Adventures in Bussing

So I did it: I had my bus adventure! Thursday was a beautiful day- sunny and warm (which means not hauling around a heavy sweater) and I got on the 22 bus in the Mission. I chose this bus because it goes across San Francisco, which is a way I don't normally go. Up and down (bay to beach) and diagonally (Mission to GG Park) I do a lot but not across, which I guess is South to North. Maybe.

The 22 shows you lots of different sides of San Francisco and I should have been taking pictures the whole time but I wasn't. I had this great book with me (which I'll blog about later) and couldn't stop reading it so the ride wasn't visually chronicled. But here's the general itinerary:

• Dolores Park (been there, seen that)
• The Castro (also familiar)
• Hayes Valley to Nopa (omg if anyone who actually knows San Francisco is reading this my lack of SF geographical knowledge is going to be really embarrassing)
• Past the hospital (colorful characters, like past any hospital)
• Japantown! (I've heard about Japantown but had no idea where it was. To be honest, I assumed it was near Chinatown. But I was wrong.)
• Swankier and swankier as we approach Pacific Heights. Maybe Lower Pacific Heights? (this area reminded me of NW 23rd st in Portland. Lots of little fancy shops and restaurants. And a Johnny Rockets.)
• Pacific Heights (big, big houses and lots of roadwork)
• Across Lombard (gross. Lombard is really gross, like, all fast food chains and gas stations)
• Down to the water!

The bus dumped me out here:

So nice, right? Lots of boats and apartment buildings and people riding bikes along the path. I think this is where Ali and Jake went on The Bachelor when she was showing him her stomping grounds. Don't judge me for watching The Bachelor! A friend told me last season that they went to San Francisco and so I watched it to find that episode and got hooked. You might have been hooked too, because the ratings were the highest they've been in years all thanks to Vienna vs. Ali. And, pop culture update, I just learned that Vienna and Jake have officially split (which shouldn't surprise anyone) but that Ali would never take Jake back. Yeah right. I'm betting he'll come on one of the last episodes of The Bachelorette and make a pretty convincing case for himself.

Anyway...I had a long and leisurely walk up from the water to North Beach, which still think is really cute even if other people think it's cheesy or fratty (sorry North Beach). Along the way I saw these guys:

Yep, there are Segway tours of San Francisco. I actually ran into these guys twice and yes, it was hilarious both times.

In North Beach I had a delicious tuna sandwich (at a table outside! Because it was sunny!) and then read at Washington Square Park for about three hours. Seriously, this book is so good. I can't wait to blog about it.

Washington Square Park is an interesting mix of people. There's always someone playing frisbee, always a group of stoners playing guitars, always cute little Asian ladies walking around exercising together, and always some old guys sitting on a bench and shooting the shit. Also, this park was where the cover photo of Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America was taken. Literary landmark alert!

By the time I was done in North Beach it was, like, five o'clock and I was ready to go home. Tired of walking! So I went back through the financial district and caught a bus home.

What a great adventure! There were no mishaps, which surprised me (and maybe you). I saw things I hadn't seen before, had some good snacks, read a lot, enjoyed the sun, and deepened my love for San Francisco. Good, good day!