the day began with a breakfast in the hostel, eating cinnamon scroll toast and maple oats before heading out for the day. we headed down to hayes valley to find we were early to the bike tour we had booked for the day. well, that's a first... we sat having coffee out of one of the converted shipping crates that is now a coffee shop- and watching gay men buy one anothers coffee and exchange cheeky smiles and flirty banter.
the bike tour went for the morning, and was a fantastic way to see the city. there was no cross over with the walking tour, so we overall got very well acquainted with the city in the 5 days we were there. we went to dolores park, did the infamous 'wiggle' (a one-mile, zig-zagging bicycle route from market street to golden gate park, that minimizes hilly inclines for bicycle riders) and rode park of the pan handle.
kelvin at work
choc mint, and chocolate with pistachio brittle
we ended the bike tour back at hayes valley, and headed to the shipping crate across from the coffee crate for something a bit unusual. smitten ice cream- made by 'kelvin', a machine that uses liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees celcius) to make super smooth ice cream. each scoop is made right in front of your eyes in about 60 seconds. mum and i decided that we would make an exception, and have dessert before lunch. the ice cream was to die for- creamy and fantastic flavor.
we then headed out for lunch, and decided we couldn't go past burritos in the mission (the spanish hood for ma main lady jaman!). we arrived, were asked a bunch of questions in heavy spanish accents- after saying 'yes, yes, no, umm sure' to a number of questions we were seated and eating. sirens sounded and the tv cut out and was replaced by a grey screen
"civil authorities issued a child abduction emergency".
a blonde child with green eyes and two other children had been abducted from the area. nothing like a child abduction or three to remind you that you are perhaps not in the safest area...
after that, we hit the haight ashbury for a spot of shopping. the haight is known for the 'summer of love'- in which college and high-school students began streaming in during the spring break of 1967. well, it may be years later, but there is still a free love feel and a strong smell of weed in the air. we trawled through a myriad of second hand shops and vintage bazaars. found new vans for $16.50 (unheard of in australia), and a number of other vintage goodies.
i spent my thursday night out on the town whilst mum skyped home. bryan found that vodka sells for only $18 for 750 mL- a rather lethal combination. being under 21, we managed to find an 18+ club. however, by the time we finally arrived at the front door (after sitting in jack in the box for at least an hour), it had become 21+. so instead, we walked into union square, had a rap battle with an african american homeless man and then went to a hookah lounge. stumbling into the hostel at around 1:30am.
what a long day!!
