September 2019 - Juneau Alaska to AZ to CA

my aft cabin view

this guy greeted me at the house just before I departed Juneau

fledgling thinking about leaving the nest....

Plans for September are to fly to Phoenix to check on my van then to San Francisco to board cruise ship bound for Sydney Australia via Hawaii, Amerian Samoa, French Polynesia, New Zealand.

30 September 2019 Monday - at sea

Early morning homemade omelette at the Horizon Court then presentation by Rowena on Oahu. There are so many offerings during the day of fitness classes, educational presentations, arts and crafts (making Leis) and learning to do the hula and play the ukulele, and of course the hardsell of jewelry and photographs and artworks. Another day poolside for the film “50 First Dates” which I had never heard of before but quite enjoyed. I sat near a woman at the pool who was wearing pink plastic curlers in her hair, she must be getting ready for the formal dinner. They have four formal evening dinners on this cruise and tonight is the first but I gave this one a miss!

We set the clock back another hour this evening.

29 September 2019 Sunday - at sea

We set the clock back one hour overnight last evening.

My aft suite faces east as we travel southwest to Hawaii so I am greeted by a wonderful sunrise. The buffet opens at the Horizon Court at 5am for continental and 6 for full breakfast but opted today for sitdown breakfast at the Crown Grill. As a suite person, I am in same category as the Elite frequent sailing group so I am given additional privileges such as eating in Club Class, evening canapes, evening hors d’oeuvres at the Vista lounge, free laundry (even though I brought laundry powder thinking I would have to use the laundromat), priority front desk service, and heaps of goodies for the bath (I have both shower and whirlpool tub). They also do a one-time free stocking of room with mini bottles of booze and beer so I asked to trade it out and received twenty bottles of Perrier, equivalent pricing!

I attended the morning presentation of Hawaii by Rowena then time in the sunshine at the pool watching the big screen Movie under the Stars “Aloha” (Hawaiian themed films). As a suite person, I was given a free sitdown dinner at one of the fancier restaurants but I was too tired to attend last eve so they let me have the six course dinner this evening at Sabatinis Italian restaurant, which was delicious but I cannot do this every evening. Booking with AAA gave me two additional dinners but will wait a bit to have those.. As I walked the halls after dinner, I was amazed at the number of folks at the bars and casino, they must spend a fortune on “having fun”.

28 September 2019 Saturday - San Francisco California
We board the Golden Princess at midday and set sail at 6pm (delayed from 4pm, probably due to two other cruise ships in port) so limited internet. Seems to be quite a few Aussies on this ship as I wait in the lounge! Took taxi at 10am to pier 27, did walkabout for photos, checked in 1045, and boarded before noon. Gorgeous aft cabin with views of San Francisco. Wonderful departure from the city with blue skies but a bit of wind standing on the top deck as we sailed under the Golden Gate bridge which I had not done since I raced sailboats in the 1970's to the Farallon Islands, and dancing to oldies but goodies music!

27 September 2019 Friday - San Francisco California
Finally, normal San Francisco weather this morning with heavy misty fog for a cooler walkabout, enjoying the buskers on Market and street vendors and the aroma of weed. I walked into a new AmazonGo convenience store but found that it really is just "convenient", you need your phone with the app to enter and to shop, no person to pay! So returned to Whole Foods for a yummy organic salad (kale, arugula, romaine, mixed greens with heaps of veggies on top)....then back to my room to enjoy my eats and the view. After spending the past several days walking from 8-5, I decided to walk fewer miles on this cold and windy day.
Not much sleep this evening on a weekend night with doors slamming in the hallway all night. I found that there is a gay bar down the street and the boys spend the weekend at this hotel and go back and forth all night from the bar to their rooms, dressed with minimal clothing and leather boots....and have now found that this is the weekend for the annual Folsom Street Fair, world's largest BDSM/leather annual event with attendance close to half million.

26 September 2019 Thursday - San Francisco California
Another sunny day but a bit cooler in the morning for walk to Whole Foods then free espresso at the second Nespresso boutique at Geary and Grant. Walked Grant through Chinatown to North Beach Broadway with visit to City Lights bookshop, Cafe Vesuvio and Beat Museum. Beat Museum has great history of beatniks in San Francisco (Kerouac, Ginsberg, Ferlinghetti and all) with a bookshop. The Condor Club still exists, home of Carol Doda the first topless dancer, but it is now a Gentlemen's Club. I returned on Battery via Financial District (no more three piece suits or wingtips or high heel attire on these workers) to join another free walking tour to learn the history of the earthquake but again the guide did not show so wandered the Embarcadero Center where I had worked for Levi and then found Sam Wo's restaurant. It has been moved from Washington to Clay Street. It was famous in the 1970's when I visited for having the rudest waiter ever, Edsel Ford Fung. In the park across the street, the elder chinese men still gather to play mahjong. Afternoon visit to Yerba Buena Gardens and the MLK waterfall memorial. The conferences at the Moscone Center cause prices of hotels to increase dramatically so I am paying more than I would like because last week was the Oracle gathering and this week is TCT/CRF (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics/Cardiovascular Research Foundation), attendees from all over the world.

25 September 2019 Wednesday - San Francisco California
Another very hot day for walkabout to shop for items to take onboard such as organic snack bars from Trader Joe's and a new collapsible bag in a pouch from Target in which to carry everything extra. I visited the San Francisco library which has a great SF Historical Center on the top floor with a rotating art exhibit in the Skylight area and a Friends bookshop on the main level where I found a dollar book to read onboard. I then visited Books Inc which seems to be the only bookshop in downtown area. I visited St Boniface Catholic Church and was surprised when I entered to find many homeless folks asleep on the pews, a haven provided for them during the day by the church in partnership with the Gubbio Project. After a free espresso from Nespresso boutique in the Bloomingdales, I walked to REI and found a few more items that I purchased using a gift certificate given to me by my housesit folks.

24 September 2019 Tuesday - San Francisco California
Gorgeous sunrise for another warm day in the city with fires predicted for north and south of here with power outages. Walked Powell Street (cable cars now running which had been shutdown the past week for maintenance) to Saints Peter and Paul Church Washington Square to join a North Beach walking tour but the guide never showed up so continued walk to Fort Mason to meet a friend at Greens for wonderful lunch with views of Marin and Golden Gate Bridge. Great Friends of the SF Library bookshop at Fort Mason where I found a book to read (very frustrating to find no more bookshops in downtown SF). I walked to Fort Mason via Fisherman's Wharf and the Maritime Museum along the waterfront and returned via Polk Street which has changed heaps since the 1970's when it was a big gay community.

23 September 2019 Monday - San Francisco California
Happy Equinox! Yesterday was a beautiful sunrise when my room at the airport hotel had no view but today there is too much fog from my corner view room on the top floor.
Morning walk at six acre garden ($2B to build) at newly constructed Salesforce Tower above the new transit center. When the busses pass underneath, the sensors trigger 247 water geysers! There are plants from all over the world. Then haircut at Supercuts, a bit too short but maybe for the good for the long journey ahead. Organic salad lunch at Urban Remedy and just as I left the building, five fire trucks arrived but then to find only false alarm. Afternoon walk through theatre district,Tenderloin, City Hall area.
The Millennium Towers residential building (58 floors) next to the Salesforce Tower (61 floors) opened in 2009 but they have found recently that it is sinking (18 inches) and leaning 14 inches, now called the Leaning Tower of San Francisco.

22 September 2019 Sunday - San Francisco California
Early taxi from airport hotel to the city with no traffic at 7am on a Sunday, better than my original plan to take Bart which is having construction work on Sundays. Morning breakfast at the hotel then walkabout to find Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Target just a few blocks away! I then wandered up to Union Square and found an architectural tour just starting so learned heaps about the buildings I had walked by for so many years in the 1970's. She spoke of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Timothy Pfleuger, Willis Polk and many others from the early 1900's. I then walked Market to the Ferry Building on the waterfront with a stop at the IBM building where I had worked, now only occupying two floors instead of almost the entire building in the 1970's.....so much has changed. Great to watch the birds and sailboats on the bay. I returned via the Embarcadero and Chinatown to shop at Trader Joes, but no, the queue for checkout must have been over thirty people winding their way through a roped area, similar to what you find at the airport! A gorgeous sunny day.

21 September 2019 Saturday - Phoenix Arizona to San Francisco California
The runway at SFO is open so flight departed and arrived on time! I sat next to Max the comedian, interesting man who was performing at Herbst Theatre this evening. Weather clear and cooler in San Francisco so did walk along the bay waterfront trail.

20 September 2019 Friday - Phoenix Arizona
Taxi return to airport hotel for Saturday morning flight to San Francisco. They have closed runway 28L at SFO for resurfacing since 7 September which has caused major delays/cancellations but I am hoping that they keep to their promise of finishing early.
Great caesar salad at the hotel next door since there are no eateries nearby.
Afternoon appointment at the airport for interview to renew my global entry/trusted traveller card.

19 September 2019 Thursday - Phoenix Arizona
Spending time enjoying sunshine by the pool and doing some shoulder PT!

18 September 2019 Wednesday - Phoenix Arizona
Taxi to hotel next to RV storage place to suss out my van which is doing fine except a bit dirtier than when I left it, and also to stow half my luggage back into the van that I carried from Juneau!
My taxi driver was from Eritrea and found his way to USA via Sudan and Libya and Malta starting in 2005, interesting man and a great driver.

17 September 2019 Tuesday - Juneau Alaska to Phoenix Arizona
Flight from Juneau via Seattle to Phoenix

16 September 2019 Monday - Juneau Alaska
Spending the eve at hotel near the airport before morning flight

15 September 2019 Sunday - Juneau Alaska
Busy cleaning housesit house and moving my stuff into storage, not as easy as just throwing stuff into my van.

14 September 2019 Saturday - Juneau Alaska
Happy Full Harvest Moon!
The rains have stopped and the sun has returned so hiked up to the new cabin at Eaglecrest Ski Area and then another hike out Fish Creek trail north Douglas.

13 September 2019 Friday - Juneau Alaska
Happy Friday the Thirteenth!

12 September 2019 Thursday - Juneau Alaska
Morning yoga with Carol.

11 September 2019 Wednesday - Juneau Alaska
Morning dental cleaning with a good report card following my previous gum scaling and use of newly purchased SoniCare.

10 September 2019 Tuesday - Juneau Alaska
Morning PT then lunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant el Sombrero, known also as The Hat!

9 September 2019 Monday - Juneau Alaska
Morning visit to Post Office to ensure payment for next year and mail forwarding then afternoon walk Treadwell Trail/Sandy Beach.

8 September 2019 Sunday - Juneau Alaska
Morning yoga with Emily at the gym but it was a bit more than gentle, then visit the September Conundrum art exhibit at the JACC.

7 September 2019 Saturday - Juneau Alaska
Sunny day for Sons of Norway picnic and hike on West Glacier trail at the Mendenhall Glacier!

6 September 2019 Friday - Juneau Alaska
Morning walk Treadwell/Sandy Beach.

5 September 2019 Thursday - Juneau Alaska
Morning gentle yoga with Carol.

4 September 2019 Wednesday - Juneau Alaska
Morning workout at the gym....news of the day is that as of October, the Alaska ferry will no longer sail to Prince Rupert, my normal port of travel to and from the lower 48, times they are a-changing, good thing I left my van down south.

3 September 2019 Tuesday - Juneau Alaska
Another rainy day with heavy fog listening to the cruise ships toot their horn as the enter the Juneau Gastineau channel this morning.....

2 September 2019 Monday - Juneau Alaska (Happy Labor Day!)
The rains have returned for the annual picnic at Savikko Park at Sandy Beach hosted by the Juneau Central Labor Council and attended by a few hundred people. Walked the Treadwell trail down to picnic at Sandy Beach and watched a young eagle flapping its wings anticipating leaving the nest.

1 September 2019 Sunday - Juneau Alaska
Sunny day for walk at Treadwell/Sandy Beach where I usually see someone I know, today Liz and Dan.....then a workout at the gym.