After Starbucks coffee (Venti Flat White with one Splender) and July 6th blog successfully completed, I headed back home and got through the shower and dressed after shave etc.
Plenty of choice in clothes since almost everything is clean at the moment. Thanks to the asian laundry lady.
Ross's new pal Paul Chin from Chinatown Intl. Rotary Club was due to pick us up for a special tour at 1 p.m. so we had to get breakfast, do a few jobs and get back to The Mark Twain where we were to be picked up.
We had heard that Caffe Central on O'Farrell, across from Macy's was good acording to our Mark Twain Hotel local guide, so we went there for breakfast and had their breakfast special, which they called The Breakfast Tort, which was avo, scrambled egg and bacon on rye toasted. We both had that, and we both had a cafe latte to go with. Very yummy.
Then we separated as Ross had yet more Post Office stuff to do and I had to pick up some stuff from our favorite pharmacy megastore Walgreens. Got a 2016 San Francisco Calendar as well as a luggage tag and some permanent markers. Amazingly, I have already purchased gifts for Little Lee, Ty, Isabel and some others that take up too much room, I think, so I am using my new HH laundry bag as a second checked bag, which I am allowed, at least domestically to get to NYC. When I empty my bag of the gifts for USA hosts and almost newly weds April May and Kyle, I shall have enough room again I hope.
The Bay Bridge in the background, I am at the Fireboat #1 and Engine #35 Fire Station of the San Francisco Fire Dept. Our new friend Paul Chin is a retired Deputy Chief of the SFFD. He had arranged for us to do a tour of the Fire Station and also go out on the Fireboat for a tour of San Francisco Bay.
He and his lovely wife Cindy picked us up at The Mark Twain and drove us through SF down to The Fireboat Station, which was just to the East of the Ferry Building on Embarcadero.
Inside the Fireboat #1 Fire Station. Unbeknownst to us, on the same tour was the Victorian State Minister for Emergency Services and The Commissioner for Emergency Services for Victoria. More bloody Australians! The guy in the white uniform shirt was the Commish, speaking to the Fire Dep Lieutenant, Raoul, who was a very nice guy and a close friend of Paul Chin's. The Minister for Emergency Services was the woman in the red shirt.
Minister in foreground, Commish in background and the important people in the middle:
L-->R: Lance, Ross, Cindy Chin, Paul Chin and SFFD Lieutenant Raoul.
Great tour of the bay. Good day for it the winds were mildish, and the sun shone brightly. It was less than freezing. Got quite a few photos from the boat but should have used to telephoto more. Sorry.
My mate Paul Chin took this photo of me with Alcatraz Prison in the background. The final home of Al Capone. Over my left shoulder you see one of two water jets the boat uses to put out sea based fires.
Everything was good and the weather was as good as it gets in San Francisco in "Summer".
According to Paul Chin Mark Twain said:" I never had a winter as cold as a summer in San Francisco". (Have to check that quote.)
AT&T Baseball Stadium from The San Francisco Bay side, where the frequent Barry Bonds big home runs were collected. Paul said he instigated the Fire dept putting a rescue boat there during games, but they were directed that they couldn't pick any home run balls out of the water!
Engine 35 at the Fireboat #1 Station. Paul Chin with the SFFD Engine 35 Driver.
After the bay cruise we were driven to Chinatown where Paul parked his car in another fire station, the Chinatown Fire Station. We had a lovely walk through Chinatown with Paul and Cindy Chin explaining historical points of interest. Very nice people, we enjoyed their company. Then we arrived at a outstanding Chinese Restaurant where we enjoyed a huge banquet dinner. Lots of courses, lots of excellent food. We had a great time and we were full to bursting. Lovely chatting with Paul and Cindy, who were so nice. Salt of the Earth and both just as pleasant as humanly possible and very interesting to boot. They wouldn't let us contribute towards lunch cost. They were wonderful hosts. I really enjoyed both of them, their conversation and company. Lovely couple.
They also generously stuck a bottle Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc in our backpack, the little devils. I am enjoying it now as I write this blog. Little Lee, you would love it, but I can't bring it on the plane tomorrow. I have to drink AMAP now.
In the Chinatown bookstore where Ross and I both purchased books. I got Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer book the Blue Hammer. Great noir detective story.
View of the famous Transamerica Insurance Building from Chinatown.
Ross and I left the restaurant and then the book store and said good bye to Paul and Cindy Chin. Then we walked down to the Ferry Building, and eventually to Market Street where we caught the F-Line electric tram home to Market and Powell St. where we got off and walked three blocks up Powell Street to O'Farrell, then three blocks left to Taylor Street and The Mark Twain Hotel which is 345 Taylor, between O'Farrell St., and Ellis St.
Currently I am working my way through the excellent Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc wine that Paul and Cindy gave us, and completing the very last San Francisco blog. I love San Francisco, except for the weather. Next stop New York City. The Big Apple!
Ross was miffed because I had got up early and took and extra 2,000 steps down to Starbucks and Walgreens before he woke up. He is off shopping and walking. I think my steps are shorter than his because my knees are bad and so is my left hip. I take short quick steps to keep up with him, so therefore, I believe, I take more steps than he does for a given distance. He doesn't like this at all.
He thinks if we walk the same distance we should walk the same number of steps! Gold durn it!
I see his point but it doesn't really matter to me.
Nearly ready to finish this blog and finish the whole bottle of wine and get into bed. I have set the alarm for 5:20 a.m.
It's a 6:30 pick up by the airport shuttle bus.
The Big Apple is next!!
Bye for now,
Keep reading Blog Readers. More excitement to come!
Love
Lance and Ross
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