Crissy Field and other magic

This place just holds some weird magic. Now that I have returned home from a day trip in the sun, I find this here in my e-mail: "You are in SF now right? I just saw you on the N-Judah muni train." This is from a guy I had short contact with, 6 months ago, on the web. I mean, what are the chances? Remember, this happens after I have already ran into one of my study subjects the other day. - I wrote back. We will have lunch Saturday.

Before that happened, I thought I would start today's entry with a love song to San Francisco - because everything was so beautiful today. I hiked an endles hike through the city, also along the beach, and can now barely feel my feet anymore. (And for the record: No, I did not do *anything* dissertation today. This can wait until the next rain will come.)

So, late into the morning, I started at Grant Street and walked up North around Chinatown. I had custard tart for breakfast at the Eastern Bakery, browsed the new designs of Chinese slippers, tried a watch, passed a place selling live birds, and went into a crazy convenience store that sells, for instance: giant thermos jugs, baby clothes, buddhas, but also Mother Mary's, or 10 tooth brushes for 99 cents. Then came the Italian neighborhood, North Beach. I am always amazed, how quickly the setting changes: you leave Stockton Street, turn around, and suddenly the street lanterns have a sleeve in green-white-red. The Chinese hustle turns into the tranquility of an after-lunch hour at a Trattoria: The guests have left, and now the waiter takes a little rest at the bar, while the emptied pasta plates and wine glasses rest peacefully in the outside sun. - I buy a single cappuccino and take it to Washington square. It is the first time I sit on a meadow this year.

My final destination for today is the North Shore, Crissy Field. Since my last visit here, it has become a special place to me, one that says: 'You really made it, you are here!' I simply answer 'yes'. And for the time of a long stroll along the beach, there are no wishes on the wait. It is just: IT!