San Francisco Bay

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Infinity entered San Francisco Bay around 1pm, September 23. The Golden Gate Bridge was obscured by heavy fog, not an unusual event in these parts. The fog cleared by the time we tied up at Pier 35, right next to Fisherman’s Warf. San Francisco is a beautiful city, especially seen from the bay. Coit Tower, the Trans America building, Treasure Island and the Oakland Bay Bridge are very recognizable even though it has been more than 15 years since I was last here. Besides its beauty the city somehow oozes sensuality.



Bill and I went for a short walk along the waterfront and then took a cab to Jerry Rosenstein’s home in Presidio Heights. Jerry is a fascinating 85 year old concentration camp survivor who is a friend of Steve Rovig. I have dined with him in Seattle a couple of times. We had a glass of wine with him in his beautiful home. His friend, Lonnie, who lives in the apartment above his is about to celebrate her 100th birthday. I wish I could have met her, but he said she only sees guests after she is coifed, and dressed in her best attire. The old girl threw out her last boyfriend two years ago when she was 98. Apparently he wasn’t providing satisfactory sex. My, oh my.



After a pleasant visit with Jerry we met an old friend, Chris Maltby at the corner of Castro and Market streets. There were many revelers wandering about following the annual Folsom Street parade. A couple of drinks in a fairly quiet bar was enough for Bill and I. We returned to the ship fairly early.



September 24 dawned clear and warm. After my morning walk around the exercise deck we ventured out with Nancy Knudsen and her sister Sharen for a tour of their old home town of Oakland/Berkley. Nancy had the route planned meticulously. We went by tram, bus and Bart. Our first stop was to have a hearty breakfast at Bette’s Diner in Oakland. Nancy has been talking it up for months. It was a grand place to eat. We were lucky to have only a short wait to get in. Usually there is a long line at the door.



Next we went to the U.C. Berkley campus for a short walk. Later aboard the ship when I mentioned that I had walked around the Berkley campus, an elderly (actually they are all old on this ship) lady asked if that had turned me into a Democrat. I told her I already was a D and am perhaps moving further to the left toward a DS or Social Democrat. She quickly walked away. The Berkley campus is beautiful. Students had tables out pushing all sorts of liberal issues. I miss my old college days, but not the exams.



Later we took a walk through Nancy and Sharen’s old neighborhood and saw their childhood home. They have many fond memories of living there. After that we returned to the ship and Infinity sailed out of San Francisco Bay late afternoon. As during our arrival the Golden Gate Bridge was mostly obscured by fog but the city skyline was still clear. This is a genuinely beautiful city. We are now under way headed south toward Cobo San Lucas, Mexico, our next stop after two days at sea.

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