... as the song goes.
Well, we're here and just about to leave for our California road trip. The last couple of weeks at home were a whirlwind of plaster-boarding (finished bedroom 3), gardening (trying to leave it reasonably tidy before 6 weeks of neglect), eating and drinking (surprise, surprise!). Mixed weather with some days to hot to work in the garden in the afternoon, others quite cool.
Chris is at a conference in San Francisco while Judy does the tourist bit, although Chris is managing to be selective about what he goes to. We have mixed feelings about San Francisco: we're in a hotel on the edge of the centre and only a few blocks away there's a lot of poverty. Have never seen so many people begging and sleeping on the streets. And this in the world's richest country - make us feel quite pleased to have a welfare state.
We've done a few guided walks, one about the buildings in the financial district, one around Chinatown (the biggest in the USA apparently) and Judy did one about the people who made SF what it is. Anyway, the cable-cars are fun and the cable car museum was very interesting - the cables run continuously at about 10mph under the street and the cars grab them to be able to move.
Managed the walk across the Golden Gate Bridge after taking the ferry to Sausolito. In retrospect, perhaps we do like SF after all!
Heading to Jamestown and Yosemite National Park today.
Oh, one real irritation about the USA is the way they give you prices - always without tax and tip, the exact opposite from France! So by the time they've added 8-15% for tax (8.5% in a restaurant, 15% for a hotel room) and 15% for the (almost compulsory) tip, the price really mounts up. But we're getting used to it even though we don't like it. Thank you, credit card.
Well, we're here and just about to leave for our California road trip. The last couple of weeks at home were a whirlwind of plaster-boarding (finished bedroom 3), gardening (trying to leave it reasonably tidy before 6 weeks of neglect), eating and drinking (surprise, surprise!). Mixed weather with some days to hot to work in the garden in the afternoon, others quite cool.
Chris is at a conference in San Francisco while Judy does the tourist bit, although Chris is managing to be selective about what he goes to. We have mixed feelings about San Francisco: we're in a hotel on the edge of the centre and only a few blocks away there's a lot of poverty. Have never seen so many people begging and sleeping on the streets. And this in the world's richest country - make us feel quite pleased to have a welfare state.
We've done a few guided walks, one about the buildings in the financial district, one around Chinatown (the biggest in the USA apparently) and Judy did one about the people who made SF what it is. Anyway, the cable-cars are fun and the cable car museum was very interesting - the cables run continuously at about 10mph under the street and the cars grab them to be able to move.
Managed the walk across the Golden Gate Bridge after taking the ferry to Sausolito. In retrospect, perhaps we do like SF after all!
Heading to Jamestown and Yosemite National Park today.
Oh, one real irritation about the USA is the way they give you prices - always without tax and tip, the exact opposite from France! So by the time they've added 8-15% for tax (8.5% in a restaurant, 15% for a hotel room) and 15% for the (almost compulsory) tip, the price really mounts up. But we're getting used to it even though we don't like it. Thank you, credit card.
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