Pride Parade, Downtown Shopping – Day 5

Another bagel breakfast down, we wondered down to Market St for the start of the Pride Parade, which marks the start of Pride Week – LGBT – Lesbians, Gays Bisexuals and Transexuals… I was doing some reading of the local publications earlier this week and it was all about this big week of awareness and just putting it out there etc. There were mega people linning the streets all the way up Market st to City Hall/Civic Square.

ok, i’ve bumped up the photo size slightly in this report as i think it will look better, and maybe i’ll still have enough space on this site after the next 4 weeks! back to blogging…….

The parade started at around 1030am, and ended up going on for like 4 hours! not really that well organised as there were like 2-3 minute gaps between the ‘floats’ or groups – we watched it for about half an hour before the boys wanted to to some MAN-shopping in downtown. What we did see in the parade was pretty awesome – first up were Dykes on Bike – the original dykes on Bikes, where it all started here in San Fran – there must have been like 200+ bikes go past us, of all sorts, revving them up, booming across the city, just awesome… not too much T&A (tits and Ass) – all sorts of Dykes, bigs ones, little ones, hairy ones, hot ones, pairs, we even saw a threesome on a bike! one lying the the fuel tank facing the ‘driver’! Bjorn wanted to hold Kurts hand to get into the spirit, but he wasn’t having a bar of it – check the photo.

On a more serious note, there were floats about AIDS and HIV awareness and gender parity, gay marriage, civil rights etc etc… the parade ended up in Civic Square with the politians getting up and making speeches apparently, we didn’t make it – the Gay German guy in our bunk room was telling us about how boring it was, and how he just wanted sausage – ok, i made that last line up. (the sausage that is)

Well – shopping – back into that Massive Westfield Mall, we had lunch in the food court and looked around the big department stores, just soo much stuff, it is crazy. I’ve found sales people in proper shops really friendly and nice to deal with. They seem pretty knowledgable too and GENUINELY helpful! For example, Kurt and I were trying on Oakley sunnies for about 20 minutes, we must of had about 10 different ones out on the counter, talking about them and stuff. We had lined a couple of pairs up, but then said we would have more of a look around – now, typically back in NZ i reckon you would get a nasty stare and start feeling pretty bad about doing that, but this guy wrote down the models and said to look around now worries. The model salesman…… anyway, if anyone can track down some Oakley Spikes, model #15508, in Black, for less than $200 USD +tax, let me know – they are the shizzle……Kurt – yours are Radar # 18378 for $255+T if you are still thinking of them on your road trip!!!

Anyway, some pics of the Mall – i found the BP’s shoes section in Nordstrom (big flash department stroe) – Ron, i thought this might be you!

ok, so shops in downtown – Mega Virgin Records Store – three levels of all the DVD’s, CD’s and MP3 players and everything to play in your audio/hifi etc you could ever need. Just the place to come if you are missing that album. Even some Vinyl.

Mac Store again – kurt seemed to like the JBL spot, it actually put out some good sound! The staff also mentioned to me that the glass staircase cost around $1M USD…. crazy!….

We also visited a COMPusa store – basically everything to do with computers, and electronic accessories. Huge, so much stuff, like Harvey Norman Electrical but 4 times the size.

so – strolling back down to the Embarcadero, i know i’m covering over ground again! Its not too bad cos i’m seeing things that i didn’t see the first time cruising over it. The Embarcadero Centre is pretty cool – an annex and three office towers which all look similar, but get larger as they get towards the piers. There are also sculptures all over the place, i can’t be bothered taking photos of all off them! As cheesy as some of them might be, i reckon it does add to a city’s place and feel. Think Wellington, but a whole lot bigger and more of it. Yeah, i’m beginning to like San Fran……

Back into the Ferry Building, i took some photos of the produce this time for a change from ’structures!’.

Bjorn was keen to check out the base of the Transamerica Pyramid, so i took the opportunity to snap some more pics…. getting up close to the building, it is actually clad in white concrete/cement panels and sealant joints! …. hmmmm, somewhat similar to the No.3 The Terrace Project I did back in Wellington – attaching concrete panels onto a building facade is an ASS – anyway, heres pics.

I decided we should catch some of these cool restored Cable Trains which go up and down the Embarcadero – i had some photos the other day of the orange one, there are heaps of differnt models from all around the world!…. anyway, we were heading to Fishermans Wharf (yes, again.. this is my 3rd time to tourist mecca..!…) as Kurt wanted to buy some luggage bags to carry all his NEW stuff – watch out NZ, Kurt version 3.0 will be coming to a parlour near you soon…! anyway, we all ended up buying stuff from this wee luggage place on the main drag.

Thirsty from our travels, i was keen on checking out this fast food joint called “In and Out” – Geoff was telling us about how basic the menu is, how it is made to order, and how you can get any combination of patties and chesse you want, up to a “12×12″ which is 12 patties and 12 cheeses all in one burger…. no shit.!@!… anyway, i had to see this, but somehow i didn’t think we three could eat that much crap in one sitting!… oh well, they talked me out of it, so we went next door to HOOTERS instead.

Hooters – the boys had been to one in San Diego, but this was my first time. I kinda felt a bit uncomfortable with the idea of the place as a family restuarant, there were kids and familys around the place, and lots of these waitresses in orange shorts and white tops….. oh well, drink and curly fries later…. we were replenished. Hooters is pretty average, it is basically Dennys Fry-up….. HEY, i just noticed Kurt isn’t smiling in his photo….. Whats the matter Kurt?! i just think it is funny how they can just ‘go into action mode’, strike the pose for the photos….. soooo cheesy….

Being Sunday, Fishermans wharf area was pretty busy – we came across this beautiful Camaro… ooooo…….. BLING. Over the last few days wondering around, it is nice to see that there are some nice examples of well kept old cars…. there is certainly some money in this town!… another car of interest to me is the old 1977-1980 Mercedes 300D turbo diesel…. yeah, there are quite of few of those around town!… very nice.

I guess the last bit of touristy stuff we looked at was the Crookedest Street again – i spelt it wrong on my first entry a few days ago. It was sooo busy, people everywhere, and non stop cars again… we took some pics, and got one going back at Coit Tower again. I’ve got some ears courtsey of Bjorn, and there was this weird looking Chevy going down too. People do all sorts here like ride down out the sunroof etc… its nice to see the silly in people….!

We walked all the way back to the hostel – walking isn’t such a big deal anymore! Through the suburb of North Beach, loads of restaurants and cafes again, Italian flag painted on all the lamposts, hustling with people everywhere. Kurt found something pretty close to resembling his sir-name! Janssen

Back at the hostel, the boys backed up there gears for their week long road trip to Yosemite, Vegas and LA/SanFran and we swapped some photos. Dinner in chinatown at this thai place, it was about 9pm by this stage and even luggage shops and nic nacks were still open Sunday night! We had a typical ‘thai guy’ waiter who actually asked for ID from Bjorn as he ordered a beer!… you should have seen himm giggle like a girl when he found out his age on the drivers licence…. CLASSIC – good stuff Bjorn!

and i guess that’s about it for today!