We've been in the States for about ten days now and I wrote a blog entry a few days ago and had not had a chance to post it.. I'm actually not going to now, in fact I've not even re-read it because I wrote it when I was feeling a little melancholy or in pain or tired or homesick or hungry which those close to me can all vouch are individually inclined to make me cry, let alone in combination so we'll just skip those musings and head straight to today..
I read two cool quotes today one in a very uncool magazine but these are more representative of this evening's mood so I'll re-post them here. The first is from an author I never got into but many of my nearest and dearest love, although the quotes I have read of his tend to make me believe he and I Would get on fabulously...
Terry Pratchett: There are better things in life than alcohol! But alcohol certainly compensates for not getting them.
and...
Rita Mae Brown: I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it..
Not to infer that these two quotes in juxtaposition are suggesting that I've taken up alcoholism, but I did have a Hot Buttered Chocolate today in downtown Charleston, South Carolina (think Hot Chocolate with a healthy dose of Butterscotch schnapps) simply because I could, because I was on holidays, because I didn't have to drive anywhere and because I wanted to.
We laugh more when we're on holidays.
So here is a list of some of the cool and crazy stuff we've been doing. Because as Rita Mae also says "The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself"...
1. In San Francisco:
- we rode the cable cars and went to the cable car museum which is really boring and a complete tourist trap. The Bean LOVED it!
- ate snacks in the Ferry Building which is like a giant farmer's market and because it was in the opening shot of Interview With The Vampire
- Walked up and over that giant hill with the really tight bends in it and laughed at the cars that took longer than us to get up and over the giant hill because the traffic was insane cause they wanted to drive through the really tight bends
- bought me new pairs of Levi's because we were in San Francisco
- the Bean had a giant melt down on the Golden Gate bridge because it was "too high and too big", putting his face on the ground while I forced him to wait while I took thick foggy photos
- took a photo of the cross street of Haight and Ashbury and lamented that some dumb ass owner painted over the Banksy there
- the Bean both loved and hated the Electric buses for reasons still unbeknownst to me
- we used up one half of an entire day to public transport it out to Emeryville/Oakland to simply get a picture of the sign to the Pixar animation studios and an espionage long distance shot through the trees of the giant bouncy lamp thing from the short film (it's not just a closed set, secret site, no tours/tourists allowed, it's store is only open to employees!!!)
- I picked up our first hire car downtown at peak hour, got told to take a turn that I couldn't take as it was one way then after recovering, picking up our bags, and driving to Hwy 1 all to find that I was in the wrong lane at the wrong time and had to cut across two lanes of traffic in the dark - yes still in peak hour.. I'm a giant tourist cliche!
2. Santa Cruz:
- was my favourite, so far, hands down.
- we hung out at the Boardwalk and amusement park which I was told was the only beachside amusement park on the west coast (which was quickly nullified on arriving in Santa Monica)
- I could live there in a heartbeat, it was designed for Sam
- I ate tamales
- while waiting for the tamales, I spoke to a proper biker, in a leather club cut who told me it was insane tht I'd never had tamales before and that I should have absolutely done so before I was ten. When I replied that I'd never seen tamales for sale at home before and asked him what they actually were (I'm eating a lot of food 'blind' over here) he just shook his head in bewilderment.
- the biker's friend, also a biker, actually had "Lt. At Arms" on his cut and I was so excited to see a real life Nor Cal biker like the ones of my Sons of Anarchy dreams (although absolutely not exactly like my Sons of Anarchy dreams, he was no Charlie Hunnam, he was more Danny Trejo plus 200 pounds)
- I experienced US hospitals first hand but that's another story, don't worry, we're ok.
- the Bean loved the rides at Santa Cruz boardwalk and I quote "especially the fast cars, the cars that went like a rectangle that went fast around the corner and the helicopters"
- Oh My God - Redwoods!!
3. Hwy 1:
- when we were at Santa Cruz the Bean really wanted to go on Giant Dipper and before we got there I told home that there was a chance he'd be too little nd he wouldn't be able to go. He didn't really want to be a part of that, but I said that if he was tall enough that it could be a fun or a scary or a bendy ride and that once we got on we wouldn't be allowed to get off until the end. And we couldn't cry either. We'd just have to wait it out...
Someone should've checked me out properly before we got on Hwy 1, it's pretty much the same deal.
4. Los Angeles:
- I got lost, I drove on a Sunday afternoon which doesn't mean anything, it's always peak hour in Los Angeles, we were running late (read the section on Hwy 1) and were going to have pay for another day's rental, so I was freakin' out and trying not to scratch the hire car along the really close to me barrier of the freeway
- The Bean now wants a Chevy like the hire car
- we had the best night at the Santa Monica pier even though we only ate one churro each and went on the Ferris Wheel one time
- The Bean wants every place to have a cool pier
- We went on a double decker hop on/off ride that was cool for about half an hour and then it got super lame even though we had another 17 years left on it to get back to Santa Monica. We cheated, got off at the TarPits (downtown LA has bubbly tar puts where bones and fossils and stuff has been found. We didn't have enough time to be able to go properly through the museum but we did spend a small fortune of The Bean's spending money in the gift shop), got on again, rode to Hollywood, I took photos of the Fairfax High School sign which was possibly as equally as exciting as the Hollywood sign (Anthony and Flea of the Chili Peppers went there) and we got off again at the Chinese theatre. It was tourist hell and the Bean hated it. He then hated the long walk through a dodgy neighbourhood to get to a different bus where we wouldn't have to suffer the commentary anymore but we would have to listen to the two 18 year old couples opposite us talking about all manner of wrongness for the next hour in getting back to Santa Monica. He liked this bus though because it had a consatina bit in the middle where the bus bent.
- I got a tattoo at Venice Beach
5. Charleston:
- it's in South Carolina, don't worry, no one else outside of the States has really heard of it either.
- its beautiful and old world and properly Southern.
- Southern Hospitality is absolutely true and a wonderful thing
- the South really is a different place
- the cab driver that picked us up from the airport gave us a small tour, drove us past his house, stopped at a park where we could take a photo of an historic site and the plaque to go with it and showed us his collection of documents proving his Egyptology enthusiasm/qualifications/distribution of knowledge to local kids. He is a poet and artist and historian and refers to himself as 'King David'
- The Bean loved the fountain on the Harbour, it actually has a sign that says 'Life Saver not on duty, Wade at own risk' then a whole bunch of awesome rules about playing in the fountain. It was ACE!!
- The Bean also loved the squirrels in City Hall park, the 'Trolley' which actually looks like a Cable Car crossed with a bus and has hence been referred to as the 'Cable Car Bus' and like the SFO electric bus goes in and out of favour on a whim
- the guy and his teenage daughters we asked directions from gave us a tour of Charleston in their giant pick up just so we could get our bearings (this included history about the houses and the War - 'the War' is only ever referencing the Civil war - and details of the best places to eat) although he never really did tell us where to catch the bus now that I think about it.
- I've eaten food I never thought I would eat, but Southerners love their food and want you to try it all, so far I've had Shrimp and Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes (even in my head and as I type this I'm saying it with a Southern accent) and Hush Puppies... most of you don't want to know what any of the above actually is, but if you ever come to the South you've got to give them a try..
St Augustine said:
"The world is a book and those that don't travel read only a page". I'd like to add/adjust if you'll indulge me - "... Those that don't travel and eat crazy local food don't really travel at all!"
Travelling things The Bean has said: (I have some from before we left but will post them at a later date and just stick with the ever important theme)
1. Before we left I was having a freak out on the phone to my cousin's answering machine. She was going to stay at our house while we were away and I was worrying about the state of the place for house sitters...
TB: What's wrong with our house?
Me: Oh nothing, I'm just not sure that Aunty Shell realises that her sheets are much lovelier than ours. She's just got different stuff to us.
TB: I want different stuff.
Me: what do you mean? Our stuff is fine.
(I'm very much regretting making this phone call, feeling like a complete idiot)
TB: But I really want different stuff!
Me: Like what?
TB: You know, like tains and a dragon.
2.
TB: Earth is a very special globe.
3.
TB: "None More SLEEPS!"
4. Out of the hotel window in San Francisco.
TB: See that? It's a police helicopter.
Me: No,I think it's a plane. It'd be louder if it was a helicopter.
TB: it might be a plane. Or may e a spaceship.
(it approaches)
TB: Yep, it's a spaceship.
5.
The US has a catch phrases on buses which is seemingly similar to "Mind the Gap" in the UK. It's simple but it's "Please Hold On".. The Bean has misheard this - accent maybe?
TB: Mama, why does the lady keep telling me to 'Please Hold Nine'?
(this has now become the catch phrase for our trip)
6. At the Harbour in Charleston
TB: What kind of boat is that?
Me: It's a Navy boat.
TB: And that big boat? What's it called?
Me: It's called 'Carnival Fantasy' it's a cruise ship.
TB:it lives in Santa Cruz doesn't it?
7. Playing with tiny acorns.
TB: Mama, I've found some nuts should I go give them to the squirrels?
8.
Me: Kiss me on my face.
TB: I can't give you face kisses 'cause I'm smiling!
