The streets of san fransisco

The Streets of San Fransisco Waking time:5.30am I start the day with coffee at Starbucks, but my body believes it's midday. (Starbucks is my guilty secret, I want to not go there, ever. The idea of it, all those people working for Starbucks is something I disapprove it- but my tastebuds are good at ignoring my conscience and want their latte, I am good at ignoring them. I allowed myself one last at Christmas, for the first time in months.) Starbucks is alot cheaper here, and I am glad I am not on the diet till I'm back. Last night I dreamt about a baby duckling that wouldn't eat, as much as everyone tried to feed it it just would take nothing in. there was only me it would accept the feeding from, and even then only by me breaking up small pieces of cereal, wetting them and mushing them into my arm where it would suck them from the wool of my cardigan. But now is breakfast time, and not a baked bean in sight, we stock up on a big American breakfast incase we don't see food again. I am trying to figure out how when I get home I can make fat free hashbrowns and eat as many of them as I like (I think there's a way.) I can hardly move by the time I've eaten my vegi omelette and sour toast, just as well. There isn't time for lunch. 10am and a coach picks us up, to take us on the one sigh-seeing excursion we have booked. We start with Alcatraz, and take a boat over to the island. The sky is heavy and the wind is cold, and this seems fitting. For some reason I don't want my Alcatraz photo's to depict a sunny day, it wouldn't seem right. There is a lot I could say about Alcatraz, but I am still thinking about it. Seniorita on the boat, embraces Elmo all the way to Alcatraz. The tour takes a few hours to take it in, and is without exception the best sight I have seen. The way it is organised feels just right, each visitor walks the spaces with a headset with an explanatory audio on it, and this feels right, a private public space unbrightened by cheery tour guides. I am not someone who believes in doing the same holiday more than once, if if I am ever on this coast again I will certainly see Alcatraz again. On the way back the birds are everywhere, seagulls play chicken with the ferry and I watch the rock get smaller all the way back to land. There isn't time to take it what I have seen, or decide what I think. Skirt making polka waves. A shivering girl directing a telescope at the rock 2.00pm We meet the coach once again, and head out on the bus tour of San Fransisco, up to Twin peaks to see the city from a height, it's lego shapes and clicks where one building seems to slot so easily into another without people getting in the way. Next the Golden Gate Bridge, Pacific Heights, presidio and it's multi million dollar homes, round to China Town, the banker's heart statue of pure stone (which I am surprised they actually put outside a bank in the financial district), union square, castro , back round to Fisherman's wharf. Slopes, twists, hydrangea everywhere, rainbow flags while the painted ladies stand firm in their majesty and no one goes to see their peeling paint round the back. There was a lot to take in. A few things surprised me. How could I have forgotten about the earthquake? In the hottest part of summer the city is covered in fog. Property is even more expensive than Jesmond. Homes are taxed on what you paid for them. (Surely this makes the old rich and young families poor?) Just like Jesmond, there is no place to park, and no back gardens for all your bucks. Bag lady smells hydrangea. Mickey Mouse strapped to trolley sails away. I've always wondered about people who live in climates with extreme weather- people who wait for volcano's and earthquakes to take away their way. I'd watch and wonder- what makes people stay? Lots of things I guess, like anythingelse, family, friends, work, habit. I seem to have some sense of fairness about weather, an oh well, if it's beautiful weather everyday, an earthquake every 20 years in the price that is paid, and people take their chances for all those good days. But if it's foggy in the heart of summer- where's the pay off for the risk? It's an odd one. Otis Reading isn't here to ask questions to, but I imagine he knew, sitting on the bay and watching the ships going in and out again. 6pm The rain comes and we walk along to Pier 39. the seals are sleeping with only the small ones bickering and competing with Disneyland; they have something to prove. The rain seeps in and we buy clam chowder and beer at 10 to take back to the room. New Food Today: Clam chowder (served in a bowl of sourdough) Verdict: Perfect, as no long as no one is watching you eat the last lap. Falling asleep to: A show where people pretend to be minors on the internet and then the crew goes to film the men going to meet who they thought was a 14 year old girl flirting with them. Verdict: Is this entertainment? What have we become?