A Little Shit & A Few Sights

Now, I think I've spoken to a number of you about the rough layout of my travels, but for the sake of clarity, the plan at present is to make my way down the Western coast of the American continents, through the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, all the way to the southern tip. If at that point I still have residual funds and/or energy, which I hope will be the case, I'll begin working my way back up the eastern coast.

At any rate, I'm only two bus rides in, and the magitude of this journey is starting to become a little clearer to me. Let me catch you up a little.

I left Vancouver early last Monday morning, and after a short stopover in Seattle, rolled into Portland around supper time. Daniel, a kindly Buddhist fellow Cara and I met in India last year, and who had since settled in Portland, was good enough to meet me at the station, and escort me out for a night cruising the dingy but chic Northwest Quadrant. I was pleased to discover that not only does Oregon state have no sales tax, but that happy-hour beer prices hover around the $2 mark. (This is prime local microbrew we're talking by the way, not just watery draught.) Needless to say, we decided to avail ourselves of this bargain, making the rounds, and were in pretty good shape by the time we made it home. Unfortunately, Daniel had to leave for a few days the next morning, and we shared a heartfelt goodbye after a healthy American breakfast of chicken-fried steak and eggs at a local greasy spoon. Although he generously offered his home to me for the remainder of the week, I decided to head out sooner rather than later.

The following morning - wednesday, the 2nd - I called ahead and made arrangements in San Francisco, and was on a bus that afternoon. This was a longer trip - a grueling overnight voyage of some eightteen hours. I arrived around noon the following day - thursday - a little dazed but none the worse for wear. Hell, the sun was out and I was in San Francisco! I hit the streets, and must have walked for some two hours straight, up and down Market street mostly, but poking around some of the adjacent streets as well in and around a roughish part of town called the Tenderloin. So very nice to be in a big city again, with all the ups and downs of lavishness and poverty, glitz and grime. My dreamy sidewalk afternoon was interrupted however when I noticed a rather large bird shit-mark plastered squarely across the front of my coat. I dashed into a nearby cafe to clean up, and decided I'd better find my hostel and settle a bit.

Incidentally, thursday nights are half-price at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), so after cleaning up and collecting myself I opted to check that out, and on the way I happened across a jubilant pair of Spanish girls touring the U.S. after finishing their schooling abroad. We toured the museum together, and have been hanging out ever since. Today we had a lovely visit to the magnificent Golden Gate bridge, where much photograghy ensued, and then rolled around the famed Haight-Ashbury district for a time, making a few special stops at nearby streets of reknown. Now, I don't know what this area was like in its day, but these days it's a pretty happening scene; the streets are lined with the obligatory dingy cafes, vintage/used clothing and smoke shops, as well as a fair helping of book and record stores. A good bit of window-shopping was had. In between dodging a few well-poised Greenpeace pushers, and pot-selling pan-handlers, we shared a lovely lunch in a little bistro and were soothed by the sounds of Cat Stevens, Crosby Still Nash & Young, and Joni Mitchell, among others.

I should leave it there for now, as I'm on a borrowed laptop, but I'll have you know that I am well and happy, and settling well into life on the road. I believe I may stay here another two nights or so.

Talk to you very soon!