''I left my heart in San Francisco''
- John Lee Hooker, Frisco blues
 |
| Guillaume |
 |
| Famous Painted Ladies |
I didn't really plan on going there. One second I was in Toronto, indecisive, the next morning I was on a plane to San Francisco. There were a few signs, I must say. That song, for one; it kept playing after every safety demonstration while working the 705. Every movie I saw seemed to be happening there also. It just made sense to me to follow my desire to leave for a few days and to make this my destination. I didn't have a plan B.
I wanted to travel cheap, therefore I rented a bed in a dorm. Luckily for me, the bed I rented was the last one available, as everything got booked until the end of the month. Another sign, I thought. I always had a good sense of orientation, therefore arriving at the airport and trying to find my way around wasn't a terrifying task. I managed to find a bus on ground level, which wasn't indicated anywhere, and traveled downtown San Francisco for a mere $2,50.
The weather was nothing but lovely during the 4 days I was there. Though the sun was hot, the hills and tall buildings were creating wind tunnels, making it almost chilly to walk without a jacket or a vest. I didn't have any problems finding my hostel, walking through the unfamiliar streets, the rush of excitement showing in all my movements. I got there around 11, 3 hours before my check in time. Fortunately for me, they had a storage room where we could leave our bags and go wander the city, which I did. I walked all the way down to the wharf where I sat at a coffee shop. While sipping on a refreshing and most welcomed iced coffee, I started talking with an old man who confessed he moved here from Chicago years ago, only to be able to ride is dear Harley more than 3 months a year. Though the conversation went for at least 10 minutes, we never introduced ourselves and I left with that exquisite feeling that this man shared a few memories with me exactly for that reason. It's easy to confess to a stranger; Free therapist-to-go.
The excitement slowly diminished and made place to hunger and the need for a shower so I headed back to the hostel. That second rudimentary need fulfilled, I made my way out once again in hopes to find a nice local restaurant. I obviously chose the wrong way as there was nothing around me but apartment buildings, churches and small convenience stores. I changed my plan and decided to go to a grocery store and make myself supper directly at the hostel, as most hostels have a kitchen for the use of travelers. In the lobby, I saw lists pinned on the wall with different free organised activities. Without thinking, I signed my name on the "pub crawl night" and decided I'd take a nap after supper before meeting time, which was 9 pm.
To be continued [...]
