Day 4: More rowing and downtown SF

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This morning began with another early start and an opportunity to go sculling with Berkeley Paddle and Rowing Club, who train on a small lake next to the freeway. I was told I have a near perfect hip drive, which made my day 😊 Also saw a blue heron and an egret. I then helped de-rig and load the boats for tomorrow's regatta which - mercifully - I have managed to escape competing in.

I then caught the BART into downtown San Francisco. First I wandered around the massive food 'farmers' market held each Saturday in Embarcadero, around the Ferry Building. Increasingly trendy/yuppie, there were loads of 'organic' stalls. I couldn't help but remember the Armstrong + Miller sketch, since how glass jewellery can be either organic or come from a farm is quite beyond me. I then headed along Market St towards the MOMA (museum of modern art), only getting moderately distracted by the shopping district and thus losing a few hours. Anyone who said clothes were cheap in the US is lying though, especially since they stick a massive VAT on at the till. I also discovered a jazz festival in Yerba Buena Gardens, outside the Contemporary Jewish Museum, which was nice.

The MOMA was brilliant, with an especially good temporary exhibition of paintings once collected/owned by the Stein family (apparently Gertrude Stein is a famous writer). Lots of Picasso, Matisse, Renoir etc. Also some more weird and wacky items, including two separate exhibits of a urinal (different artists, but identical apart from the orientation; one was entitled 'fountain' which I thought showed considerable ignorance of function).

After buying out almost every postcard in the shop (museum shops pretty much being the sole reason I visit museums) I had to brave Macys to find the post office hidden within. Unfortunately I was still half dressed in stash and not wearing any makeup, so got several hostile stares as I blindly wandered about the cosmetics section asking where I could buy stamps. Not sure I'm kitted out for sophisticated city living after all.

Then came back to El Cerrito and got another life experience: using a public laundrette (Teddy Bear Wash and Dry). It was only after I got there that I realised my bra and pants also needed a wash, so there was a pretty awkward shuffle in the corner to try and remove them without flashing the whole neighbourhood. Anyway, I leave tomorrow so it hardly matters if they did see anything.

Fact for the day: American red starburst are cherry flavour, not strawberry. Also not as good, in my opinion.

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Photos

A bit squashed
This is what you get when your host is mad keen on rowing. I didn't mind though - that rigger did come 5th in the 1996 Olympic games.

Comments

[Pam]

Genuine Norfolk cotton
Stop quibbling about farm-grown organic glass jewellery. I remember a small shop in Fakenham claiming to sell "genuine Norfolk cotton". I am glad you are having fun. Thank you for writing it up for the rest of us.