San Francisco

If the airline says be at an airport two hours ahead of schedule, they mean it. Somewhere along the line my visa to the States was lost in the system so when we came to print our airline tickets at the automated kiosk, mine didn’t appear. With further enquiries, we found that although my ticket didn’t print, the computer said it would be fine. From this point forward as I walked through security checkpoint after security checkpoint everything checked through. On reaching final boarding control a rather brisk security officer made me follow him to another counter. Everything turned out fine, as  had all the paperwork on me  and I was allowed on the plane but it explains a little of the lengths airport staff go to check everything is in order, often beyond common sense; and the customer suffers for technological cockups too.

After a short flight to Frankfurt we scoured the corridor shopping complexes for painkillers. Once we had these we soon realised how extensive this airport is. On arriving at Gate F we discovered a queue of what seemed like more than 500 ready to go through a final security check before boarding. We knew that our flight was not far away from departure time, and fortunately a screen came up with our flight number on it and we all shot across to the express lane.

San Francisco airport is so much smaller by comparison to both Amsterdam and Frankfurt. The train from the International terminal took us within three blocks of our hotel. We had re-read the descriptors relating to our room and after going over it four or five times, decided we were to have a room with a shared bathroom. We were delighted to find that this was actually not the case, and we had a very large room with our own bathroom complete with bath. It was situated in the Hispanic area and about a half hour bus ride into the main city centre. Every bus ride was full of drama, especially if we sat at the rear. There’d always be some loud conversation going on in either English or Spanish , perhaps a musician, a singer, a heavy smoker who hadn’t washed for weeks, an old lady chatting away to herself, a guy telling the bus driver about the lover who had only lasted six months…it was all there being played out before us as we rolled back and forth to town.

We were pretty tired on arrival so slept for a few a few hours before heading out for a meal in town, a ride on the cable car and a short stroll along fisherman’s wharf. We saw the seals in the half light at Pier 39, wandered through the shops there, and picked on a meal in fish restaurant where the salad was a whole lettuce chopped up. I had forgotten how enormous portions of food are in the US.

The following day, was the first day of our 3 day Go San Fransisco pass. We decided on a cruise under Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz. It was a perfect day for it with a light breeze, and hardly anyone on board! The added bonus was watching the America’s Cup yachts practising their manoeuvres across the bay. We then took a two and a half hour ride around the town in an open double decker. The weather began to cloud over as we headed for the Golden Gate Bridge so that by the time we reached it we couldn't see it and it was freezing. We ran inside the shop and bought sweatshirts alongside at least another dozen people on the tour. We treated ourselves to a couple of very warm Irish coffees at Buena Vista Café before stumbling upon a fascinating gallery and gallery owner Sean Ashley. There were some highly prized works there including some Picasso,  and Dali prints. Sean was a good storyteller around the work but nothing beat the giant limited edition posters from the estate of Dr Seuss. Enough said. Also on display were his animals and I was particularly taken with his fish.

The following day we headed for Golden Gate Park, and the Californian Academy of Earth Sciences designed by Piano was our first stop. What a marvellous space. Once inside the first thing you notice is how open it is; on each side of you see two enormous spheres reaching towards the ceiling. One is transparent and is the tropical rainforest display. We headed there first over the boardwalk which is a tidal area full of colourful fish, anemones and coral; then through a sort of quarantine area and onto a walkway which spirals itself up to the treetops. Around us were the most colourful birds and butterflies. It was fascinating, and I could have stayed there for hours taking photos; but we had to move on. We plunged into the basement via elevator which was an aquarium and the water below the pools we had walked over earlier. Again there was plenty to see, and touch if we’d wanted to.

The second sphere is a planetarium, an interactive Imax cinema. The feature was earthquakes with real-time information on earthquakes around the world.

We decided to head over to the second museum for lunch- the Art Museum of San Francisco (de Young) which houses collections bequeathed or donated by individuals.

The choice of restaurant for lunch was really lovely as it looked across the park where Janice Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix played in the 60s. Now it is full of palms and quite beautiful. We had a wine to celebrate S’s birthday. After a further 3 hours looking around we decided on looking for a meal in the Italian Quarter. We soon stumbled upon a restaurant with outdoor seats and heating. It was an excellent choice as all the food was prepared on site including the home made crabmeat ravioli which I chose. While we were eating, a minstrel strolled by in a top hat and offered a song. Being S’s birthday, I said “why not?” and so away he went with great enthusiasm and rich melodious tones singing his own version of a happy birthday song. At dessert time, a larger size creme brule was served complete with one birthday candle and a song from not only the waiter but the chef and his assistant as well singing Happy Birthday in Italian.  I think, but I am not completely sure, that S was grinning from ear to ear. I think he’d had a good birthday.

Our third day plan using the Go San Francisco Card was to visit the Aquarium at Pier 39 followed by a visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SF MOMA). While the Aquarium was really just a chance to use our card to as much advantage as we could, MOMA was planned and again, we were not disappointed. S had been there before but still the place was full of some great exhibitions. I wish I could have taken my drama students to see one exhibition in particular on space, media and theatre. It was totally absorbing. I was caught up there so ran out of time to really take in  the fabulous photography. One photography exhibition that did stand out was the one showing the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan.

We went in search of a bookshop after this which was a bit like trying to find a needle in a haystack. We failed. We ended up in the huge Westfield Shopping Centre which backed onto Bloomingdales.  Perhaps the most impressive feature was the winding the escalator in the main hall that spiralled up maybe seven storeys. We chose to eat in the food hall and again were dished up the obligatory the over-sized platefuls. A little is never enough.

Our final day in San Francisco was nothing less than perfect. We rode the bus downtown as far as it would take us (to the bottom of Mission) and found the van which makes the best flat whites we’d had since travelling for a while. This van sits in the farmer’s market by the ferry terminal. We had breakfast and sat at tables and met some interesting folk including a couple hosting some Austrian women.

We had decided we’d take a tour out to Muir Woods to walk amongst the giant redwood trees. Our tour guide chatted all the way up there and all the way back regaling us with stories of who lived where. We learned which street and house Mrs Doubtfire was made, where Andre Agassi lives and which hotel Marilyn Munroe and her first husband stayed after their wedding. On the way home a United Airline 747 was circling San Francisco harbour, and skimmed above us as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge for the last time. It was a fantastic sight to see all the boats out on the water and the planes- the Boeing, the fighter jets and acrobatic planes going through their paces…to see hundreds of people out on the beaches, the banks and rooftops enjoying the best a sunny San Francisco autumn afternoon can give.  By the time we made it back into town and hopped on the bus back to the hotel, it was time to gather our things and head on the train to the airport.

It really didn’t take long to check through and at last I personally was able to enjoy a smooth transition between one side of border security to the other. S wore his watch through the xray machine which got the guards excited for a few seconds until they realised what it was… “Haven’t you read the signs?” they thought as they gesticulated vaguely towards the signage. “Um…We’re actually just keen to get home.” The only other surprise was an announcement that we (S and I) needed to go to the counter. We were told we’d been moved away from the basinettes to a much more convenient seat. When we boarded the plan there was still a baby across the aisle. Oh well…they tried.

Last few days in Germany

A lot of time has been spent enjoying the daily routine of morning breakfast of yoghurt, cereal and chopped fruit.  I would get into writing quite early, while S would catch up on news and emails. Initially he would go out on his own on the bicycle and find the local supermarket either in Wedel or Holm, but I started to miss the fresh air, and exercise so opted to join him as well for the last week. By Tuesday I was  feeling things had moved quite  a way with the projected so wanting a gallery.. we did some research. It turned out we’d walked right past an enormous one the previous Friday. 

The Cube (which we’d seen) is about a quarter of a huge complex  housing Hamburg’s finest art collection. We spent around six hours wandering the floors enjoying both the old and modern masters. There were surprises too like the huge room with the Marilyn Munroe and Campbells Soup Warhol prints, some great photography in the basement of abandoned apartments in Mozambique and there were of course the Impressionists and Expressionists.

 Probably the highlight was in in the Cube with a delightful exhibition of art in response to the story of Alice in Wonderland. This encompassed  everything from old silent movies, original illustrations, book versions, toys, soundtracks, and paintings including some by Dali who had a film made as well. We ate a lovey lunch in the Cube except I gave a dramatic gesture at one point and managed to splatter coffee everywhere.

On Wednesday after a few hours work at home we took to our bicycles again and rode to the Wedel smoked fish supplier.  On the way home we stopped into one of Nadja’s favourite cafés for a second time. We’d already made ourselves known to the proprietor and she was more than pleased to see us again and in fact quite surprised to find we were still around.  In the evening we enjoyed our smoked mackerel for dinner with smoked salmon and crackers for starters.

We started to make plans for Friday. S discovered, when reading through all our material, that there’s an Arts and Crafts gallery opposite the Hauptbahnhoff (Central Station) in Hamburg. We’d passed it before and  had wondered about “that interesting looking building”.  Looking through it was yet another six hours of bliss. This gallery was filled with all sorts of objects dating back as far as 7000BC. It included some fascinating artefacts from the Etruscans and Romans; the Renaissance period with its furniture and lavish walls and ceilings; the Art Deco period with its Tiffany glass and  a marvellous musical instruments section with video and audio examples of how these were used and played. There were well-placed artefacts that drew your eye in to look more closely and everything was labelled impeccably with both German and an English translation.

This look through the Arts and Crafts museum was our last full day in Hamburg. We’d found the transport really reasonable from Wedel (a group ticket which could have accommodated 5 people) cost us only €9.80 return as long as we bought it after 9am There were no restrictions in the evening as well (as long as we didn’t take a bicycle!)

Saturday was clean up and pack up day. It felt very strange doing this and we were feeling quite sad around how quickly the last three weeks have gone. We were also realising how much we’ve loved the company of Anja especially. We invited her and her Mum for dinner that evening and we were able to sit out in the sun room (they call it the winter room) as the weather that day had been a bit warmer.

 Anja picked us up early the next morning to take us through to the town of Lubeck. In the evening Dirk asked, “which town did you like best? Lubeck or Lueneburg?” We couldn’t answer that one. Lubeck feels bigger, we had coffee in the famous marzipan store, and wow..the churches are awesome and the story of their rebuilds after the War tell a story of determined townspeaple; we visited 4 of them and an old hospital with a chapel attached. Throughout Germany there’s a religious (harvest) festival in progress at the moment and one of the churches was making the most of it with a market inside the church, with people in period costume…but Lueneburg is charming. The climb to the top of the water tower that evening was something very special. Our answer was simple…Both had their own charm and interest for us. We are pleased we have visited them both.

In the evening we were shouted dinner at the Fish restaurant in front of the smoked fish shop. They are not connected apparently except by trade but it made the fish taste fresh fish. It was a special night being able to farewell our Wedel “family” who have all been so generous and kind and welcoming throughout our three weeks stay.

Very early this morning Anja was up again, and very kindly drove us into Hamburg to catch a 5.45am bus to Amsterdam. We were there by 5.30 but already the bus was jammed packed with people who appeared to have slept the night on the bus! There was one spare seat for the two of us and I squeezed behind a man who had stretched his seat right back. I was just able squeeze my legs in and sit down. Anja stood along the platform and we were able to give her a big wave as we sailed past.

The bus made good time. We made it to Amsterdam half an hour early. We’d managed about two hours in, to secure a seat that gave us more leg room. Getting out to Schipol and finding our hotel was relatively easy. Tonight we had an all-too-short catch up with Cathy again at the airport. Great seeing her again. Next time we must make it longer! This was, after all, our farewell Europe dinner to Europe for a while. How quickly time has flown. It’s been such a privilege to have this time to relax, write and live a little. It’s been fantastic catching up with old friends and meeting new people and seeing everything.