Arrival at Seattle brought me into contact with the friendly customs guards but very unfriendly security guards. It also introduced me to Seattle's interest in Fish and Chips. Several of the restaurants in the airport specialised in it; however they still need to improve: French fries are not chips! Not that the Yanks could eat any more fries even if they were free...fries come with everything -quite a change from China!
The 4 hr change gave me time to read the paper: election, election, election of course, though nothing too exciting (and throughout the trip it was all CNN cared about, driving me crazy). Arriving at San Francisco and I entered a whole new American World of super proud local residents who refuse to identify themselves with other parts of USA or California. They do love, and rate highly, their city!
I spent a few days working with my fantastic colleagues at BSR as well as going out in the evening and catching with Francesca who had worked with me at Plan and also did some touristy stuff. Alcatraz was fantastic: I loved 'The Rock' movie and going to the prison island was even better than expected with an excellent audio tour and access throughout the prison -though its not possible to enter the huge networks of tunnels etc built beneath the prison when military forts were established there in the 19thC.
A half day cycle ride across the Golden Gate bridge to a park of big trees would have been better had my bike not broken down 500m from the park forcing me to turn back to find a repair shop; overall SF is a laid back, fun and enjoyable city to live in. It is very diverse and friendly and pleasing on the eye with good public transport.
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