Mainly because I want to play this song on my blog. A few photos from a 'photo laundry' I had today whilst trying to keep out of the sun. A miscellaneous taste of my life in the last couple of months ... enjoy!
... or proof that I should never be invited to fancy dress parties. This was my attempt to 'be albania'. Pitiful, I know.
On Thursday night I saw the Dead (formerly known as the Grateful Dead but who dropped the 'grateful' when former and founding member Jerry Garcia died) at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View - the heart of Silicon Valley (just across the street from Google headquarters). The Dead have their origins in 1960s San Francisco, so this gig was like a homecoming. I went with my boss, a self-proclaimed 'Dead Head' who has been watching them perform since 1968. Of course, you will have heard of the Dead even if you haven't heard their music - famous for their incessant touring for 4 decades, their mammoth sets, their lack of studio albums, and their hippy fan base, amongst other things.
The crowd was a surprising mix of ages (having expected only 50+ year olds). All had leftist star-gazing tendencies and the vibe in the audience was really cool and chilled. There was a lot of pot-smoking but I couldn't detect any harder stuff being used, and there were very few really drunk people. The tickets were on the expensive side - well, they were after they add on all the hidden fees including parking which we didn't use but nonetheless had to pay for, and probably several charges which are designed to 'convenience' us in some way. Likewise, the beer was a shocking 12 dollars a pint! The amphitheatre consisted on seating and grass where we - and almost everyone else- sat. The sound was amazing for a live venue, and it was sheltered and clean and generally a very pleasant venue.
The Dead's music is quintessentially American - guitar heavy, folk-laden and ever-so slightly country-tinged. The songs are sprawling, winding, and long. Each drips with thumping drumming and fretwork. Lyrics are sparse, riffs are incessant. I cannot describe the sound - the closest I could come would be to say its almost atonally chaotic, but has just enough structure to keep it interesting. To be honest, it isn't my cup of tea. But then I didn't expect it to be, and I couldn't help but be impressed by the skill and stamina of the musicians. I was quietly impressed by how avant-garde it was. I would go as far as to say as it is the only avant garde thing I've seen since I got here. Self-indulgent, definitely, with guitar solos on guitar solos on guitar solos, but nontheless impressive.
The highlight for me was when the sun went down, in the second set out of three in a 4-hour concert. By this time, it was dark enough to not notice the 'hippies' (richest hippies I've ever seen) dance - let's face it, most white middle aged people have as much rhythm as an engaged telephone tone - and we could see the musicians on the big screen. Apparently, they've always kept the same format, which I liked. Set, break, set including 'drums' and 'space', then a huge encore (as long as the first set) with covers worked in. The drums and space sections were crazy. I think they must have evolved to give every audience member - no matter what drug they were on - fuel for their 'trip'. A cultural experience I'm glad I experienced.
The volleyballers of Front Beach
The boardwalk
Natural Bridges State Park
The 'Mystery Spot'
Downstairs in a bar, during a thrilling drunken tour of San Francisco
American sports are designed to raise blood pressure, through the means of fast food consumption, rivalry, and blatant yet pointless nationalism. The 3 big ones - nationalism, commercialism, and consumerism - are displayed with more to spare. It's disgusting.
Having said that, my first trip to a baseball game (Los Angeles Dodgers versus San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park - Giants won 3:1) was enjoyable. Like the ice hockey, however, once is enough.
Like the ice hockey, there was the junk food fest, the horrible commercialism, and the moronic chants. Unlike the hockey, the game was easy to follow and played at a nice pace (some 3 hours for the whole game); it was blistering hot; and people were there to chill out with their friends rather than shout and get red in the face. It was much more genteel than hockey, and loads better. At neither the baseball nor the hockey is the intention to get drunk and fights with the opposing fans - I can't even imagine that happening here. Rather, it's all about giving the kids a good time, eating, spending money, eating, and advertising. All of which are American Dreams.
The delights of Pika-Pika photoshop in Japantown, San Francisco have been blogged about elsewhere, like here and here
I'm sorry, but I love my Pika-Pika set far too much not to share them with you!!! Of course, they are in a GIF. Everybody after 3, - 1-2-3:
oh GIF-off!
Enjoy!
From top to bottom:
- the 'Jabba the Hutt' of the pumpkin world
- the TransAmerica pyramid, as seen through a very narrow lane
- the view from Russian Hill (Alcatraz island in the background)
See Mr Orange and Mr Brown (now famous) make their shapes on a sunny saturday in San Francisco. Enjoy! 
From Top to Bottom:
- probably the most photographed bridge in the world
- my first dip in the Pacific (well, of this trip) - lovely and warm 14 degrees C
- Rodeo beach
- me cold on Rodeo beach, Marin Headland
- my 1st meal in america (mmm pancakes bacon banana and maple syrup, thanks Sister Delicious!)
- my plane
Remember the film 'Coming to America' with Eddy Murphy? So do I ("The royal penis is clean, your Highness."), and that is precisely why I've had the signature and eponymous theme tune in my head since Friday. Why? Because I have come to America, and I live in America.
Currently, I am eating pistachio ice cream, and i'm living in San Francisco in my sister's apartment on 4th street somewhere near here
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I arrived on Friday 17th, 3pm local time. Yesterday I reacquainted myself with this great city, and today we went to Marin County Park, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. I took a dip in the sea here:
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Tomorrow, I'm visiting Santa Cruz for the first time. I need to touch base with the admin people at the university, and I have a couple of houses to look at. I'm getting the caltrain to san jose, then the bus down Highway 17 to santa cruz. The whole 70-mile journey will cost me less than $6 - public transport is so cheap here - the bus to marin cost $1.50 RETURN (the round trip is 3 hours - for 80 pence!!!)
I cannot wait, but wait I must, I must say ...
... more news soon
