The Bear(s) in San Franciso

I'm sitting in Starbucks on 31st Street, across from the hotel, sipping a Caramel Apple Spice hot drink, it's 6c degrees outside and I'm in New York City writing my second last blog entry...


Wookey keeps asking me if I love NYC yet? And all I can do is think back on my time in San Fran!


Cue dreamy wavy lines...

We stayed at the "Inn on Castro", which is a B&B at the start of Castro Street.  Very quiet, wonderful host and excellent breakfast spreads!! Seriously, they have a fabulous array of food on offer, fresh fruits, cereals, a choice of two cooked breakfasts and fresh cakes and muffins.  In the rooms there is brandy, soft drinks, water and fresh fruit all on offer as a part of the room charge.  This is a wonderful option to choose if you are looking for a B&B.  We will definitely be staying here again when we return!

The Castro in San Francisco is the heart of the gay district in the city. Even here there is a very noticeable poverty and homelessness problem, which is very confronting. This has been a continuing theme throughout our time in America and was very similar to our time in Europe back in 2006/07.  But even given this sad situation, at not time did I really feel threatened or in danger, though there were a couple of very dodgy areas we did travel through VERY quickly if it was needed!! No need to tempt Fate! 


But social economic situations aside, I found San Fran to be comfortable, accommodating and very friendly.  This really isn't that surprising when you find out that the state's animal is the Bear! San Fran's gay community appears to take this to heart by embracing the lager man, with the unofficial Bearbucks (a Starbucks populated largely by bears and their admirers), to their love of "Bear" themed t-shirts, and what felt like an appreciation of "bears" in general.

There were moments of surprise walking down the streets and seeing two men or women walking arm in arm or holding hands laughing and fully feeling comfortable in their surroundings. Suddenly we found ourselves doing the same and it felt REALLY good!  We may have a better social economic standing in Australia, but I am yet to come anywhere as close to feeling as comfortably as this in Melbourne, and I find that very sad.  Even outside of the Castro we still felt comfortable enough to embrace or kiss in public without anyone really batting an eye.


I wont repeat Wookey's retelling of our tourist adventures, so I will finish off my entry by saying that I found a piece of my heart in San Francisco and long to begin planning my time to return...


Sorry New York City, but I'm seeing someone else!

"Let the mind be enlarged to the grandeur of the mysteries, and not the mysteries contracted to the narrowness of the mind." - Francis Bacon