Freejan

Saturday we go for brunch at a nice cafe in the Olympic village. Two enormous sparrow statues stood at either side at the end of the square outside, After we were tempted into looking at possible new houses/apartments for Jane and Simon to buy if the ‘showing’ (as they call this viewing system here whereby you go out and the realtor – estate agent – shows potential buyers around) they have booked for Monday morning, goes well. It was interesting for me to see the inside of a few different homes. Jane had to go to Victoria, so we spent the rest of Sat and Sun cleaning and tidying the apartment. Jane set off Sunday late afternoon and we were ready for me to let the realtor in on Monday morning. I went to hav e my nails done at ‘Bling’ a beauty place on the ground floor of Jane’s apartment block. I came backand started to sort my packing – will I get everything in now I have bought too many new clothes! Tuesday I went to post office and then in evening Simon and I went to see ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ at the cinema – 2nd time for me and quite glad to go again as Iam in love with Bradley Cooper! Wednesday I went down to the Bay shopping mall and then went to the waterfront to catch the water bus to Lonsdale Quay – wonderful market with a mix of food stalls and fresh veg, fish etc. I was tempted by a Greek stall andbought myself a chicken souvlaki – a maz ing! There are craft shops and a first nation shop where I bought myself a crockery trivet with a leaping salmon pattern on it. Then I set off back across Burrard back to the waterfront and then skytrain to chinatown and Stadium stop. Quite the native now!

I got up leisurely and had my yoghurt, fruit and granola breakfast wth tea made by putting the bag in the mug first- got them trained now! Tea seems to be a real problem here as they have no idea how to make it. You often get warm water with the tea bag on the side – now how will that mash (as we say in Sheffield)? Would you give someone a cup of warm water and the coffee on the side?! Libby, an MP friend of Jane’s gave me this way of putting it – and this seems right! I digress….
24/1/13 The open top bus picks me up on the Haight St stop. Willie, the driver with a laugh to end all laughs gives us the goss – we pass the house where Jimmi Hendrix lived, then Janis Joplin and on the way a large dark green houe where they filmed the Adams Family. I tell you, just one big film set here! We passed several victorian style houses similar to the ones here called ‘The Painted Ladies” – all different colours side by side. As we near the City Hall Willie tells us about the way it rolled from side to side in the 1904 earthquake here. The gold is real on the top of this building and pretty impressive it is too. The civic Legislature Centre has their seal in stucco on the front of the impressive round building. As we pass the gates to China town we are told Bruce Lee was born here. The Bank of America building was the tallest in town but now the 2nd tallest – The Towering Inferno was filmed in this building. We pass a green painted house on a corner and are told The Godfather was written there. It starts to spit as Peter Kaye would say and Willie tells us that he is taking the bus into the depot to get a covered one at Union Square. So we are left there to wait 15mins for next bus. I get off to see Lombard St – the crooked street and decide this is where I can get a ride on a cable car. I meet a lovely young man who was there on business from Hong Kong, but was born in Scotland. We take the cable car to Powell and the turntable where it then goes back again to where I started. This costs $6 each way but on the way back Iget a seat on the open side – very exciting! I’m like a big kid here – can’t get enough of it! I get back on the tour bus and set of for Golden Gate bridge -the spitting has stopped and all hunky dory now. We pass the street where Steve McQueen made ‘Bullet’ and end up at the bridge. Got some better photos and views and set off on next bus back through the Sunset area of SF. I see an ad for an exhibition at the De Young museum and art gallery of the Dutch masters, including ‘The Girl with a Pearl Earring’ – so I get off the bus again and dash across the park bit infront of the gallery to see the picture in the last 30 mins of opening time. Blast! Only open for members in preview days as exhibition does not open until Saturday. They showed no pity so I had to walk back across the little park area and sit outside the science museum of California to wait for the last tour bus at 5pm. Who should be my driver but laughing Willie!
He dropped me outside my B &B which was great as my leg was hurting. There were Tango classes at the Red Victorian from 5-9pm but decided this could be the death of me! I order a vegggie BLT and a cuppa and call this my evening meal. I went for a short walk up the street at night and saw a brilliant T shirt with the words ‘ for a minute there you almost bored me to death’ – loved it but they hadn’t got my size!
25/1/13 – I get up at 8am to havebrakfast at 9 and my taxi to the airport at 10. It is ‘spare the air day’ in SF – no burning fires or bonfires and I thought perhaps no farting might help too! The sky is a Dali blue and as I say goodbye to SF I am thankful the weather was so good to me. Back in Vancouver by 3.05pm and I get a taxi back to ‘home’. We all go for our evening meal at the Foundation cafe/restaurant with amazing veggie food. A perfect end to a perfect week! How lucky am I?

This is taking me quite a while to catch up on so I will try to restrain myself from rabbiting on! The ducks are coming and going and I believe they are checking the place outand warning offany potential compettion. ... [Continue reading this entry]

I left pier 33 afte rthe trip and as only 2.30pm I got myself a bicycle rickshaw with 'James' along to piers 43/44. I was in need of refreshment so went into Castagnola's for a couple of vodka tonics with ... [Continue reading this entry]

The tour was well done, taking you stepby step around the prison giving you the prisoners and the guards views on life in there. I especially liked it that the real men were talking - perhaps as part of an ... [Continue reading this entry]

The temperature was 10 degrees with blue skies and and sunny when I arrived and I saw thisas a sign - I had brought too many warm clothes! There were quite a few people,young and old on Haight St as ... [Continue reading this entry]

As there as been a lull in my blog whilst I was enjoying myself in San Francisco I thought I'd better keep the duck lovers up to date with how I found things just before I left Vancouver and just ... [Continue reading this entry]

Yes folks Evelyn and Walter are back! Must have been on a short break as I suspected. They definately look as if they are getting closer as Walter is no longer frolicking whilst Evelyn sits on the rock. I have ... [Continue reading this entry]

[caption id="attachment_278" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Jan and the chocolate factory!"][/caption]Jane had a day off today so we on a girls day out. We went to get me a clock for my mantlepiece at ... [Continue reading this entry]

What an exciting, wonderful time I had in Victoria with Sam (Jane's eldest) and Karin, his partner. I flew there on a sea plane and I had a ball on the trip over as the pilot, when I asked which ... [Continue reading this entry]