A super hot day and a seven hour walk has ended. I have been going around so much this Saturday that I thought I was going to faint. I didn’t want to stop and I started wondering if all those nice neighbours saying Hi to me were going to pick me up from the sidewalk.

I walked from the North of the Panhandle to the Castro taking pictures of the streets and the hills. Once located at Castro and 17th had a capuccino at the Blue Bottle Coffee truck and patiently began my wait for the old streetcars to arrive. I am still updating the San Francisco Streetcars blog.
After 20 minutes and 5 pictures I decided to go somewhere else as the sun was too strong. I don’t mind the melting walk but I actually get tired if I am standing.
I passed a couple of stores on Castro St looking for Halloween costumes. The prices ($50+) were more than what I am willing to pay right now for a costume but some of then were really cool. I need to find a Halloween party.

I continued looking around, without any worries, walking, photographing, smiling to the neighbours getting out of the houses until I noticed it was almost 3 o clock and I had to meet my boy at Noisebridge on the Mission. I was going north on 18th st so my friends, that was the opposite way. I made my way south, got a drink and continued walking under the scoarching sun towards something that started to feel like a real mission.

Finally, had tacos for lunch around 5:00 pm and in great company. 🙂 After getting ourselves fed with food = energy we decided to visit the famous Dolores Park once and for all. It was better than we expected. The area is bigger, crowder and cooler than I imagined. The view of the city, the vibe, the people playing guitar, juggling, playing tennis, picnicking, reading, talking. I repeat it again, I feel so envious of these San Franciscans.

I am a Cuban Canadian in love with SF. I am going to miss this place once this trip is over. I love the city, the people, the weather, the ocean (even though is cold for a swim). Another day that passes by it is another day that everything around me becomes more familiar and charming.
The unusual part is that I am never totally happy in a place without my friends and here, although I don’t know more than a couple of people I feel at home. Everyone has something nice to say or a story to tell. I haven’t found myself alone in this city.

As soon as I got home I started doing some quick reading about Dolores Park. The place was a cemetery from 1861 to 1895, served as a refugee camp after the 1906 earthquake, like many other SF parks. I saw some old pictures of the area.

Tomorrow our friends are arriving and we are thinking of bringing them to the park on their first day. They will sure enjoy the people and city watching with some snacks and a nice bottle of wine.