California 'Keep Me Rockin'

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'On a plane about to fly to San Francisco!' I updated my Facebook status and sat back in my seat. Thank god! I had been waiting for this holiday for months. First stop San Francisco - my friend Ads from a previous life (we worked in a video store together back home a long time ago) had invited me to stay with him and his lovely partner Nat in Berkley. They wanted to say thankyou for me having them stay in London a while back and I had always wanted to wanted to see San Fran. They call it Sydney's sister city. Sydney is my home town.

I remember many moons ago when I worked in Tokyo as an English teacher, I was secretly in love with my Japanese/American friend, colleague and neighbour. He was fresh to Japan to find out more about his background and inadvertantly, was representing the strong Japanese community back in San Fran. At least he was to me. He used to tell me stories about his home town and I was always fascinated by the tales of rolling mist and a city that was hot and cold at the same time. He was gorgeous. He came from two Japanese parents but somehow managed to be six foot tall and broad and manly. There is just something about those Americans. Sigh - I wish I could remember his name.

I guess Sydney and San Francisco have alot in common. Both harbour cities, liberal, large gay populations with arty, ethnic areas with lots of coffee shops filled with the cool kids working on laptops. What are they working on?? I want to be one of them but find myself feeling a bit self conscious.

So on the BART, and already between the airport and the train I had had four friendly people try and assist me. God Bless America. I had just come from London which, if you haven't been there, trust me, is not the same. I met Ads at his train station and he piled me and another visiting friend from Australia into his new car and drove me through the leafy streets of his suburb. He lives near Berkley, which with the thriving student population has cool places to go including a restaurant that serves everyone on ironing boards and the specialty is chicken pie!

We sat on his rustic rooftop and I looked out over the cute wooden houses and tree tops to be greeted by the worlds biggest KFC sign. Ok, so I was in America. The first night was a drive into town listening to The XX and watching the mist roll in over the bay. San Fran has big clear freeways and overpasses and it seemed not unpleasant to drive and less stressful than Sydney. Sydney is the worst! Road rage is rife! We went for a pre-dinner drink in the Mission area. This appeared to be an area with a strong mix of hispanic immigrants, artists, students with a bit of the fringe 'down and out' quality. Their choice was a traditional 'dive bar'. It was a tiny bar dominated by a pool table being played on by the bar girls who boasted the most brilliantly rounded booties. We perched on stools sipping Mexican beer and listened to hispanic music in bliss. Our table became ready in the adjoined restaurant which is famous for a huge plate of spaghetti and meat balls. Ads, Nat, their friend and I all ordered this dish and between us could only finish about half each. The great thing about the US is it is almost a given that you will be taking home a doggy bag and our leftovers were scooped into cool Chinese Takeout style boxes.

We took the scenic route back and looked at the view from the top of the hill and drove doown the 'most crooked street in San Francisco' which is saying something in a town famous for its crooked streets. Jet lag got the better of me and I nodded off in the car on the way home, ready for the adventure to continue the next morning.

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