woensdag 26 januari 2011

"Berkeley, Oakland, the Bay Area" (this one's for you, gang)









Back in the Bay, hooray!
Life has been whirlwind-fast since we got here, although compared to other visits this one is a walk in the park :) Due to the fact that we will be in the country for 3 months, the fam has been easy on us and all visits are in good time. Surprisingly we have had ample time to chill the heck out, which was necessary- we have been sleeping, napping and resting mainly on days with no plans, with field trips up to downtown Berkeley and the world's most excellent supermarket the berkeley Bowl for the bare essentials (microbrewery beer, California wine, sourdough bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, organic juice and cheeeeeeeese). We've been wined and dined by various Cali-family members, both biological and adopted, we've had Brazilian, Indian, Singaporian, Mexican, Californian and good ol' American food all in the space of one week. We've caffeinated ourselves at Peet's, the Bay's coffee baby, but also at a variety of new places like the latest hip-n-happening place to be Philz where they make Turkish coffee cup by cup (and it is stroooooong shit). We've tried molasses ice cream, and eaten a maple syrup and bacon doughnut. We've spent a day in our own kitchen making all sorts of delicacies. One thing is certain: we are going to get hyper and fat in this country.
We spent our first day in San Francisco with one goal- going to Alcatraz. All these years of visits to the city and not once had I been to the island. And it just so happens that we know someone that works for the company that runs ferries (and thus entrance fees) to the place. And it's not just anyone, it's my very first and oldest friend, Kyle, who managed to get us a manager escort to the boat and off we went! Alcatraz is a cool visit. We took the audio tour like good little tourists (cause we're getting older and enjoy the history), and stood in Al Capone's cell. We stood in the isolation cells. We wandered around the island and almost got shit on by the massive seagull colony that resides there. We decided never to go to jail. Back in the city, we wandered through the Financial District, took the cable car (another San Francisco tourist trap I had missed over the years) up into Chinatown and wandered back down towards the Embarcadero where the train was waiting to take us home. Good times.
Today we were taken on my aunt Lisbet's tour of the Mission district of San Francisco, where we started the day with a beautiful doughnut and a gorgeous coffee, and then wandered through streets and alleyways that are COVERED in murals. The Mission is what is traditionally known as the immigrant neighborhood (and has followed SF's constant flux in immmigration- changing from Irish to Italian to Mexican to...), but it is starting to become hip and happening (watch out for the yuppies) and thus lose it's international flavor ever so slightly. The now predominantly Latino district is known for it's murals, most of political subject matter, and creating a great vibe. It feels like you're walking through a living art museum, changing through time and culturally flavored. The district also has lots of small boutiques run by the young and creative, making it a must-go place for hipsters but also creating a healthy climate supporting local artists. Does it rate high on our list? Uh, yeah... Finishing the day in the Castro, SF's gay district, was a fine closing to the day, although the best entertainment was watching Daniel get eyed up and down by the passing men. It is said that you should follow the artists and the gay men when it comes down to the property ladder- maybe it applies to choices in men also, in which case I think I did well!

7 opmerkingen:

  1. Love this post! Time to make plans for a fieldtrip!!

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  2. And figured out how to get the damn post on the wall...! Whohooo!

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  3. Great blog although I can't resist adding a correction...you HAVE on the cable cars many more times than once! Time to get the family albums out again!!!

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  4. Great photos again Daniel. Beautiful!

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  5. wat een geweldig blog weer!! heel leuk om weer wat te lezen en uiteraard zijn de foto's ook weer geweldig, maar dat begint een beetje saai te worden om steeds maar weer te zeggen, maar ik blijf het doen in de hoop dat je vooral door blijft gaan daan...niet opgeven!
    De muurschilderingen zijn nog indrukwekkender dan hier in valparaiso...erg mooi.
    Laat maar lekker komen die kilotjes....ik weet nog wel een manier om ze weer kwijt te raken ;) ik zal er ook aan moeten geloven als ik thuis kom.
    geniet lekker en ik ga jullie straks proberen te bellen (is nu 5 uur in de ochtend bij jullie, dus zal nog even wachten;) )
    dikke kussen van zustertje

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  6. heerlijk verhaal. Takes me back....
    Zelden vind ik een stad de moeite waard op reis, Sf was anders. mooi, goeie vibe.bij mij vlogen de kilo's eraan in de states, maar een week zweten en hallucineren met dengue doet wonderen dus uiteindelijk kwam ik tien kilo lichter ipv zwaarder thuis.
    veel plezier daar en blijf mooie verhalen en plaatjes posten.
    kus, daan

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  7. Leuke vehalen wat schrijf je toch leuk. Mooie foto van jezelf Daniel en wat een snor x mama

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