Poetry, Prose, Photos

with Sonia and Karen

I returned last week from a trip to San Francisco. I was inspired to go by a new poet-friend, Bonnie, who told me that she has visited this beautiful city upwards of 20 times. She likes to travel here by herself even though she has oodles of friends that would accompany her, no problem, plus she has a husband and a ten year old.  She prefers the freedom that comes when travelling alone;  you can see what you want when you want.

a different kind of fountain -- near the Ferry Building

City Lights Bookstore founded in 1953 by the Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti

I stayed with my friend, Sonia, in her beautiful craftsman home near Berkeley (“Berzerkly”) with its airy, indoor food markets, clothing, pottery and jewellery stores. The atmosphere harkens back to the 60s though everything is decidedly upscale (not one sign of a funky tie-tied T-shirt anywhere). On my last day in the area, another friend Karen (from nearby Livermore) joined us for my one walk around the neighbourhood which revealed stucco and wood-trimmed houses, each one different with flowers growing everywhere in profusion. A lush garden of Eden!

My first venture into San Francisco was on the BART metro. I had arranged a nine hour tour in a small bus with a guide leaving from the Ferry Building. This was the most efficient way to see a lot without the neck strain of having to deal with maps and bus schedules. The day was cold and foggy (hence my many grey-tinged photos) with people walking around in scarves and wool coats – in July! I learned that the best months for summer weather were September and October. I saw the usual sights with a trip over the Golden Gate into Sausalito and the John Muir Woods with its thousand year old first-growth redwoods. 

The Bank of Canton in Chinatown

The next days were more leisurely as I travelled by cable car and bus to some of the same places I  had been  before.                                                                     

As many of you know I travel around by bus in Vancouver and like it. I can zip myself into my personal space here and travel undisturbed all over the place with journeys taking about 15 minutes longer than if I had gone by car.

not much to see of Sausalito

In San Francisco the lives of bus riders spill over. I sat by the aisle in a bus with a boy who was grasping the poles in front and behind me with both his hands. He had his mouth two inches away from my ear as he chattered excitedly to his mother all he knew about animals. They appeared to be on their way to the Zoo. On one of the side-seats at the front of the bus sat a man whose smile was somewhat off-kilter. He had a rangy black cat in his arms and was calling for people come over and take a look. At the side door I heard two black people. I assumed (wrongly) that they already knew each other. The woman, strong and heavyset, was trying to convince a man that he had to come with her and march for the rights of the poor at a rally starting soon. He was explaining this was not on his itinerary for the day although he was supportive of this cause. She had a wave and broad smile for him as she got off the bus. Her parting words to him were that she will continue to speak about and fight for the impoverished “every day and in every way”.  Such tenacity…and so many dramas on a ride that could not have lasted more than ten minutes.   

This triptych altar in Grace Cathedral is by Keith Haring who died of AIDS is full of winged souls flying about joyfully. A man standing nearby commented to me that he recognized Haring's style but found the subject matter of the piece hard to believe knowing of Haring's lifestyle in New York. My first thought was that perhaps the artist found religion when he was close to death.

Clearly I’ll have to go back to visit this vibrant city. No way can one person see it all in five days.                                                 

Even after twenty visits Bonnie claims there is always still more to experience.

" A fine place this to forget weariness and wrongs and bad business" John Muir

an amazing plane ride back on a clear day with a view of an Oregon mountain