San Francisco Part 1

I wanted to make post #50 something special so I waited until I did something special. Also it is in two parts, I can do that, it is my blog...

Friday, I had visited San Francisco for the first time and hung out with my long time friend Pawl who goes to the Academy of Art University. I got off the Cal-train at the depot and walked toward Market Street. Little did I know I was passing through the "Tenderloin" district, where I was accosted by a homeless person selling unwanted hugs for a dollar. After a quick stop at 7-11 for some Gatorade and hand sanitizer (my skin crawled all day), I made my way to the Alexander Book Company to await Pawl. Whilst waiting outside, Ian McConville walked by me, at least I thought it was him. I was even more sure the second time as he passed me again with lunch in his hand. I felt like talking to him, but his ear-buds were blasting away and he was in the zone.

I found Pawl and we got some food. My appearance was enough to mistake me for a student so I was able to ride the Academy buses for free. We walked though the Tenderloin district again making our way to Folsom Street where we had an "east coast" giggle at the stores and bars that inhabit that part of town. We found fliers for the Folsom Street Fair and felt that we may need to do that too.

We then found ourselves on Haight Street, where the hipster artsy people live. We found a good comic store and a gaming shop; the record store Pawl wanted to visit felt like closing four hours early.

We ended our trip in Japantown, the nicest part of town I had seen so far. Signs were everywhere for a J-Pop festival that started the next day... I felt the need to come back.