|
  | |  |
I lost my heart in San Francisco
Entry 27 of 33 | show all | print this entry |
"I lost my heart in San Francisco, it's in some motherf***ing disco" Scissor Sisters 2004.
San Fran has joined the prized and coveted list of possible places to live. It has a great vibe, boho hippy and downright weird feel to it with wonderful eclectic laid back stylish people and architecture as amazingly coordinated and brightly coloured houses face onto clean streets and lets not talk about the great window furnishings (I applaud the gays!). Every day is like being on a movie set as you hike up hills (we're not talking lovely rolling hills, but steep gradient, mothers of mountains!) Where the houses seem to be sliding downhill, in fact you have to park with your wheels into the curb and the SFPD (doesn't quiet have the same ring as LAPD or NYPD) when not arresting bums, actually enforce the proper parking procedures! Every time a cable car goes clanging by I think of Tales of the City as I walk past austere buildings, Maltese Falcon and those hills, well Bullitt of course.
San Francisco where the squirrels have attitude, I squared off to several whilst enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the botanical gardens (yes massive opportunities to increase my flower photo portfolio) and where the bums are polite whilst I mutter stock phrases like "No I don't have any change!" They respond back with "Now you have a great day" or "Real nice talking to you." I smile and shuffle off wanting to scream, I'm jobless, homeless and have rising debt and you think you've got problems... me over dramatic! They've even managed to make Starbucks outlets to look quaint. Talking of which I had my first Starbucks experience for 10 months in LAX and for the record it was disgusting, weak coffee and sweetened soy - Yuk!
Golden Gate Bridge
Well I pounded the sidewalks (how American of me) of this city and my feet and calves are definitely feeling it! But the glimpse of that iconic structure emerging out of mist and low cloud is truly a fantastic site... until I realised I was staring at the Bay Bridge (only joking)! The first day was spent walking around the bay area towards to Golden Gate Bridge through Fisherman's market and the mass of humanity that congregates there for the first glimpse of Alcatraz. I then decided GG bridge was too far to walk and so heading back to the Cal train station (local suburbian rail) through the city and got completely lost.. no map! At one point I looked around me and realised I was the only white person in the vicinity (normally not a problem but we now talking the US).
The next day I made it to the GG bridge took loads of photos and then walked and walked to the Golden Gate national park, a great space in urban san fran and then Erin and Carter met me and we headed to Haight a funky neighbourhood, where some TV series had been shot.
The rest of the time was spent walking around Stanford university and seeing 'college' Californian style, driving to Carmel, to stalk Clint Eastwood, who was mayor of this too cutesy, cute seaside town, but the beach was fab. I didn't make it to Big Sur, too much of a drive and also it was really misty down on the coast, leaving something for next time.
With much regret I said goodbye to the lovely and wonderful Miss Erin, who I met in Botswana and is a medical student at Stanford, and boarded a plane to meet Jon (another Botswana contact to head into the Rockies and go camping, hiking etc.)
America and Americans
Okay gross exaggerations and stereotypes coming up - but America where the car is supreme and its no longer "my SUV is bigger than yours" but "my Hummer is better than yours". A Hummer is the army's 6 wheel vehicle that is now ruling king on the streets of America. Where no longer is it drive through fast food, but also drive thru Drug stores - You don't even have to get out your car to pick up your medication. And then there are the Americans themselves, unfortunately the incredibly bright people are a minority but the majority of people I've met, which has made my trip fantastic. Then there are the clothes, oversized Americans shoehorned into bland beige, khaki outfits that just don't match or work. Call in the fashion police! And Bush is still President.
|
|
If you like this entry, search for other entries from United States or try a new search. |
| |
Back to Entry - Back to Home
|
11 votes 
This is a top pick!
