What photo album of San Francisco would be coomplete without one of these little wonders. Believe it or not, I've only ridden in one of these once despite all my visits to the city.
Oscar Wilde said: "It is an odd thing, but every one who disappears is said to be seen at San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world."
I'm not sure about how San Fran stacks up to Heaven, but here is the last part of my photo series on a personal tour of the City By The Bay, with a little Oakland and Berkeley thrown in.
This non polluting way of travel should be brought back. Indeed, in England trams are returning to our streets.
ReplyDeleteHe cuts quite a figure! Why is he there in particular?
ReplyDeleteMmmm, quite a shot that!
ReplyDeleteAh the gathering Olympic storm, highlighting China and Tibet.
ReplyDeleteThanks Doug. I have been involved in a minor way, in the free the Dali Lama campaign for several years. Things sure take a long time to show results!
ReplyDeleteA good solid classic building. That car must cost a bomb to run!
ReplyDeleteHahaha, fingerprinted by camera. Nice shot of your friend.I'll be back to look at the rest later. I'm deadly slow with one hand!
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It certainly would now, Cassandra. The cars that were built in the Fifties over here were designed for a country where gas cost about twenty-five cents a gallon!
ReplyDeleteI imagine it takes a good deal of time and money to keep such artifacts in great shape. Car Club people are definitely dedicated.
I might not put this shot in my professional portfolio ;-) I tried to crop the picture, but no luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks. It's more of a graceful design than most imported streetcars in the city. Makes one think of taking a holiday in some sunny spot.
ReplyDeleteAh, what's a thumb between friends? ;-)
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ReplyDeleteA very good question. There is a "farmer's market" on weekends here and its possible the city officials wanted a good "people place" for the art work.
ReplyDeleteI discovered that the "non-profit organization" behind the Gandhi statue has a rather shady history,ironically, according to several sources. Here's some basic background on it,from Wikipedia and Mother Jones magazine:
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The statue was given to the city in 1988 by the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation, "a controversial non-profit organization run by Yogesh K. Gandhi," who Gandhi family members claim was a "scam artist" and the White House called "clearly disreputable" when he asked to visit. Then in the 1990's Yogesh then was the subject of a US Senate investigation, and the US Dept of Justice charged him with tax evasion, mail and wire fraud and perjury. The Foundation continued for a few years but then ran into more legal troubles as they found out Yogesh still had his hands in things.
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Well, its a lovely statue anyway.
How wonderful! Far better to have a juicy story behind the buildings where Gandhi stands. How he would have loved it...
ReplyDeleteThe dignitaries a tad embarrassed but managing to pass it off with dignity. The US Senate somehow managing to get some money out of it.....................worthy of a film , don't you think? ;-)
Hahaha, a bit of a boy this Yogesh!
It is a lovely statue. A slight smirk there I think.
Thank you Doug.
You're welcome. No word on Yogesh on the links. He's probably free as a bird and up to his usual stock in trade as I write this.
ReplyDeleteI, too ,would like to think the Mahatma himself would have been amused. He had a dry sense of humor. (e.g, while visiting London in the 1920's, he was reportedly asked by a British journalist, "What do you think of Western Civilization?"
Gahndi replied: "I think it would be a good idea." :-) )
Yes indeed. I can see me having that converted to a rather splendid study at the end of the garden. Just for those summer months, you understand.
ReplyDeleteI see from the upcoming Olympics coverage that the Chinese aren't tolerating any protests at all near the sports venues. The government there acts like an elephant afraid of a mouse or two.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, at one time there were streetcars like this all over Los Angeles, the motor hub of America. But the tire companies bought up the tracks to encourage car buying. This happened in many cities and we are paying for that now. San Fran always had a pretty good rail system because it attracted tourists and the climb up the steeper hills like Telegraph Avenue are just short of full-scale mountaineering.
ReplyDeleteI heard on the news this evening that the Chinese have set up an Olympic protest area. Within it people can have their say, if they protest outside the boundaries they will be arrested. For some reason this amused me. In my minds eye, I can see them all filing to the garden. Then having a little stomp about to make their protest, while the Chinese gnash their teeth. Then as good as gold, the athletes file quietly out again! ;-)
ReplyDeleteAh another book lover! My drawing room has book cases from floor to ceiling absolutely stacked to over flowing. A room without books has no soul.
ReplyDeleteThat looks a nice place to spend a few hours. Have you ever seen the film 84 Charing Cross Road, with Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins? It is on my list of favourite films. if you haven't seen it and you like books do watch it...
I love this house with the turreted roof. There must be someone up there who sits in a rocking chair!
ReplyDeleteHahaha, your pose looks just fine in the other photos, hands or not!
ReplyDeleteLovely the way the artist has caught movement in this statue.
ReplyDeleteHe was so right wasn't he? I'm not sure we have quite made it yet!
ReplyDeleteAgree with you on needing a room for books. Sounds like a very charming drawing room.
ReplyDeleteMy wife introduced me to "84 Charing Cross Road" as a film. What a sad, but lovely little classic it is! (Shirley worked part-time in a bookstore, that's where we met actually.:- )
I really enjoyed that book (definite reading for Anglophiles and Bibliophiles). It has two of my favorite actors! Also read Ms. Hanff's "Q's Legacy" which is lovely and fills in a lot of the background for the first "Charing Cross" story, both before and after its success.
I should n't leave the subject of Berkeley, California and books without mentioning "Moe's Books", also on Telegraph Avenue. That new/used book store has four stories(!) of reading material inside. Wish I'd taken a picture of it on this last trip. Moe himself is gone now, but his bookstore still stands with everything from a first editions section to paperbacks galore. Frankly, the place was/is a little overwhelming for me on choices. I usually was more up to speed over here at single-story "Shakespeare & Co" :-)
It was a fitting tribute. I can die (someday not too soon I hope ) having had the pleasure to see Willie Mays play in his last years as a Giant. He was rather like that David Beckham chap who can do things on a field/pitch that defy belief.
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