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Published: November 24th 2008
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Pumpkins
An upper middle class household - 2 pumpkins Right……so a bit of catching up to do.
Day 2.
Saturday, after sitting up writing this drivel on Friday night, I slept like a baby till midday, so I decided that it was too late for the bike ride.
The alternative I came up with was pretty good. I walked the 8 k or so to the coast - walking west all the way to the open ocean. Of course I saw some interesting things along the way. A really old Grandma on a micro-scooter was very cool - bless!. And the Thanksgiving 1-upmanship was pretty funny. Some houses had a pumpkin in the window, or on the porch. As I moved west, the suburbs got more upmarket and 1 pumpkin was no longer enough. Attached is a pic of a ‘2-pumpkin’ porch, and then I finally got to a suburb called Sea Cliff, equivalent of Sydney’s Vaucluse. The huge houses and perfect gardens weren’t enough - they had to prove their wealth with many pumpkins. The final pic is of the biggest, most affluent pumpkin collection I saw. These were huge houses overlooking the bay and bridge, with pools and Mercs and immigrants mowing the lawns……..so I
posh pumpkins
Top-of-the-town 'Vaucluse' style Pumpkin presentation guess a few pumpkins weren’t going to break the bank.
The north-west corner of the peninsula is called Land’s End….beautiful national park, quite wild, views all the way back to the bridge (next slide please). Just like in Sydney, the bridge pops up in views from all over. My walk continued around the point until I was heading south, through some great forest and onto the beach. The totem pole overlooking it all was cool - a woman was praying to it when I arrived. The beach was pretty busy - ultimate Frisbee, dogs, balls, joggers and kites (wish I’d brought mine).
I then turned left at the first windmill and cut through Golden Gate Park. Apparently there are buffalo but I didn’t see any. By this time the fog was starting to roll in from the ocean, the temperature had dropped and my stomach was growling.
I’d read about a sports bar on 19th - halfway back across the park heading for home - known for a down-to-earth atmosphere and good tex-mex food. ‘The Underdog’. I got there at about 5pm, just as the fog started getting wet. They didn’t seem to mind me wearing hiking
bridge
like Sydney, the bridge dominates the view from all over the city boots and shorts……so I tucked in.
I had an awesome Taco. I had a couple of drinks. The bar staff were great. I watched a game of basketball, and some ice hockey (fighting, with sticks). I chatted to a very smart girl called Kate who worked for Accenture. I chatted to the DJ, who by 9pm had started playing some fairly chilled-out hip-hop which fitted the bill nicely. I chatted to Rachel, who let me wear her hat with a peacock feather in it (yes - of course I looked like a twat, it didn’t matter. No, there are no photos). I had a couple of drinks. And then another couple. I was offered a tequila, which I thought only polite to accept.
I had a great night, in a bar on my own, and realised (remembered) how cool it is to travel on your own. You make the effort, and are usually rewarded with some great conversation and amusing situations.
A crazy Russian cab driver got me home, screeched to a halt outside the hotel, and after all of that I was in no state to write…………..
Day 3. Today - Sunday. Managed to wake
bridge and shadow
my mum'll like this one, the rest of you just grin and bear it. up a bit earlier, albeit a little dusty. Fought my way to the outside world by 10am. Another perfect day. The weather so far - apart from Saturday night - has been perfect blue skies. Warm enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt, cool enough to wander around without sweating to death.
Decided today was bikeride day, so headed north towards the bay. Wandered around a bit, got a bit lost if I’m honest, then found ‘Blazing Saddles’.
‘Be Still Taggert….my mind is a raging torrent of pensive rivulets, cascading into a cess-pool of cognitive thought’.
That’s not really a quote. More a mis-quote. But if you’ve seen the film you’ll know what I mean…..maybe.
Picked up a decent bike, for not much cash, and the deal is you cycle west along the edge of the bay, then over the Golden Gate bridge, and down into the town of Sausalito where you can get a ferry back.
Seems this is a popular thing to do on a warm Sunday afternoon. Bikes everywhere. Thankfully the route avoided most of the major hills (more of that later) but still had a few heart-starters along the way. Stopped
trees
View from Lands End at the ‘Outdoor Barn’ and bought some dirt cheap outdoor clothing. Took a few photos along the way, then it was over the bridge. A nice ride. And a sore arse as a result (Single guy…..weekend in San Francisco…..sore arse…….I just invite the p!sstaking……)
Sausalito is a nice little town, entirely populated by tourists pushing bikes I think. I guess a few people must’ve been working there, so weren’t tourists pushing bikes, but you couldn’t see them.
There were 2 English girls on my flight from Sydney, and I bumped in to them in Sausalito. Spent an hour with them then got the ferry back to town with them, and fought our way along the bayside to the bike rental place. Nice girls. Hoping to go out with them tomorrow night.
Dumped the bike and walked towards Lombard Street ‘The Crookedest Street’ I know that’s bad English, but I’m quoting. It’s the street that stared in one of the Clouseau films - Pink Panther although I don’t know which. Sellers, dressed in a giant inflated black suit, with cotton wool puffing out his cheeks, is in a chase with Kato and a fleet of bad guys down
totem pole
overlooking Ocean Beach a narrow road that has in-build zig-zags in it. This is because it’s so steep that people would fail to get up / die going down otherwise. Wonderful bit of film, mental note to self to rent pink panther movies when I get home.
The walk around the top of Lombard Street is like climbing the Eiger. The hills make this city, make it really interesting, but Christ it’s hard at times. The map just shows straight lines, it doesn’t point out the need for crampons.
Tonight, met up with Joe and Claire in North Beach. A couple of ‘San Francisco Anchor Steam Ales’, and a couple of ‘Sierra Nevada Pale Ales’ at a bar called Vesuvio, great quirky little place. Turned out to be next door to the City Lights bookstore which is a famous beatnik place….Kerouac’s favourite. I never got into his books but can respect the local legend.
Beers, then a good pizza somewhere, tried a microbrewery called Rogue (their Amber Ale, and their atmosphere, wasn’t up to much although this was a Sunday night). Then an amusing trip to ‘The Saloon’ - allegedly the oldest bar in town - where a strange mixture
sunset bridge
view from the ferry from Sausalito back to the City of folks got it on to the dulcet tones of Jonny Nitro. This place was really feral, but the music was fantastic. Jonny played a mean guitar, his crazy lady friend REALLY knew what she was doing with the sax (including playing stood on the bar) and his mate Bert looked like a real old crooner and had a great voice. I never thought I’d enjoy ‘Pink Cadillac’ but I really did. Honest. Not kidding.
SO now it’s late, I’m home, I ought to be drunk but am feeling quite human……and it’s time for bed. Tomorrow, Alcatraz, the city centre for some shopping, and hopefully a skinful with the 2 girls from Brighton.
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