Friday, September 24, 2010

More schmaltzfest

This is my fourth visit to San Francisco, and I am still falling in love with the place. Now I understand the character in But I told you last year that I loved you when he says "I have been falling in love with anchovies for twenty years." I can imagine saying the same about San Francisco.

SF has many of the qualities I love about Venice: the colourful houses (which are in a wider range of colours here than in Venice) the sunshine, the clear open skies, the blue of the Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the picturesque bridges - though obviously picturesque in a different way from the Academia, and the Rialto. Venice has no traffic so it scores on that, and also on the antiquity of the buildings, but San Francisco has an abundance of flowers and trees so it wins on that one, and it's also near unspoiled and easily accessible countryside.

My friend drove me back from Marin County over the Golden Gate Bridge on the evening of the autumn equinox. The sun was setting over the ocean to my right, the harvest moon was rising on my left over a pretty city. We were in the middle, on the Bridge. It was a special moment, and I will always remember it.

I have a strong clear memory of sitting in the sunshine on the bench on the stone flags outside my mother's cottage in Wensleydale, breastfeeding my daughter, Zoe, and reading Anna Karenina.

I have been sitting on Isaac and Wendy's sofa, watching the life of the Mission district on the street outside, feeding my granddaughter Lux, and reading Cannery Row - and it will become another clear strong memory.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It's true, I have been having a passionate affair with the city for years. There is always something new or surprising around the corner.

It's been so great to have you here. What ever shall I do when you go? We feel so lucky to have you here.

PS- Thank you readers for your sweet emails about Lux, we think she's pretty amazing too!