San Francisco, I love

Monday, 11 April 2011 23:07

Any child, I remember only the cable tram in the steep streets and buildings giants who seemed to touch the top.

We arrive at the San Francisco Bay, it's sunny, the better it will allow us to trace the bike to dry before picking a campsite. Take the bus in Las Vegas was an operation very difficult and trying times, we can do more complicated. It has 10 boxes of material to be recovered at the outlet from the tanks. Jean-Roch has tracked the load from LV, transfer to LA, it does, there is one missing! Between one another, with the tents, the wheels of Thomas. And many other things that are necessary ... sure, you can not move, just wait for the next bus, the worst 24 hours to bring a claim for loss. It does not suit us at all, 9 huge boxes larger than Maëlle, 4 kids in the legs, night will fall, and employees who want nothing to do. Nothing to do but at least in France, the SNCF is able to pay us the hotel if you miss the match ... ah yes, but in France it's more or less a public service!

Okay, well we have the netbook, wifi open, this has got to be in the streets because strangely we do not find a McDonalds. JRoch make calls on FB, we write 2 or 3 emails to find contacts, but nothing to do, it does not work. You end up not decide on a hotel not too expensive for the price of a week of camping, too bad you can not spend the night outside with the children. The company keeps our boxes free, but not the children ;-)

Despite this early lame, we feel that the city will please us, the temptation is to ask 2 or 3 days to discover it.

First thing on leaving the hotel in the morning: find La Boulange Bakery, for its excellent and true sourdough bread, rolls and some chocolate croissants. And yes, we enjoy. Arrived at the station, phew! The 10th package is there. To us the discovery of San Francisco!

After a very rainy night at a campsite on the outskirts, about fifteen miles south, we opt for the hostel (well what? We have 19 years average age ;-)), not far from downtown , where we can park our bikes. At six, it is not given, but we really want to explore the city without loading stress, night falls too soon ... etc.

In two days, you can not see everything, we focus on a few places that make us feel like The Golden Gate we cross by bike, China town the city in the city, Haight Asbury district THE 70's hippie we seek in vain the maison_bleue_accrochée_à_la_colline, the pedestrian and Market street, the old tram network and cable cars, Fisherman Wharf, Victorian homes. We walk and pedal in the typical streets of SF, very sloping and sometimes dizzying. We are also surprised by the number of young cyclists, and the number of fixed-gear that crisscross the city with such a roller coaster, they fit!

San Francisco is much more refined than any city in the USA or Canada we crossed. Culture, architecture, art, spirit, ecology, fashion, tolerance are words which, in my view, adequately describe this place. Moreover it seems to emanate from this city some French influence that does not displease us.

I am not tired, I enjoy the city.
In short, this city is different, full of great freedom. If I had to move on this continent, is San Francisco, without a doubt, I would choose!

MC