San Francisco

I have been away from the blog for several days now. Unfortunately we had no Internet in San Francisco, where we stayed 3 days. Three fab days, I have to say! From there we went to Napa Valley where we eat great cheese and drunk some exquisite wine. We are now in Santa Cruz - and I am many days behind in my story telling.

The Internet at this hotel is crap, so I will just tell some San Francisco tales and upload the pics in our next stop - hopefully tomorrow.

Our hotel - Renoir Hotel, was nice, but one block too far, so we had homeless people living right under our windows. Fabio had trouble sleeping, I just put my deaf ear up and slept like an angel. After our first night, the whole Rocha family was using ear plugs (and watching homeless people fight, pee and poo as alternative entertainment)

There was a Walgreen shop near by, and most nights we stopped there to buy basic supplies: water, some fruit, more ear plugs. On the first evening, we were all scattered around when I notice this huge guy hiding behind the shelves where my kids where shopping. I took the kids away from there and kept a close eye on them. From time to time, I saw the darn man sneaking behind the shelf again, until I lost my patience and approached him:

- Hey! What are you doing? You are scaring me!
- ??
- You. Hiding behind the shelves everywhere. You are scary.
He seemed to find it funny, and replied:
- I am security. I am here to protect you...

Great strategy. You hire scary looking people to make your customers feel safe.

The next evening we went there again after dinner. The kids were at the hotel, watching Tv. As soon as I walk in, he cames along:

- Hey! Here you are again. Do I scare you today? With my scary yellow t shirt?

Yep, he was making fun of me.

Our family was deciding how to go home. fabio and I wanted to grab a taxi and avoid the homeless, my in laws wanted to walk, so they could exercise a bit. I decided to talk to the experts (yes, I used the scary looking security guy):

- hey! We need to go back to the hotel, is it safe to walk?
- where are you?
- 4 blocks from here - on that direction
- that direction? well, each step you take, the more dangerous it gets. Take  a cab. It will be only 5 dollars or so.
- my opinion too, but they want to walk...
- ok. You can walk. You get your knife (MY KNIFE??? DO I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO CARRIES A KNIFE??), open it, and walk with it ready to stab someone who approaches you.

It did not matter how much I tried, my in laws refused to grab the darn taxi, and called me names and all. Chicken was the lightest I was called.

We walked. And a man followed us all 4 blocks. I was terrified and walking really fast, with my father in law complaining:

- hey! let's walk slower, I am getting tired.
- Oh, next time, you listen to me and we catch a taxi...