We just about made it on time for our free continental breakfast. One of the things we've noticed is the way that certain groups of people behave in the breakfast rooms. Some will simply get on with it, others tend to sit and wait and are so formal to the point of irritating one. Anyway, we set off from Salinas heading north on 101. Part way we wanted to take some pictures and had to pull off to try and find one of our cameras. After a bit of a rummage in the luggage it was found and we headed off again.
As we approached San Francisco bay area the traffic got heavier and heavier, which is to be expected. What we had planned to do today was to visit a relative of mine that had been over here for about 35 years! The last time I had seen him was back in January 1970, so it was with some trepidation we drove to his house.
We had always wanted to see a typical american house. We had seen them in films and tv shows but those are just sets; we wanted to see the real thing. We arrived within three minutes of the time we said we would be there, which was amazing in itself.
I won't go into all the details but it was fantastic meeting him again. He had never met my partner and these situations are always a little tense but he put us at our ease straight away. Offering us coffee was a really good starter. He kindly showed us around his house, which was rented, and I can write that the layout is very much like one sees. I was fascinated by it all. A lot of the house is plasterboard and wood as they can survive better in earthquakes, and this is an earthquake zone of the first order. We talked about what we had done and what we were up to at present; chatted about family and how life had treated us over the years. He told us about his work in Canada and the USA and the problems and highlights of it. We must have spent nearly five hours there. He very kindly gave us a sandwich lunch and a dessert. I wish that I had gotten in touch before on our previous visits as it was so lovely and really enjoyable to see him. I know that one or two people back home will love what he's doing when I tell them.
It all came to end much too soon but we had to get up to Oakland and although it's not that far I knew that it would be a good idea to get there sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, it's not one of the bay's most salubrious areas; the hotel was cheap and in a good district.
We booked in and the receptionist greeted us beautifully. We got up to the room and went out for a walk. There wasn't a huge amount to see but the area is famous for the author Jack London who wrote 'Call of the Wild' a book I had read at school and we had visited the remains of his ranch over in the Sonoma Valley on a previous visit.
We went to the restaurant attached to the hotel for our evening meal and I ordered a 'patty melt'. I swear that there was enough for two people. However, one thing the waitress asked really impressed me, and it was something that none of the others had ever asked us. I don't eat fries (chips), they really don't appeal to me; the first thing she asked was would I like a salad with it instead and then would I like it with the burger or to start. Now, it's not usual to be asked the latter as usually a salad is served almost like a starter at the beginning of the meal. Later when we were pondering about a dessert she told us that the Brownie Mud Slide would easily do two people; what a sweetheart she was. I was very impressed by her and subsequently left her a larger than normal tip.
One thing on this trip that has been a repeating theme is the railroad. We seem to have followed it where ever we have been. Obvious it was in Denver but it's also here in Oakland hooting away.
That about wraps it up for today. The only downside is that the Internet connection here is poor in our room but for some reason I'm not overly concerned. I think that it's because I take the place for what it is and it's not purporting to be a super-duper high class hotel like the one in Denver. To get this entry out I'll go and sit beside the pool where, hopefully, the connection is better.
