Easter Sunday
Our first official day in San Fran had on the search for breakfast. We had passes for the subway which we took on a short jaunt and ended up only a few short blocks where we found an old 50's sort of diner. The diner had some old video games so it really wasn't that old...video games weren't alive and kicking in the 50's. But the place was cute and we stuffed ourselves. It was then off on what I thought was a short trek to an Easter parade. I should have known though that nothing would be a short walk in San Fran. The hills are killer and hauling a whining 9 yr old is not my idea of fun. I didn't do my usual bitch and moan, I did stay very quiet as we walked and walked and yes walked. We did finally get on a trolley car which cost 5 bucks each and that was only for one way. And once again we encountered a Nazi type personality. This one was in the form of the trolley car driver who kept barking at RL to move back, move back. This is the second occasion that we have had the pleasure of someone yelling at one of us here in San Fran. But we have taken it all with a laugh and a shrug. We are having some trouble figuring out all the public transportation. D.C. was such an easier layout for public trans. San Fran has challenged RL quite a bit. We got on the wrong trolly and ended up having to walk several miles again. By then my good humor was gone. I was close to losing it when we finally saw about a half mile down the road, our Easter parade. The celebration turned out to be more child related and by that I mean maybe for those 7 and under. It was quaint and the shops nice to glance about in. We watch street permformers to include magicians, singers, dog acts, and even Easter hat decorating contests. It was good fun. We did find some great pizza which Juan is always up for. After pizza it was a small wait for the parade to begin. Now if I am right there may have been all of 10 entries in the parade but smaller does not mean worse. It was adorable, haunting (this is due to the overaged, somewhat out of shape, gay San Francisco Cheer Corps-more on that in a sec), funny due to skating cows, and then odd with an ending of a aged woman dressed as an ice princess in a gigantic bird cage who was followed up with a fairy. Now we haven't quite figured out what those 2 characters have to do with Easter but then again, none of it made sense. Now I know you were waiting to hear about the cheerleaders. Apparently this was a business run by an older group of people. The gay men were obvious and loved themselves so much that their hands rubbed all up and down their asses as they walked in the parade and performed acrobatic feats. The expressions on their faces were pricesless and entirely to detailed to describe in words. It truly was a bonding moment for newly formed tribe. Then it was back to the hotel for some rest before we ventured back out for dinner. We have learned we must only be out in the sunlight with the kids. So we hopped back on the subway to go to a beer brewing co. that serves tex-mex only to find it closed for Easter (my fault for not calling). Thank goodness we lucked out with a Chevy's only a few feet away. The fresh tex-mex there was terrific and we ate like starved animals. After that is was the trek back to the subway where the boys played your mama all the way back. It was great fun to hear the corny jokes and hearty laughter. All in all the day was great. I can't wait for the second day to start.