Arrival

Arrived safely on Saturday, as did all our bags. It was a beautiful, clear day, so we enjoyed fabulous views over the city and Golden Gate bridge as we came in to land, twenty minutes earlier than scheduled, but alas were then faced with a very long wait to get through US immigration. Our first night was in a hotel, then we came to our furnished apartment in the North Beach area yesterday. The flat took my breath away: we are on the eighth floor with fabulous views at the front over the Bay and Alcatraz Island, and over the city skyscrapers and Transamerica Pyramid at the back. The flashes from the lighthouse on Alcatraz light up the sitting room every few seconds during the night, and you can watch the world-famous trams heading up from Fisherman’s Wharf in the daytime. Plus, the apartment is very spacious with two bedrooms, so there’s a free, made-up room ready and waiting for anyone who fancies dropping everything and heading over here this month!

After unpacking, we headed off to get some lunch, and didn’t have to go very far – there’s a lovely Italian style caffè on the corner of the street, which intersects with Lombard Street, the famously sinuous one winding up Russian Hill. In fact, we are right in the Italian quarter – the lamp posts are even painted with Italian flags. We then went to do some food shopping, which in itself was an experience, as we ended up in a supermarket where everything was organic, free range, environmentally friendly or otherwise physically or morally good for you. It was then time to go and do a bit of exploring, so we meandered to Washington Square (a five min. walk away), a little park flanked on one side by the ornate, white-fronted Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, where Marilyn Monroe and baseball phenomenon Joe DiMaggio had their wedding photos taken (but they were both divorced so couldn’t marry there). We then wandered to the waterfront (about a 10 min. walk from the apartment) and Pier 39 – horrendously touristy, but I’m afraid I like it anyway. This is famous for its boisterous colony of wild sealions. There weren’t a huge number there (their presence is seasonal), but they did a good job of being noisy and entertaining anyway. We then wandered along the front, past the crab and clam chowder stalls, sourdough bakery and converted canneries, before taking a coffee at another Italian caffè and heading back to the flat.

Woke at 4 am ready for action (the jet lag clearly hasn’t worn off yet). Across the Bay, we could see flames rising up in the darkness, so we turned on the TV, and it turns out that a refinery was on fire in the city of Richmond. Can’t really see anything now, though, so it must have burned itself out. Packed Jon off to work early– he must travel about 12 miles, crossing the enormous Bay Bridge, to get to his office in Alameda (he has GPS in the rental car, so hopefully he’ll find it okay!). It’s another glorious day here – cold (governor Arnie has declared a state of emergency for the citrus fruit crop!), but clear and gorgeously sunny. Just contemplating what I’ll do with my day ... I’ll have to go to the caffè again (what a trial) in order to post this on the blog site (they offer free wireless internet and we don’t have a connection yet) and try to figure out how to apply for a work permit. I won’t be lazing around all the time, though – I have plans for some volunteer work, but that can wait until after a latté or two...