San Francisco!!

Two full, glorious days in San Francisco!! The first morning, Saturday, May 3rd, was actually spent in the apartment of one of Dan’s friends, Larry. Dan had some work to do at the apartment complex where Larry is the maintenance manager. While Dan washed and cleaned and repaired, I caught up on emails. Then we took a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County, driving through Sausalito, Corte Madera, and Fairfax, to name a few local towns. We ate a bit of lunch at a type of whole foods store and then drove into the Mount Tamalpais area and took a 4 hour hike through hills and woods to look at the watershed lake that supplies clean water to various parts of Marin County. The views were spectacular and it felt great to just walk. Vertical. Upright. Without sitting on a cycle seat, however wide and comfortable is Henry David’s bottom cushion. On the way back to SF, Dan’s van warned us that it was almost empty of gas, so we crossed our fingers and held our breath as we traveled about 15 miles to get back to town and a gas station. We did make it, however, and it lent more excitement to the day. I was afraid of losing power, and thus brakes and steering on those winding cliffs! I kept telling myself to appreciate HD’s manual controls!! I will from now on!!

The next morning was spectacular. The weather was nice and we strode through the Golden Gate Park to get to the Center for Cultural Integration Fellowship. We were fascinated and thoroughly blessed with a Hindu music concert to celebrate the birthday of Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian poet and musician who died in 1941 at the age of 80. While the words were sung in Hindu, we had a few pages of basic translation to the first line of each song. Tagore was the first non-European to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1913. He was a prolific writer, but also a musician and a painter.  He advanced Bengali arts and literature and gave voice to independence from Great Britain. I did not know about him, but now I would love to read some of his works. 

The concert involved 6 musicians: 3 men and 3 women. The instruments included the sitar, tablas (Indian drums), harmonium, and hand cymbals. All three women and one of the men were also singers. The concert was followed by a feast of Indian cuisine, made by the members of the fellowship center. The people were gracious and welcoming. The concert was beautiful and moving and the meal was incredible. 

This was taken from their website: 

“Inspired by the philosophy of integral living, the Cultural Integration Fellowship (CIF) was founded in 1951 by Dr.  Hardas Chaudhuri and Mrs. Bina Chaudhuri as a center of universal religion and spiritual practice. Honoring the spiritual traditions of diverse cultures and religions, CIF promotes the interchange of ideas between the cultures of east and west, creating a greater sense of cross cultural harmony and world peace.

Located at 2650 Fulton Street, San Francisco, across from Golden Gate Park.”

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If I lived in SF, I would come here on a regular basis. 

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On the way back from CIF, we walked through the park. What a vibrant place on a warm spring Sunday afternoon!  People were out with their dogs, having picnics, playing with children, playing baseball, soccer, frisbee, cycling, dancing, and playing instruments. We passed through a section that was set aside for roller skaters. We sat and watched the skaters move to hiphop music. There were little tots learning how to skate on the outside edges; novice adults being taught and assisted; incredibly talented and skilled skaters who were jiving to the music. It was alive with vitality. One lovely silver haired lady whose face and figure suggested she was maybe only about 40 tops, danced and skated on inline skates like a pro. She was incredible. Flexible beyond belief; graceful beyond words. She skated by and suggested we rent some skates from across the park and get some exercise. Instead, Dan got up and danced like a wild man. I stayed seated, grinning widely and thoroughly enjoyed the scene. It was so much fun.

But the good times weren’t over!  That night, we hopped on the bus and headed downtown to the Thirsty Bear Pub. Wahoo!! It was Flamenco night, as it is every Sunday night. The guitarrist who was scheduled to play did not show up, so Karensa DeMars, the artistic director of The Flamenco Room of the pub and an incredibly skilled and passionate Flamenco dancer and teacher herself, went around the pub to see if anyone had a guitar. There were performers in the audience who often play at the pub and could step in if needed. But no one had a guitar. So the resourceful and gorgeous Karensa found 2 men who often sing the Flamenco music at the pub. So, we we treated to REAL Flamenco, the way it sounded when it started in little towns and burgs and neighborhoods in Spain, with dancers and singers. Rhythm is supplied with hands clapping and feet stomping. The clapping is a bit complicated and left for those who know the actual patterns. It takes an education! I sat enthralled, mouth hanging open during each song, until I exploded with yelps and “Ole’s” (accent over the “e”) at the end of each song. I was almost beside myself with excitement and pleasure. During the one intermission, I had the golden opportunity to speak to one of the dancers, Clare. She is young and beautiful and flawless and teaches Flamenco dance. She is also married to a Flamenco guitarrist who was performing elsewhere that night. When these professionals dance, you want to get up and dance too. If I lived in SF, I would sign up for dance lessons, for sure.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Roberto. He was one of the singers and he also has a passion for painting in oils. Dan said he was in his 60’s but the man looked like he could be 45. Healthy and full of vitality, Roberto sang from his heart and his gut. He would stand and his eyes would open wide and he would clap and wave his arms and look around as if he were telling you an incredible story. I imagine that he was! What a lovely voice. And a genteel nature. 

Jose was the other singer. This gent is a genuine “gitano”, meaning he is from a Spanish Gypsy heritage. When he sang, he sounded eastern, almost Arabic or Indian. There was that tone of voice that reminded me of the Hindu singers of the morning concert. Apparently, the gitano history hearkens from the east, so the vocal intonation was true to its heritage. This man sang with a wail and with such passion it made you want to weep. Add to that the power and the incredible skill of the lovely dancers, with whirling skirts and powerful stomping feet. You wanted to grab a Latino and give him a kiss and then get up and dance the night away. Instead, the performance ended all too soon. The group decided that it was the best and most intense performance they had done in awhile. We were glad the guitarrist didn’t show!

Apparently, every Sunday night from 7 to 9 or 9:30, at the Thirsty Bear Pub, there is a Flamenco performance. Dan, being a relatively new Flamenco guitarrist, attends regularly. He left the pub that night, even more determined to advance his musical skills and to have a potluck get-together for his Flamenco loving friends. 

Dan’s passions are music, music, music, yoga, meditation, talking to people, learning, and love and peace. He is a good ole hippy who lives one day at a time and enjoys his free time. He washes windows by trade, now doing it part time as he is in his mid 60’s and is enjoying his life. He had a terrible accident and broke his back and then suffered from hepatitis C. He healed himself with strict adherence to a macrobiotic diet and meditation practices. He has had his share of trials, but has a most sunny outlook and loves life for life itself. 

Dan and I spent the remainder of my last San Francisco evening sitting in the living room chatting. He remained the perfect gentlemen and I spent one last night on the couch before grabbing HD and heading for the next destination--niece Lisa’s house.

Thank you, Dan, for being the perfect host and most marvelous friend.