The Waters Of Babylon

With the dollar so weak against some of the worlds currencies, especially the Euro and the GBP, there has never been a better time for people from all over to visit the US.  For some it's practically half off and everyone is taking advantage of it.  While SF has always been a tourist destination, I have not seen crowds like this in the fourteen years that I have lived here.  I'll bet there isn't a hotel room to be had for miles.

Too Many Tourists

There is free admission to the city's museums every first Tuesday of the month so we decided to take advantage and visit the Palace of the Legion of Honor.  It had been some time since our last visit and it was nice to see the Rodin collection again.

Rodin's Thinker

Rodin Gallery

Chihuly Glass Sculpture

We recently heard about a new Nicaraguan restaurant in town, so Carlos and I along with our friend George, made a trek down to the Mission to check it out.  I've now found a place that serves up some decent gallo pinto and they also carry Tona beer.  What more could you ask for (except maybe some Nacatamales, which they also serve.)  It felt like we were back in Nicaragua.

Oye Managua

Filete a la Jalapena

Antoine, Pierre and Jerome came over last night for a soiree.  They brought the cheese and baguette and we supplied the wine.  They practiced their English and we practiced our French.  Good times!

July23 003

San Francisco has just been ranked as the United States' most walkable city.  This is according to a new ranking from a website that evaluates how easy it is to live in the nation's cities and neighborhoods without a car.

http://walkscore.com/rankings/San_Francisco

Out of a total score of 100, San Francisco was number one with a score of 86.  Rounding out the top three were New York with 83 and Boston with 79. 

Celebrating Bastille Day with friends from France.

Bastille Day 012

Bastille Day 014

.....and then we went to North Beach and ate pizza.

The parade always ends at Civic Center where there are blocks and blocks of stages and booths with thousands and thousands of people all having a great time.  It can be sensory overload.  The one performer that I really wanted to see was Carole Pope and I was able to get fairly close to the stage.

Carole Pope (Rough Trade)

Sunday morning started out a little bit overcast but the fog finally burned off and it turned out to be a perfect day.  There was a record turnout that lined both sides of the parade route.

Record Crowd

 Cyndi Lauper was one of the Celebrity Grand Marshals and the throng showered her with love.

Cyndi Lauper

Elation & Release

Brides

Dyke March

Saturday night we went to a party at a friends house that overlooked the route of the Dyke March.  They walked from Dolores Park up to the Castro where it evolved into a big street party.

Dykes For Days

Pink Party

There were rainbow flags everywhere in the city this past month, not just on every lampost along the length of Market Street.  Even Macy's showed off their "pride."

Row Of Rainbows