Pigeon Courting and Street Cars
So was out in the city running errands today (no knee ick!), weaving my way through tourists, giving directions to Fisherman's Wharf and Haight St., etc.
So I actually like the tourist season in a weird way. The weird way is because it reminds me of being a teenager in LA, where one of my favorite pastimes was harrasing them (nicely, but loads of fun confusing them). The specific SF thing is that they bring out the genuine old Market Street cars.
Usually, the F line (Fisherman's Wharf to the Castro, down Market St.) has tons of old looking street cars from cities all over the world- from Milan to Boston. THey have a number of genuine 50's streetcars that are out all year, but as far as I can tell, the genuine 1914 ones only come out in the summer and fall.
The one I took today was a 1914 SF street car. The sound of the horn gives me a pleasant little rush- it sounds like the horn they use in "Pirates of the Carrabian"- sort of hollow and forboding, but strong- like something that would be at home in Macabe at Faire. Wood paneled arched ceiling, old wooden chairs, entrance in the back... I could ride that thing all day. Next time maybe I will- or at least a full crcuit. I just love the atmosphere. I suppose it's the kind of thing people don't tend to do in the city they live in. I think we often get more out of travel because we're activily trying to see and appreciate everything around us in the limited time we have. Something, I think that is well applied to life generally.
I got to sit in the sun eating a snack, watching pigeon courtships rituals. The males would prance back and forth in front of the females, spinning in circle, dipping down and rearing up, their necks fluffed to the fullest, their tails fanning in and out. "Look at me! I'm so big! Aren't I hot?" The females usually just kept walking, though sometimes they would get cornered. I began to feel sorry for one- she was just trying to eat and when one gave up, a new one was instantly there. How far evoled are we really?
A beautiful day.
So I actually like the tourist season in a weird way. The weird way is because it reminds me of being a teenager in LA, where one of my favorite pastimes was harrasing them (nicely, but loads of fun confusing them). The specific SF thing is that they bring out the genuine old Market Street cars.
Usually, the F line (Fisherman's Wharf to the Castro, down Market St.) has tons of old looking street cars from cities all over the world- from Milan to Boston. THey have a number of genuine 50's streetcars that are out all year, but as far as I can tell, the genuine 1914 ones only come out in the summer and fall.
The one I took today was a 1914 SF street car. The sound of the horn gives me a pleasant little rush- it sounds like the horn they use in "Pirates of the Carrabian"- sort of hollow and forboding, but strong- like something that would be at home in Macabe at Faire. Wood paneled arched ceiling, old wooden chairs, entrance in the back... I could ride that thing all day. Next time maybe I will- or at least a full crcuit. I just love the atmosphere. I suppose it's the kind of thing people don't tend to do in the city they live in. I think we often get more out of travel because we're activily trying to see and appreciate everything around us in the limited time we have. Something, I think that is well applied to life generally.
I got to sit in the sun eating a snack, watching pigeon courtships rituals. The males would prance back and forth in front of the females, spinning in circle, dipping down and rearing up, their necks fluffed to the fullest, their tails fanning in and out. "Look at me! I'm so big! Aren't I hot?" The females usually just kept walking, though sometimes they would get cornered. I began to feel sorry for one- she was just trying to eat and when one gave up, a new one was instantly there. How far evoled are we really?
A beautiful day.