We had a fire alarm last night. Some dreadlocked numbnuts from Camden, under the influence of God only knows what, spilt cooking oil in the kitchen and decided to wipe it up using a towel and then put the towel straight into the tumble dryer. Flames and smoke ensued. At the time I was in a dorm sharing a big bottle of Smirnoff with a friend (who I actually first met in Chicago); we duly exited and carried on the party on the street, which was no great hardship. The SFFD turned up, much to the excited approval of the young ladies present, not unpredictably; I made myself useful and obliged said ladies by taking photos of them in turn as they draped themselves over the front of the fire truck. We did eventually get back inside, although the stink of fried towel is still very much in evidence.
Yesterday me & a few others went along to Gay Pride 2008; the march had finished but there was still a carnival going on at the end of the route. All kinds of everything at the carnival, as you might expect. (See the photo update). $8 for a beer though! So much for the anti-capitalist brotherhood...There were plenty of Obama campaign workers around, although in this part of the USA they're very much preaching to the converted.
Been to the City Lights bookstore (where Allen Ginsberg made the debut reading of 'Howl' in 1955 and was prosecuted for obscenity as a result), and to the Beat Museum, which was full of Kerouac memorabilia. Also I bought an Elvis T-shirt on Haight-Ashbury.
A grand delegation of about 30 of us made our way from the hostel to a nearby pub yesterday morning, to watch the Euro 2008 final. Viva l'Espana, etc etc. Not the greatest game...but at least ze Germans didn't win! Torres has been completely cack all through the tournament but he was in the right place at the right timefor this one.
During the game I was immensely displeased to hear a Geordie accent behind me, and sure enough it was some black and white tw*t from Denton Burn. Not that I wish to stereotype Geordies, or anything, but he had an immense beer belly and dodgy facial hair and plainly a very low IQ. He had lived for several years in San Fran, and several more years in New Orleans prior to that, without losing any of his naff Byker Grove accent. I assured him that I wasn't biased about Newcastle, I don't care who beats them, ha ha ha.
I really really love this place. It'll be a shame to leave it behind.
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| Gay Pride, San Francisco. Edd makes some new friends. |
