So I left cousin Ann (who does not want her photo taken and suggests Bob and Ruth come and visit her instead to see what she looks like), picked up a snazzy blue car at the airport and drove down Highway 1 to Santa Cruz. Stopped at Half Moon Bay for a second breakfast (oops) with a load of fishermen, went for a paddle with … Continue reading San Francisco to Santa Cruz

Lunch (light chicken sandwich) at Mel’s Drive In, opened in 1947 and the decor not updated since. The delightful waiter was happy to have his picture taken although he was keen on me putting everything on Instagram so that everyone could see it. I assured him I wasn’t going to make him famous. Continue reading More food news

Travelling by bus gives you a really good view of the city and its various zones. The houses and other buildings in this place are mainly fabulous – even the ones on their last legs. (See https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/San-Francisco-houses) for pictures. Having taken the bus to Lands End (not that one) in a very high wind, I walked round the headland to the view of the Golden … Continue reading Last day in San Francisco

Do not try to upload 5 pictures at once unless you have very very fast broadband. Also, incidental observation – dog buggies cause as many arguments on buses as baby ones do when parked in wheelchair spaces. Continue reading Note to self

Today to the De Young museum in Golden Gate Park and to the Japanese Tea Garden. Also took cousin Ann out for dinner. When I asked a ‘docent’ at the museum if it was worth me paying to get in and pointed out how difficult it was as to find a door, he got me a free ticket. Nice. The building is modern enough that … Continue reading And now it is Friday

After many backwards and forwards messages, I went to Lafayette to see Jess, who worked at CENMAC many years ago. 11 years ago to be precise, as her oldest son (just born when she came back to the States) is now 11. On the way I went to the Oakland Museum of California. Nice place, only disrupted by school visits. Ah well. I must say … Continue reading To the other side of the bay today

I went to the Italian deli for a small sandwich ….. Continue reading Food – continued

Well I finally got here – after trying at least twice previously. History – military fort then military prison then high security prison. Famous prisoners – Al Capone et al – and sad stories like the one who was imprisoned for being a (black) conscientious objector in the 1st world war who was chained standing to the front of his cell 8 hours a day … Continue reading Alcatraz!

So on the bus again to Fisherman’s Wharf, then on the ferry to Sausalito vis Angel Island and Tiburon. At the souvenir shop on the pier, $1m note fridge magnets with Trump’s face on them, along with toilet paper, talking birthday cards with his voice and mock bullet key rings with names on one side and ‘the right to bear arms’ on the other. It’s … Continue reading Sausalito

Went to North Beach on the bus and to the City Lights bookshop. Founded in the mid 50s by the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti – who appears to be still alive at the age of 100. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Ferlinghetti). Hangout of Jack Kerouac et al, inventing the Beat Generation as they went along. Site of the first performance of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/49303/howl) which livened up both the … Continue reading San Francisco continues