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Published: August 15th 2023
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Imagine a cut price Ryanair, without the frills. Then you have Spirit Airlines, the low cost airline in the US. When I advised my hosts that I was using Spirit to fly from Philadelphia to the west coast, they proceeded to laugh. It doesn't have a great reputation, and when the cabin crew advised us that the WIFI wasn't working, followed by a member of Spirit telling me that the hot water wasn't available for my hot chocolate, I started to wonder about the engine. The cast of fellow travellers reminded me of the Airplane movie, every colour, creed and type of character would be joing me on the 5 hour flight to Oakland. The plane was like something from the 1940's , and the tattooed lady across the aisle was deeply concerned with her cat who was in a cat travel box, first in the overhead locker, but for second half of the trip on the floor in front of her. Suprisingly we arrived in one piece i, 198 dollars was great value to get from east to west.
Having spent weeks watching documentaries , and reading about the huge problems throughout the States regarding the fentanyl/xylazine epidemic, arriving
late In Oakland Airport, I was quite nervous as to how i would find me way into my hotel in Union Square, San Francisco. There was a tram, and then a connecting train to central and I arrived in about midinight. Having built myself into a bit of a frenzy, I imagined each person on the train was a potential threat to my life and luggage, and must admit there was little reason to be worried.
The centre of San Francisco was a bit of a shock. i had waited most of my life waiting to see the city with the big bridge, headquarters of the summer of love, and that famous jail in the bay. What I found was boarded up shops, homeless on the streets, and a bit of a dystopian feel all round. The Chancellor Hotel was old style, and quite charming, and I was relieved when my head hit hte pillow that night.
Next morning, there was a bit life around, and I dropped into the famous Saint Francis Hotel on Union Square, which oozed history and had been home to all the most important kings and queens, presidents, prime ministers, musicians , actors
and actresses of the 20th century. It was imfamous for the Fatty Arbuckle affair on September 5, 1921. Salvador appeared here in 1939with a lobster on his head, a cabbage in one hand and wearing a pair of emerald-green sunglasses. Cary Grant, Molotov, General Douglas McArthur, Al Jolson, Shirley Temple,Gerald Ford, John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Queen Elizabeth 11 among others were guests of the hotel, minus the sunglasses.
I had organised a trip to Alcatraz so headed down to the Piers to find my ferry. A bit of brunch down by the bay, and off to the place where Al Capone finished his days. Watching a poor guy rummaging through waste paper bins for something to eat, reinforced the huge inequality in this city, where an average apartment downtown can cost about 5,000 dollars for a monthly rental. The boat trip across the bay was spectacular as we headed towrds our destination, a first view of The Golden Gate in the distance. Alcatraz was fascinating, and a complete different experience to East State Penitentiary, but the crowds on the island, as opposed to the near empty jail of a few days previous, East State would be a better
recommendation.
Since my arrival in the US, I had had big problems with my internet coverage, and this was to cause some complications over the next few weeks. My residence for the next few days would be in the house of my cousins, Linda and Anne-Marie, who lived in the swish suburb of Noe Valley, about twenty minutes outside the city. Not only was my internet not working, but also the battery on my phone decided to die just as I approached their street. It was very hilly, and with a foot complaint that had continued to affect me since my arrival in the states, and would stay with me for the rest of my trip, I sat down on the side of the street, used a portable charger to bring my phone back to life. My coiusin came to the rescue and drove me to her lovely house, with spectacular views over the city and bay.
That night we dined in a marvellous Argentinian restaurant, in the Liberty area close by. It is a a mainly Latino barrio, and one of the last parts of the city not to fall to the world of gentrification and high
rents. As with most of my travels, I learned that this country doesn't come cheap, and with the extra 20% tip, restaurants and bars are a luxury.
Saturday morning meant a wonderful walk with their two dogs, on a beach overlooking the spectacular Pacific Ocean. ,Mark Twain was right, San Francisco in the summer is not hot, and I should not have approached our walk in shorts and t-shirt. Be warned.
A drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to the village of Tiburon, shark in Spanish, the sun comes outnad the temperature rises. Sam's restaurant on the waterfront, the most incredible Bloody Mary I'd ever tasted, and wonderful fish and chips in the company of some of California's finest, left a lasting impression.
Later a drive Presidio Heights where a house values average 4.74 million dollars, once again showed up the big gap between those who have and don't have. The summer of love and all things connected to it , had long facinated me and a visit to Haight Asbury left me with a near out of body experince.
Russian Hill is a kicking part of town, and we dined that night in an Italian
restaurant better than any I had visited in my near 60 years. We caught up with some Irish friends of my cousins, and in true Irish style, we drank the bar dry.
Next morning, a walk on The Golden Gate was followed by lumch in Perry's of Union Street. This venue has been legendary over many decades, a favourite of my dad and his freinds, back in the 70's and 80'. His friend Mike McCourt worked theri for many years, and once again the Bloody Mary's resurfaced.
That night my train to Seattle, the next leg of the journey, was leaving from Emerville near Oakland. My wonderful hostess Linda dropped me there, and the adventure continued.
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