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Published: February 18th 2007
Acacia on the lawn
In front of the conservatory in the Golden Gate ParkAnother day of the San Francisco life! Pretty low-key, but an enjoyable day. We made our way back to the train station and across the bay to San Fran (our hotel, a Hilton, is in Emeryville, across the bay from San Francisco, chosen for its proximity to the Amtrak station for our departure tomorrow). From the public train, we caught a transfer via bus towards the Golden Gate Park. We met two crazy characters on the bus, one more menacing than the other. First, we met a guy standing at the bus stop who asked where we were from, where we were headed, etc. This guy took a pretty absurd interest in making sure that we got of the bus at the right stop. He explained in detail which stop we shoudl request and even went so far as to have a private conersation with the bus driver, pointing at us, explaining that he's to drop us off at the main entrance to the park. While it was entirely unnecessary that he go to such great lengths, it was much appreciated. Next, there was a more unstable gentleman who was worried to death that Acacia was going to injur his small
Darius on stone walkway
Roaming around the Japanese Tea Garden dog. You can bring your dog on the bus and even into many stores in San Francisco as long as it's small and you're holding it in your arms. This guy sat down and was fawning over the dog which was a little odd seeing as how it was a pretty ratty looking creature. Acacia turned around at one point and even though her purse didn't come anywhere near the guy or his dog, he made it a point to ask her to be more careful because she "almost clipped" his dog. She just gave him a really sarcastic ok and we thought it was over. Not so! She made a movement and yet again he asked her to be more careful, this time calling her sweety. It was getting to the point of being funny/ridiculous. I saw a few other people sitting nearby roll their eyes at the whole situation. We made our way to the back of the bus to et away from the guy even though it was tempting you tell him to stop being such a psycho about his mangy dog that needs a bath almost as much as he does... We spent the day in
and around the Golden Gate park checking out its many features. The park is huuuuuge and laid out in the style of Central Park in NYC. It is, however, much larger. We saw the Japanese Tea Garden, endless landscaping with foreign flowers and trees, and a never-ending supply of locals out enjoying the 70 degree afternoon. Lunch consisted of a hot sausage on a bun followed up with some afternoon tea and cookies at the gardens. After some more walking around the park and reading in the shade, we grabbed dinner at a little vietnamese restaurant/deli on the way back to the bus stop. The restaurant was called Viet Nam (Unoriginal, I know, but when the product is just that good, the name sort of falls by the wayside). We had a bar-b-que chicken and bar-b-que pork sandwich which barely resembled what most people think of when they hear those names. There were just small strips of meat topped with all sorts of peppers and vegetables. Accompany those with a bottle of Orangina and a can of mango nectar and you've got quite a meal. We also walked through Haight Ashbury which is a neighborhood in San Francisco. It was
Darius stuffing his face again...
...in the tea garden because there hasn't been enough of this on this trip! made famous in teh days of the Greatful Dead and remains a haven to hippies. There are tie-dye shirts adn dreadlocks everywhere you look. Oh, and a little drug paraphenalia.... After all this was finished, back to the hotel with a stop at Denny's for dessert and hot chocolate, and off to bed. Tomorrow morning we board the number 6 California Zephyr bound for Chicago, Illinois.
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