Ok, so it's been a while since the last post, partly because I had a few things to sort out that kept my mind on a razor's edge and cause I was busy having fun. Meeting up with Tyler and the group dynamic changing, we found ourselves (well, at least for me) on a roller coaster vibe. I figure it has a lot to do with a communication breakdown and our expectations all being different to each other's. Therefore, we all felt as though we were compromising or some shit. I don't know. We sorted it all out in the end though. Poor planning saw our RV idea scrapped. The cost was so outrageous that it brought stress and gloom into the idea and it became too difficult to make work. Then my plans changed and had me booking out to Los Angeles. I get there on the 1st of March. Situations have also changed regarding my South America plans. Grandad is unwell and Mum has had to head to the UK early, so if I want to spend time with her, grandad and the family, I have to leave Peru for the UK and skip out on Bolivia and Chile.
Anyways, where do I begin? The other day, we were wandering around town when this old hippy dude, rode up in-between us on his pushbike. Pleasantries were exchanged and before we knew it, we were trapped in a bizarre tour of San Francisco; the old hippy our guide. He knew a lot about SF and talked at a lightning pace. He took us everywhere! Through the financial district, Chinatown, little Italy and the oldest part of town, where the gunslingers played and the miners brought in their gold from their claims. He was a really intense guy, who would shuffle quickly down a street, with us three single filed behind him before turning back the way we came to show us something he'd forgotten, all while jumping in and out of weird shops to buy strange vegetable and abalone. "This way guys, this way, this is gonna blow your fucking mind, man" he would go on, a hundred miles an hour "down there, you see that building? That's where the Chinese ran their brothels and sold their gold, that building's intense man, see how it's all projects now, see, it's just like in the old days, with the gold rush, the Chinese were segregated and did business amongst themselves, now the projects are here for the Chinese, they always had to live up the hill, see, cause the others didn't want to walk up the hill, they wanted to stay by the dock, hey guys, come this way, I gotta show you something, real quick, this is going to blow you mind! It is OFF THE HOOK! Man, your gonna love it, this way guys, real quick" he would go on... and on... It was cool though, very cool. Oh, and this was when Morty got attacked by that pirate... "Arrgh, don't lie ta mee, rrrgh".
The hippies bike, out front of a Chinese store as he searched for abalone.
Francis Ford Coppola's building.
Tyler and the Hippie.
The first bank in San Francisco.
We're staying in a hostel called the Green Tortoise... This is my bunk (bottom).
The next day saw us walking the streets of San Francisco, through the tourist district, pier 39 & Fisherman's Wharf.
A view of Alcatraz from north SF.
View from Lombard St.
I stopped for a coffee down on Lombard. I was walking on my own at this point... I was in need of some time for myself to reset and soak in the atmosphere of this town and my trip.
I kept walking till night came... alone and enjoying the scenery.
And I found this beautiful art building.
The next day would see us in Alcatraz. I'll write about it tomorrow...
