Day 33: San Francisco Bay Area

I decided to spend a night here because there's just so much to do. Yesterday morning I explored Oakland. It was great. While exploring I finally found a place on Piedmont called Tutti Frutti and satisfied my craving for tart yogurt with fresh fruit. It was good, but still not as good as Tangysweet. I can't wait to get to Southern California so I can try the famed Pinkberry. I'm a little afraid that it'll turn out like Wall Drug, in that it will never be able to live up to the hype. We'll see ...

While I was strolling around, I came across a great little stationary store. I can't remember the name, but they had a wall full of rolls of stickers! Collecting stickers was one of my favorite things as a kid. Buying by the sheet (and by sheet I mean a square with sides measuring 1 1/2 inches) is certainly not the most economical way to purchase stickers, but it's a great way to amass a diverse collection of stickers. And really, if your hobby is collecting stickers, you're obviously not too concerned with the return on your investment anyway. I didn't see any sticker books (the kind where you can move the stickers without them ripping or loosing stickiness), and actually I don't think I've seen them since I was about eleven, when Toys, etc. in Cabin John Mall closed. Where are kids putting their stickers these days?

Next I went to a church on a hill with a beautiful cemetery. The view from the top of the hill was absolutely spectacular. Here's a photo I took:

Photos are never as good as the real thing, but you get the idea.

Then I met up with Sarat for lunch on Grand Avenue. It was wonderful to spend some quality time together and catch up on what's going on in each other's lives. Sarat is one of my favorite people ever. And I don't say that about just anyone.

After I dropped Sarat off, I headed to San Francisco. I checked into my hotel, which is in the Castro. Very cute area. Lots of rainbows. Unfortunately this one doesn't have a waterpark. Boo!

Next to my hotel is one of the best office supply/art supply stores in America. I feel like I can say that with certainty now that I've seen so much of America. Check out the outside:

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, so I decided to take the muni to Presidio Park. The bus ride took me by Buena Vista Park, through Haight-Ashbury, along Lincoln Way on the southern boundary of Golden Gate Park, and through the Richmond District, the foggiest place in America. By the time I got to Presidio, the temperature had dropped twenty degrees and the fog was so thick you couldn't see more than ten feet in front of you. So much for relaxing in the park and enjoying the spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge!

I decided to take a different route home so I could see more of the city. I stopped in the Marina district and saw Marina Middle School, where my friend Emily taught during TFA. Here it is:

Then I stumbled across this store:

I don't understand how a store with such a fabulous name could've gone out of business!

Then I went to Haight-Ashbury and browsed the hippie shops. Lots of tie dye and incense. It was great because I wasn't the least bit tempted to buy anything.

One odd thing I noticed about San Francisco is that the time that businesses close seems to have nothing to do with location or type of business. You'll be in the middle of a lively area and then all of a sudden, half of the stores and restaurants will close, while the others may be open for hours longer.

There also seem to be a lot of homeless people in San Francisco. It's really sad, and sometimes scary. One lady yelled "fucking bitch!" in my face, but I don't think she was actually talking to me; I think she was talking to herself. She didn't make eye contact and continued screaming with the same fervor after I passed.

I went to dinner at a little Taqueria by my hotel. Yes, this is now three nights in a row that I've had Mexican food for dinner. I think I'll opt for something different tonight.

It's time to start my day.

Have a great one!