Been a busy day today again and was up early this morning but last night I went to China Town...... wasn't as I'd expected but glad I went....even though I was basicallty shamed into giving a bigger tip at the restaurant I went to! I left roughly a 12.5% tip and the cheeky ' bar stewards' gave me the money back and asked for 15%!! (apparently in san francisco that is the done thing!....well that told me!)...they were very polite about it be fair but was a culture shock. They never even had prawn crackers! Or chicken curry!! I don't think they mean to sound aggresive but the Chinese people in San Francisco do sound like they are going to hit you for asking too many questions..
I went to the 'mission district' when I left China town which is basically the other side of town to where I'm staying at Fisherman's Wharf and ended up in a few bars over there and had a chat with a few strange haired people but ended up back at Fisherman's Wharf not long after.
One thing I've noticed about San Francisco os that there are a lot of homeless (proper down and outs like you see in films) and all seem to have big beards and are all around the same age...late 50's, but they seem to be a better class of tramp than what you get in London. Put it this way, when I was walking up to Chinatown last night, I walked past a row of Tramps all laying head to toe down the 'sidewalk' and I noticed one of them was laying on his back under his sleeping bag and he was reading a book and he had headphones in!! That's not a Tramp in my book! I was looking around in case I was outside a Waterstones and this was tomorrows que but it was definitely a Trampsite.
Today I was up pretty early as I had to get some washing (sorry, Laundry) down to reception before 8.30am for them to get it back this evening....3 shirts, 4 t shirts, 7 pairs of pants and socks and it came to $62!!! and then the bloke who delivered it tonight wanted a tip! (he never got 15% )
I actually went out running this morning at 8.15 ....went along the bay and had my ipod on...I looked like a proper Californian, save the 6 pack, tan and blonde hair, but still. I ended up crawling back to the hotel completely runied but it made me feel better about the silly size breakfast that turned up again at Denneys when all I wanted was an omelette! Actually, while I was out 'running' (walking fast-ish), I went past a 'Safeway' supermarket???? weird......we got rid of them years ago in England....anyway I was up so early that it was really foggy outside and you couldn't see the top of the golden gate bridge (which I was very excited about...yeah I know it's sad)
I went to Alcatraz today and it was quality there....got the boat over and suprisingly there were loads of English people on the tour (I know I'm not the only English person in San Francisco but there was loads of 'em)....I did the whole cell block tour and went in some cells and the solitary confinement cell....probably where I belong anyway....was a pretty unreal place and couldn't believe I was actually at Alcatraz...took loads of pictures again and I am now in full tourist mode...I've been carrying two cameras and a video camera with me in the daytime plus sending copious amounts of pictures to people from my blackberry. I like San Francisco but I'm looking forward to picking the car up on Sunday and driving down the coast... actually I've still not been on a Tram yet so I need to do that tomorrow. Surely the only way to travel on one of those is to hang off the side?
Anyway, I'm going out later so will be in touch
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