Second Week
6th July
A fairly laid back day today. We had to do a grocery shop so we went to Stonestown. We initially went through Nordstrum and Imelda gravitated towards the shoe section. I propelled him away quickly and told him he had quite enough shoes and did not need anther pair. We stocked up on some essentials from Trader Joe's. (Bananas were 19 cents each, 5 for a dollar, beats the prices we were paying in Oz before we left). As the weather forecast predicted, temperatures are quite cool today and there is fog around. The reason that San Francisco experiences so much fog and cool temperatures is because the warm air from inland (where it gets quite hot in the Summer) clashes with the cold air from the surrounding Pacific Ocean and the SF Bay. When that happens, fog forms. It is summed up in a quote by Mark Twain thus:
“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”
A little about the area where we are staying. St Francis Wood is a small neighbourhood in San Francisco. It lies adjacent to Forest Hill and St Francis Wood. West Portal is primarily a residential area of the City. It is a very green leafy neighbourhood, some beautiful homes and gardens (lots of flowers and shrubs of those I remember from my England days grow here in abundance.) The neighbourhood's main street, West Portal Avenue, serves principally as a shopping district . It also boasts many restaurants and we will try some before we leave. The neighbourhood is served by the Muni through a tunnel beneath Twin Peaks. The ride in the subway from West Portal to Union Square is about fifteen minutes.
After lunch we decided to do an walk to Stern Grove Park. Stern Grove is a large park in the residential area close to where we are staying, approximately a 10 minute walk from home. The park consists of thickly wooded eucalyptus, redwood, and fir groves and has two lakes. It is best known for the annual Stern Grove Festival, a series of free summer concerts. The concerts take place in the scenic outdoor amphitheater. We did a good exercise stint around the park, and located the stage and the area where the concert takes place. There is a very good female artist appearing this Sunday so we plan to go. If we are there early enough, we can claim the seating that is reserved for “the elderly”. Sometimes this can work in one's favour. We went home via the shops at West Portal to pick up fruit and vegetables and then home to relax for the rest of the afternoon.
7th July
We have decided to go to Golden Gate Park today. Richard works out on the map how to get there, it seems fairly straight forward. Only thing was we hadn't taken into account that there were many streets in which we couldn't do a left turn so journey was a little longer than it could have been. No worries, we worked it out and we learned a little more about the area. After finding a parking spot, free for three hours, we walked through the park. First stop was the De Young Museum, a museum of fine arts. There are some wonderful paintings, artwork, sculptures here.. We were very impressed with The Spine and Tooth of Santo Guerro. A thought provoking sculpture, it is made of metal, bone, tooth and cloth. But what is most intriguing is that on closer inspection one realises that the metal cathedral is in fact made of bullets, lead shot and revolver parts. The gift shop is a delight, another place I could spend serious money. There is a Picasso Exhibition on and we will see it on another day.
We had lunch outside by the pretty fountains. The sun is shining and it's pleasantly warm. Then it was off to the Japanese Tea Gardens. It is quite a large area, beautifully laid out with water features, a pagoda, lovely shrubs and flowers. A very unusual arched ladder type bridge spans a small waterway, we climbed the “ladder”, Richard stayed on as I wanted to photograph him on the bridge. I then went around the other side where the water was for a better photograph. Photo taken, oops, I stepped back one step too far and the next thing I knew I was up to my armpits in water. Two kind gentlemen helped me out, Richard appeared off the bridge to be met by the sight of a dripping Sandy. He did ask if I was okay and then was very concerned about the camera I was holding at the time – not so much if it still worked but more so that he wanted to take a photograph of me! Richard had a light jacket in the back pack so I was able to take off upper wear and change into his jacket. We retreated to the car (but not before Richard told the cashier that we had not been able to see much at all of the gardens because his wife had ended up in the drink). I did, in fact, feel very much like a drink at this stage. Anyway, he kindly refunded the admittance charge. Well, I am married to a Scotsman! And we will return. Have to take all the photographs that we lost again. We got back to the car, I am feeling rather uncomfortable with soaking wet jeans and waterlogged trainers. We found a paper carrier bag in the car, I took off jeans in between two car doors and sat on paper bag for the journey home hoping like hell there would be no reason to stop. DRIVE CAREFULLY, RICHARD. And he did. Most of you know this tale already because Richard has mailed all the blog recipients his version of the events. But this is mine. A hot shower when we arrived home was most welcome. As was a nice glass of red wine. (For medicinal purposes only) naturally.
THE LAST PHOTO BEFORE SANDY'S UNINTENTIONAL SWIM.
A rather eventful day.
9th July
We are going to Alcatraz this evening We decided to go into the town early and utilise time in the city. We visited the Jewish Museum. There is an exhibition showing at the moment on the writer Gertrude Stein. A guided tour was taking place so we booked ourselves on to the next one. It was very interesting learning of her influence on modern art, literature and culture.
We had our packed lunch at the pretty park opposite the museum. We then walked down town to a camera shop hoping that we could put the camera in for repair. Repair time would take too long for it to come back before we leave but we were advised to put the camera into white rice to dry it out. We'll see if it works. It is in a bowl of rice as I write this and Richard says it is improving.
HOW TO FIX A DROWNED CAMERA. IT WORKED !!!!!!!
We hopped on a tram to Fisherman's Wharf only to get half way there when there was a power outage and the whole of the tram system in the city came to a halt. So off tram, down to Muni, off Muni and pedicab to Pier 39. Very crowded today. We had clam chowder in a bread bowl on the wharf, very delicious. We walked back to Pier 33 for our Alcatraz excursion. Weather has started to cool, we put on another layer. The cruise over is quite short, around 15 minutes. A tour guide walked us up the hill stopping a couple of times to relate the history of Alcatraz.
Upon reaching the prison, everybody gets an audio headset and we hear the voices of former Alcatraz inmates, correctional officer and residents as they reminisce about life on Alcatraz. It's very well done. It is very chilling, dark and sombre. One wonders how indeed men who were imprisoned there ever survived. We saw the cells that were occupied by The Birdman ( who never actually had birds on Alcatraz ) and Al Capone, heard the stories of attempted escapes, saw the solitary confinement cells. Prisoners were confined to their cells for 23 hours a day, there were three 20 minute meal breaks when they were let out. Prisoners who did not make trouble were allowed to work in the prison, a much sought after privilege, working was far better than being confined to a cell all day and night. The cells are tiny, enough room only for a small bed, a metal table and toilet. One prisoner could crochet and he taught his fellow inmates this skill. I have a picture in my mind of hardened prisoners working with a ball of wool and crochet hook. I guess anything they could do to occupy their time was a bonus. One notice reads, “You are entitled to food, clothing, shelter and medical attention. Anything else you get is a privilege.” In 1963 Attorney-General Robert Kennedy ordered Alcatraz closed.
We got the boat back to the mainland, by now it is cold on the water and the fog has closed in. We find a tram that is going to Union Square so we hop on and get the Muni back to West Portal. Home by 10.30, a long day, supper of PBJ ( peanut butter & Jelly just in case you forgot ) toast and a cuppa goes down well. We fell into bed shortly afterwards, quite tired after being on our feet for most of the day.
10th July
I am feeling tired today. I woke at 9 a.m. So decided we should have a bit of a bludge day today. Walked down to She She Nail Salon in West Portal and had my nails down. We went to Safeways later to get some supplies for our camping trip next week in Yosemite. Home for lunch, a relaxed afternoon. Tonight we went out to dinner at a really nice local Mexican Restaurant. The place was buzzing, although we had to wait a little while to be seated it was well worth the wait. Amazingly on arrival you have to put your name on a waiting list and stand in a queue until your name is called. They do not accept prior bookings as this place is just so busy. It didn't take very long for us to be seated. Food was great, reasonably priced ($10 per meal) and we just loved the décor of the place. Not a spare inch was left unadorned on ceilings and walls. There were photos of a bygone era, lines of beer bottles from Mexican to American, Mexican hats of all varieties hanging from the ceiling, dozens of dolls, old street signs, parrots, carousels, candles, figurines, walls were painted in bright orange and yellow with Mexican caricatures. It was then home for a game of scrabble before bed. I was leading all the way but I let my guard drop momentarily and Richard beat me by two points. Gonorrhoea.
11th July
Today we are going to the concert in the park at Stern Grove. We made a picnic lunch and walked on down to the park at about midday. Crowds of people were making their way to the venue, somebody even asked us the way. “Just follow us”, said Richard (Temporry Citizen of the USA) “We'll show you the way.”
Although we arrived a couple of hours before the show began, there were several hundred people making themselves comfortable on picnic rugs, cushions and chairs. A great atmosphere was in the making We were fortunate as senior citizens to be allowed into seating in front of the stage. On entering, Michael, after identifying Richard as a senior citizen said, “Glad to see you bought your daughter with you.” Sandy replied, “They were my words exactly a couple of minutes ago.”
We found our seats, settled in, read, had lunch, watched the ever increasing crowd which by the start of the concert probably was in the region of two to three thousand. It reminded us of Neil Diamond's Greek Theatre Concert when one looked back and saw what was described by him as the tree people away in the distance.
The performers of today's concert were a group of extreme;y talented musicians called Afrocubism who brought together the music of West Africa and Cuba. This comprised of dynamic drumming with Latin guitar. The support act was Pelleo Seco, the Bay area's premier Cuban fusion ensemble bringing together the traditions of Latin America with the spice of modern dance hall. The female lead singer was great and the crowd were up and dancing as soon as the concert began. More and more people joined the dancers. Young, old, middle aged, fat, thin, tall, short, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, a multicultural affair. They presented a very colourful spectacle, dark beaded braids, blue dyed hair, dreadlocks, bejewelled ears, necks, noses and lips, colourful dresses, skirts, t-shirts, pants, head scarfs, tattooed arms, legs, backs and shoulders, their bodies gyrating to the beat that became louder and more intense as the afternoon progressed.
A wonderful afternoon of music with a most appreciative audience. We loved every moment. We shuffled out of the park with many hundreds of others as the concert drew to its close.
A musical event that will stay in our memory forever.
YOSEMITE
12th July
Today we leave for Yosemite for our five day camping experience at Evergreen Lodge.It was raining in San Francisco as we left home. Before long though, we left the clouds behind, the temperature gradually increased and we were enjoying the sunshine once again. The drive took us about 4 hours and that included a refreshment stop. Richard's driving ability in a strange country, driving on the right and navigational skills are second to none. We arrived at Evergreen without incident. Thank you, Richard.
This place is soooo beautiful.
We checked in and located our tent.
Large enough for sleeping and storing our clothes. We were advised that no food should be stored in the tents or car. There are numerous bear bins around where you can put food and they are chained up so that no bears can come a nibbling. Apparently bears have been known to rip off car doors in search of food.
SANDY SITTING ON A BEAR BOX WHERE WE STORED OUR FOOD.
We had a relax in a shady area with books for a while, had some dinner. Very nice restaurant, we were seated on the balcony looking out onto an area shrouded by tall pines. We are going on a sunset vista happy hour tour this evening. Our guide, Rachel, and another family of Mum, Dad, a grown up daughter and two young Asian adopted girls joined us on the tour. Very nice scenery on the drive to the area where we enjoyed the sun setting over the Tuolumne River Canyon while having hors d’oeuvre and a glass of wine/soda/hot chocolate.
It was a very nice way to unwind after a busy day of travelling and settling in. We snugged into our bed very comfortably, closed the flap and hoped that nobody would come a visiting!!!!
13th July
And they didn't. Phew. Was a tad worried though when Richard got up to visit the bathroom during the night at 3.30 – apparently that is bear visiting time. I laid there in trepidation until he returned. But return he did and sleep returned very quickly on our very comfortable bed on the ground.
We eventually started our hike. Rachel, our guide, will meet us at the other end in the Evergreen vehicle on the Valley floor. It was a steady downhill descent the entire length of the hike. The Yosemite Falls were, in the main, always in sight. So beautiful. We saw quite a few squirrels and the brilliant blue stellar jay, lizards and a deer. We had lunch sitting on a shady rock with the falls in full view. It took us approximately 3.5 hours to reach the bottom. I was certainly glad to be on level ground at the finish. We waited for Rachel and the others on our tour for transportation back to Evergreen. After showers and dinner in the tavern, we were well ready for bed.
A lovely peaceful scenic day.
14th July
Today we know that we had done a large amount of exercise yesterday because our thighs, calves, hips and joints are groaning every time we rise from a sitting position. Old Age Creepeth On. We decide we'll drive to the High Sierra today. The views and vistas in our windscreen are so beautiful. Smooth granite, domes, craggy peaks,snow capped mountains and spacious meadows embody the character of the High Sierra. There are many hiking trails dotted throughout the area within this glacially carved landscape. During our drive snow appeared alongside the edge of the road, now only a few inches deep. I haven't felt snow for many a year so we stopped and I made a snowball, thew it at Richard but he ducked out of the way just in time. We stopped at the John Muir Trail and did a fairly short hike. We are on flat ground today so it shouldn't tax our sore muscles too much. We hardly see another soul, the Merced River runs through the area, there are many large rocks and boulders along the way. We came across four hikers who we stopped and chatted to. They were doing a huge hike of 220 miles, they'd completed 20 and had 200 to go, they estimated completing their walk in about 20 days. They gave us their Facebook contact if we wished to follow them and it is called “The Muir Project”. A little later we passed an Austrian fellow. He was walking the Pacific Crest Trail which starts at the Mexican border, winds through California, Oregon and Washington State finishing just over the Canadian border. Total distance is 2650 miles long (approx 4500 kms). He had been walking for 2 months and still had, he thought. 3 months to go.
We wound our way back to the car eventually and continued our drive. We had been recommended to stop at Lee Vining where there is a service station that offers gourmet meals. We enjoyed a nice lunch in the sunshine overlooking Mono Lake.
We didn't need dinner tonight after a large lunch so we just had nibbles and drinks. We got talking to a couple who had just booked in and we shared an hour or more with them until dark.
Yet another beautiful day in Paradise.
14th July
Today we went to Hetch Hetchy. There is a huge reservoir here, a source of drinking water and hydroelectric power for the city of San Francisco. Again there is spectacular scenery and the starting point for many trails. The O'Shaughnessy Dam was built here in the 1920s because San Francisco was facing chronic water and power shortages. Today it holds 117 billion gallons of drinking water and also supplies hydro-electric power. Water was being released from the dam, a sight to be seen, watching the power of the water crashing into the river below. It created large clouds of mist and the sun shining through the mist clouds created many rainbows. Quite stunning.
We walked along the dam wall and into an old disused railway tunnel and then we started the hike. Unfortunately, part of the trail we were walking was closed at one point because of the high amount of water running. Even so, we were still able to do a fair walk, again fairly flat, quite rocky, a lot of hikers out today. We managed to get as far as a waterfall before the trail was closed off.
We sat awhile in the sunshine and had some refreshments before walking back.
We had dinner in the Tavern tonight, our last night here at Evergreen. We leave tomorrow. It has been a lovely experience, we've loved every moment. Camping was fun. It was nice waking in the tent appreciating the silence. Gradually the sound of life could be heard, tents being unzipped, the murmur of voices in different languages, the louder voices of excited children waking from their slumber, the sound of shuffling footsteps in the soft wood chips walking past our tent - a new day bad begun.
15th July
We pack up, fill the boot, get ready to leave after coffee in the rec room. A good run home to San Francisco. We stopped for brunch at El Taco, not sure how healthy the food is, but we had two burritos, two tacos, coffee, coke, fries, a shared churrito for the grand total of $9 – it tasted pretty good.
We drove past the windmills once again at Livermore. The skyline there is filled with many hundreds of windmills capturing the power of the wind to generate electricity for the grid.
On the road we drove into a fruit stall where we bought very fresh huge peaches, apricots, cantaloupe melon, fresh figs, five huge red onions, a bag of white onions, big red tomatoes – cost $8.90.
We are home by early afternoon, unpack and settle in again and have a relaxed afternoon. We ordered home delivery Chinese for dinner this evening. A really nice meal.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Yosemite, the hikes, the scenery, the peacefulness, the friendly people we met, the wildlife, camping. It was a holiday within a holiday. And we loved every moment.
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