For the first time ever

I saw a GOPHER. For the first time in real life.

Heh.

Golden Gate Park, walking by the AIDS memorial hollow, I looked down by a freshly dug mound of dirt, and a brown furry nose poked its nose, saw me looking down goofily, and quickly retreated.

And back. And forth. And back. And out.

This went on about ten times, so I moved away from the tunnel opening to leave it alone, and then stood downwind about five feet to see it come out and look around.

Gophers are tiny. Tinier than I was led to believe by Walt Disney Presents and Caddyshack.

It was SO Chip n' Dale. :-)

(Dude, I KNOW Chip n' Dale are chipmunks... I havent seen THEM yet.)
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"So, which bus do I take to see the 'Full House' victorians?"
"Oh! Take the #21 Hayes from Market Street."

I rode it to the end of the line, on the way glimpsing the park where yoou can see the famous view from the TV show.

The park was empty.

On the return trip, I stepped off the bus. No one was in sight.

I walked up to the top of the hill...

And 50 european tourists burst into view, tour buses disgorging the excited hordes, almost tumbling past me in their excitement, quickly crowding into the small park and right into the heretofore bucolic scenery.


Imagine the shot on the TV show, and add 50 people to it - and you had what it looked like.

The famous scenery was advertised, but with a billion people crowding the normally bucolic view, happily snapping pictures of themselves in front of the victorians of Postcard Row.

It was almost comical.

Within 20 minutes, theyd all re-boarded the tour buses and left me alone in the park.

About the view:

Its even more spectacular in person.

I spent a bit looking at the view which extends over the Bay.

Naturaly, at that point, heavy fog, cloud and a very brisk wind started rolling in.


And another tour bus rolled up, disgorging another load of tourists looking for the world famous view...