WWDC Part Six

A day for sightseeing.

I noticed a place selling tickets for a hop on-hop off open topped bus tour yesterday, so I headed there straight after I finished my breakfast at “Roxanne’s Café” this morning. I had a kind of omelette with mushrooms, spinach and sliced sausage through it. I think it had some kind of cheese in it too. There was a potato thing as a side and toast. All washed down with a large creamy mocha. The butter for the toast was what they call “whipped butter”, it resembles cream but tastes like our kind of butter. I like going out for breakfast, I wonder why it isn’t really the “done thing” in our country? I know it’s a bit more common than it was, but nothing like as popular as it is over here. I was twenty two dollars (including tip) for my meal, so it isn’t as if it’s cheaper, therefore more people can afford to do it.

I got my ticket for the bus tour and went to where the people told me to go and stood on the street corner, ready to wave my but ticket/programme in the air once the bus came. What I didn’t know was that there are about ten other bus firms doing this service and they all have very similar red busses. I must have flagged down about six wrong ones before getting my bus.

While waiting I chatted to two young ladies who emigrated from India just over ten years ago. One moved to Oregon, the other to New York. They hadn’t seen each other in the intervening years, so they decided to meet in San Francisco, which was a new destination for both of them. I asked how difficult they found it to immigrate to the US and they both found it easy enough because they already had relations who lived in the US, so they got sponsored straight in.

The bus went to Fisherman’s Wharf and I got off at Pier 39. A busy place, full of shops selling mostly decent quality tat and a lot of sugary food. I went and had a look at the seal colony, but failed to be too impressed as I can go and look at seals any time where I live.

I bought a ticket for a boat ride on a catamaran which circled Alcatraz Island then went under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was quite foggy at the bridge and there was a brisk and cool sea breeze. It was a nice trip though, I got some photos and a wee bit of video footage (which I’m not sure I’ll find a use for), but I ended up a bit cold by the time we returned to port.

When back on dry land I went to a café selling seafood and bought fish and chips. The meal was pretty good, but I was a bit disconcerted to see they allowed/encouraged pigeons inside the premises. Filthy wee birds, their poop can be dangerous. Not the kind of thing one likes to see in a food joint.

I survived to tell the tale though, so after another browse among the shops I rejoined the bus tour which took us back through the city, covering a lot of the Downtown area. The guide was telling us some interesting facts of historical interest and it was a nice bright sunny day now for an open-topped excursion.

A bit too bright and sunny, it turns out, because when I eventually got back to the hotel my face began to sting with sunburn. I think the combination of salty sea- air and direct sunlight (and no sun-screen) led to my redness.

I took another trip out later to hunt for my tea which tonight turned out to be Thai take away. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was ordering but I got a kind of spicy meat and broccoli soup and a portion of fried noodles. It was great and the sauce I couldn’t identify turned out to be extra hot chilli. Very nice indeed.

Taking it easy tonight because my flight is tomorrow afternoon, so I’m just chilling in my hotel room watching inane American television. Honestly, it beggars belief that the same companies can make series’ as good as Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Wire etc. and also the most dumbed down new bulletins and adverts you’re ever likely to see.