THE UPS & DOWNS OF SAN FRANCISCO (3)

It is already two weeks that I am back from San Francisco and it is time to get along with my little series on the things that struck me on this trip:

There is no city that is more fun in the rain than in sunshine; some get more authentic (London), but most cities simply get dreary. I had plenty of rain and storm in SF - on a rainy Sunday I have to watch myself not to become to melancholic; I have had my experiences;

On such a rainy day it is time to hit the museums or other indoor activities; luckily SF has some which are worth visiting; the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) has a phantastic museum shop (the biggest I have ever seen) and is housed in a sensational building.

I thought the art in the museum was a little disappointing; maybe over the years I have seen too much to compare it with; it was nice to see the famous "LOVE"-painting by Indiana and the "American Flag" by Jasper Johns - they were included in my modern art course I did a few years back;

Fisherman's Wharf is the biggest disappointment of San Francisco; what a tourist trap !; it reminded me of Scheveningen, the beach resort of The Hague; the sea lions are fun, but that's the only thing;

Went to see the Wells Fargo History Museum with the stage coach and all other documents on the discovery of the Wild West; for me fascinating; great idea of a company to start its own museum; maybe an idea for Shell in The Hague ?;

Met a personal trainer in an Italian cafe on Columbus Avenue; had an amusing talk with this Greek / Italian guy; bit too simple but fun, a lively guy and a great body; what else can you do when the rain is pouring down;

Japantown was very interesting; Japan appeals more to me than Chinese; more classy, more Zen; quite an experience to enter a book store with only books in Japanese;

The aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences is a must; go and see it; fantastic !!

The great thing of SF is that every burrough has its own atmosphere and people; whether you go to the Marina, South of Market, Chinatown, The Castro - completely different and a world of itself; great fun;

Haight Ashbury is the hippie area; great alternative shops with stuff nobody needs (and actually nobody with any sense of style would want to buy), but it is authentic and going back in time;

Finally Castro Street; for us gays a very famous name and a very special place, although not as I expected; maybe because it was March it was not crowded and, I could say, almost dated - no "open" atmosphere; this was a bit disappointing, but coming from a country where gays are almost completely assimilated in society, it is great to have a place where we are present and in majority;