason and Marina Green to Crissy Field, a shoreline retreat adjoining the Presidio, terminating at Fort Point. Ahead lies the world’s most incredible piece of outdoor sculpture, the majestic Art Deco-style Golden Gate Bridge. Completed in 1937 the bridge links San Francisco to Marin County. For a real aerobic workout, climb the steps near Fort Point that lead up to the bridge and make “the walk of all walks.”