chasing rabbits stateside

OK, I’m starting to get some disgruntled e-mails, and seen as my exploring is currently limited by a bad case of nausea and occasional dizzy spells this is a good time to sit down and type for a while !!!!

This additional week in San Francisco has been more than just fun and has been caused by the cute smile of a certain ‘Texas’ – real name Shana,(see comments 6/27). My bike ride in the Pride Parade finished with an invite to dinner by a woman who made me wish I wasn’t leaving the city the next day. We had a fabulous evening at A16, a smart Italian restaurant in the Marina neighborhood. Shana works in the restaurant business so managed to get us a table (it’s great spending time with people who have ‘connections’!) and we got so much attention I began to wonder if I wasn’t hanging out with a member of San Francisco royalty! The following day she took me to Muir Woods for a quick hike and then we said goodbye. I don’t know what made me think I could leave her, I eventually came to my senses and called her ; “what would you say if I said I wanted to spend more time with you?”. Well, the response was positive and I’ve been here ever since!

Since then I’ve been to the San Francisco Opera to see a wonderful production of The Queen of Spades. It made me crave more opera, so that’s one activity I’ll be doing more of when I return (fortunately Manchester is a destination for many world class touring operas and we have Opera North so I won’t be left wanting). I spend a lot of time hanging out at Jardiniere where my ‘host’ works. A fancy restaurant (when I arrived with my backpack I initially refused to go in until I had been allowed to change into something smarter than trail trainers and slightly grubby hiking pants, I was convinced to go in and was quickly befriended by the wonderful bar staff), I’ve become a regular, propping up the bar and trying out the fabulous menu. I’ve been introduced to many of the staff and most of them know me by name now. It’s like my own little high class episode of Cheers!!

On Wednesday we made use of a gift voucher Shana had been given and had a night at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Half Moon Bay. Flashy is definitely one word I would use. When you plan a trip like this the Ritz Carlton is not somewhere that you expect to find yourself spending the evening ! After a lazy breakfast Thursday morning was spent kayaking at Pillar Point. I loved it, we paddled past hundreds of pelicans, seals weren’t too far from us and we watched a very cute otter at play in the bay. Lunch, a drive along highway 1 and then dinner at a sister-restaurant of Jardiniere, the name of which escapes me, however it’s a funky place with huge felly fish for lampshades, underwater paintings, it’s a great place and once again we were given the red carpet treatment. It’s been fabulous having the opportunity to spend such ‘quality’ time with Shana, I don’t recall the last time I felt so comfortable with someone, had interest paid to me by someone so kind and sweet, who treats me so well and is so damned good looking. I’m incredibly lucky.


It is true that the people make a city. I wasn’t so keen on the place in the first couple of weeks, my hosts were lovely but I found it hard to warm to the place. People weren’t chatty or particularly friendly in cafes or bars when I tried to strike up conversation (which was never a problem anywhere else in the country, unless you count Las Vegas where it would result in someone offering to sell you drugs or find out what make of underwear you possess – you get my meaning). A number of people I have met, including SF locals have said that it’s not always the most friendly city. The more time I spend here though the more I warm to it. Great restaurants/bars/shops, and there is also no better way to get to know a place than on the back of a motorbike. I love the fog, at night it gives it a mysterious quality, by day it just makes it more interesting, the weather is as changeable as in the UK so I can handle that. There’s plenty of hills around the place to keep my country-girl legs happy (although I am still piling on the weight and am out of breath at the top of stairs), the public transport system here is great (something they should pick up on in the UK are bike racks on the front of buses and trams – fabulous idea and so so simple). I love that it’s by the water (although that has also completely confused the ‘sense of direction’ part of my brain, I still don’t know which was is north - actually , since having met Shana, I don’t know which way is up!!)

Now, I’ve come down with ‘something’ and the last thing I need to be doing is spending 15 hours on a Greyhound bus. As a result I’m in SF for a couple more days. I need sleep, food at regular intervals and all those things that we explorers figure we can do without, in the mistaken belief that its possible to be superwoman/man and that the usual rules of existence don’t count for us while we are on our travels ! I’m sad that I won’t make it to Portland as I was looking forward to meeting Mary, whose constant support and interest has made her feel like a friend despite having never met. However, I will endeavour to meet her at some point and there are worse places to be than San Francisco.

posted by KP @ 6:09 PM