Home at last. It feels very odd. Leeds was hotter than SF on our return. The dog has acquired an entire new set of vocalisations in our absence and is keen to use them as much as possible. I’ve gone back to having no idea where anyone is any of the time. I don’t know … Continue reading
Filed under gillian …
Back in San Fran
Staying in a hotel on the 42nd floor in downtown San Francisco, however wonderful the place, is a slightly alarming experience. Great views compensate for the scary elevator and the fact that I cannot walk up and down the stairs every time I enter and exit the hotel. I dragged everyone yesterday to Alamo Square … Continue reading
Birds in Bodega Bay
Running from birds outside the schoolhouse Aggressive seagull and other birds perched en masse in Bodega Bay Leaving Napa Valley today, we diverted over to classic Hitchcock territory: Bodega Bay where The Birds was filmed in 1963. As if bears and deer mice and everything else wasn’t enough, we had to terrify ourselves with a … Continue reading
Risk Assessment in Yosemite
I spent a not inconsiderable amount of time on the drive to Yosemite lecturing anyone who cared to listen on the dangers of national parks and how to survive desert hiking (actually of little direct relevance to Yosemite but of general survival interest). I felt we were as well prepared as we could be to … Continue reading
On Top Of The History Of The World
There’s no substitute for getting out of a car and sitting in the raw relative ‘cool’ of 88 degrees F and contemplating the awe-inspiring (in the true sense of the term) scenery of Death Valley National Park. Above is Rainbow Canyon in the Darwin Falls Wilderness area of the park. The evident and colorful stratification … Continue reading
Leaving Las Vegas
Las Vegas did not disappoint. I didn’t gamble and didn’t drink and didn’t shop but had a great time. We are all sorry to leave. There’s something endlessly fascinating about a city in the middle of a desert with suburbs called Paradise and a load of fantasy-themed hotels aimed at over 21s. Although the outer … Continue reading
Respite in Vegas
Inspired by seeing the sunrise yesterday, I have adopted similar tactics for staying in Las Vegas these next few days. Out running the Strip as the sun appeared above the horizon was a good judgment call. I was surprised to see so many people up and about at the gaming tables and propping up the … Continue reading
Grand Canyon Delights
Sunrise at the Grand Canyon Over the years on our travels we’ve (not) seen many iconic spots in less than perfect conditions. Scrabbling slippery steps on The Great Wall of China in a thunderstorm; sitting on a beach for three days in thick fog in Sirmione; tramping Fez in pouring rain for four days… Privileged … Continue reading
Racing Arizona
So is this the Real America? In my mediated view of America through cinema and literature, I’ve got loads of wildly different ‘Americas’ in my head but over the last thirty years I’ve only experienced urban US. The big East coast and West coast cities, with Chicago and New Orleans and Florida thrown in to … Continue reading
A Soviet Sub in San Diego
USS Midway The most exciting bit amongst many exciting bits of being in San Diego was climbing into a real Soviet submarine in the Maritime Museum. I took hundreds of photos and luckily for everyone am not going to post them all. It seemed my excitement and awe was a generational thing though. I was … Continue reading
A Chevy for Six, Please 