San Francisco / Sausalito

   A whirlwind experience of the most easygoing nature, and I've only just arrived!  Ten minutes into San Francisco, I was hooked.  To fill the time before my host friend (from the Environmental Education internship - Tori, herself!) completes work, I decided to drive around to get acquainted with the city.  Fascinating streets, a diversity of cultures, lots of 4-way stops --all it took to find myself completely, totally hooked.  In my automotive wanderings, I happened to make my way sooner-than-anticipated on the road to Sausalito which meant, inadvertently, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge!  Funny how you happen upon things like that.  Heading N. on the road/consequent Bridge, there is no toll.  To come back to the city, though, could only happen at a price.  Since I'm ultimately headed for Sausalito tonight, I decided to keep going in order to explore more of where I'll stay settled the next few days.  After searching out a coffee shop on the GPS, (naturally,) I found 'Fred's Place.' 
   More a restaurant than a coffee shop (think of a very nice old diner, but substitute the tacky [sorry] chrome with  old and established-looking wood,) I took a seat at the bar and ordered a latte.  Simple enough.  Lack of outlet made for limited internet time, which really was all I needed, as I arrived around 2:15 and they were to close at 2:30!  Very gracious of them to allow me to stay, and they were all very kind.  I had a lot of latte to finish, and they a good amount of cleaning, so I was able to stay a little while longer and make a couple notes in the journal, as well as write a brief letter to everyone at AICM - a first of hopefully many fun, concise travel updates.  I asked the person beside me whether there was a post office nearby and after giving me directions shared that he'd probably see me around there in a bit, as he was headed there to check on his car.  We both finished up around the same time and he could stand a ride and I, a guide, so we exchanged!  Since we both had some time to spend after mailing and checking, he offered to show me around the houseboat community, right down the street.  We walked and talked and thoroughly appreciated the plants on either side of the main walkway - a fascinating bunching of scents and textures and lime plants and succulents and cacti and so. many. roses.  If you know me and colors, you know I was a happy girl.  Happy to meet Mr. Alex and do some Spanish chatting and learn about his travels through Central America...and beyond! We parted ways after that without exchanging information.  Very Serendipity, I know, but we're not in love, though I am grateful for such a pleasant life experience.
  Anyway, now I'm at a Starbucks in downtown Sausalito, which is of course very nice and surrounded by people even nicer-looking than those in Malibu, and completely, wonderfully rife with the echoes of many different languages, mostly French, and even so many more that are so foreign to me I can't even decipher the origin!  Of course, that makes me very happy, too. 

Grrrreat shot, I know.
   Today is the first I've loaded the film in the old Minolta, so hopefully I'll get some neat shots over the next few days.  As it happens, my digital camera's battery is nearly exhausted.  Life goes on!  Right now I've got a lovely window seat with a nice view of Alcatraz.  Perhaps I can use the computer camera for a picture!  That would be a good way to preserve such a memorable view :)!  Worth the risk of looking like a sketchball too, I guess.
  
  Praying God continues to teach me and make good use of my being here, however He sees fit.  Looking forward to the next moment.
  In His love and joy,
  Ashley :)