Hilary's Trip 2006-2007

Sunday in San Francisco

I hope you enjoyed the SF photos, which I posted from a friend's computer yesterday. I've got a lot more which I'll try to put up sometime when I have access to a computer that can upload them.

Here are just some impressions of my first weekend in San Francisco.

My friend Nell and I walked to the Ferry Building Market yesterday morning and bought fresh vegetables and fruit--mostly organic--at the different upscale stalls that are both inside and outside. It was a cool, sunny morning following a light rain during the night, and it was great fun being so close to the bay and out in the open air.

I spent the afternoon playing around with the computer Nell has lent me. I can't seem to connect to the Internet, but I can TYPE and that's what I want to do. The translation (French to English) of my book "Des Amours des GIs" is due, and I intend to finish it while I'm here. I'm also in a writing mood and have an idea, possibly for a book, so this will also be a good time. I've got about a month more in the lovely apartment I've in. Seeing friends, walking, etc. but will also work and come to the library for email messages and Internet searching.

One good thing about US TV--perhaps the only one, as it's pretty bad, on the whole--is the possibility of watching old film classics on AMC or Bravo. Last night I watched one on the bombing of Pearl Harbor called "Tora, Tora, Tora". It was interesting because it showed the Japanese viewpoint as well, and the Japanese characters actually spoke in Japanese with English subtitles. Then this morning I watched a real tear-jerker: "A Many Splendored Thing" with William Holden and Jennifer Jones. Since it takes places in Hong Kong, Chonguing, etc.--all places in China I've now been--I really enjoyed watching it. There are also some interesting bi-cultural difficulties involved, which makes it even more appealing.

San Francisco, like Paris, is a walking city. I must have walked close to 75 miles since I've been here! The walking, plus the swimming (have discovered the great North Bech public pool), plus being sick in Shanghai--they've all meant that I've lost a couple of superfluous kilos in the last few weeks.

This morning I attended the Unitarian Universalist church service, preceded by an interesting discussion about the election results. As some of you know, I'm a member of the UU Fellowship in Paris, so it's nice to find a "sister" organization here with (on the zhole) like-minded people. They're having a joint Thanksgiving Day service on November 23rd with a Jewish temple, an Episcopal church and other denominations which I hope to attend.

Finally, one last observation: There seem to be an incredible number of "nail salons" (manicure and pedicure places) here. I saw a lot in China, too, and I've been told that's what a lot of Asian women do here to make a living. By the way, the Chinese in Chinatown here are mostly Cantonese.

"Talk" to you again soon...

posted by Hilary @ Monday, November 13, 2006