Tale of two cities

Yeah yeah I know, 3 posts in one day, but you must understand dear readers, it boils down to free wifi = post; no wifi = no post (anyone living in NZ will appreciate the latter).

Traipsed off to REI outdoors store this arvo, a squillion blocks away from tourist mecca downtown to get me some waterproof walking shoes ($65!) You couldn’t get a waterproof shoelace in NZ for that.

Doris – you know how I said I AM NOT TALKING POLITICS WITH ANYONE? I’d barely opened my gob at REI checkout when Bill Bryson’s twin brother told me everything I never wanted to know, and more, about Trump’s would-be impeachment. Clearly a slow day in REI. I hid my lack of interest/knowledge behind a charming smile and nodding head like those dogs you see in the backs of cars.

The route back took me along aptly-named Mission St. Only 3 blocks from the golden Nordstrom building on the main drag but might as well have been in another city.

Spent whole time trying to avoid tripping over tents, negotiating my way through solid walls of homeless people and sex workers clustered in huge groups outside the hideously ugly federal buildings (make 1970 Soviet architects look like height of chic) and random piles of food left on street by donors, all the while inhaling the overwhelming stench of urine and trying not to feel guilty about being white middle class.

It was so sad and depressing – the sheer numbers of homeless, the proximity to the glitz of downtown and the air of complete hopelessness.

Probably not a good time to then tell you about my portabello mushroom and avocado burger. Those fries were the most delicious to ever spend time in a deep fryer. The woman at the diner counter next to moi agreed. Had some sort of breading on them so SUPER DUPER crunchy.

Ok going to sleep now for first time in living memory and then 12 hr train trip back to LA so you’ll get a post-ponement (get it?? ah ha ha) for at least a day.

I don’t wanna pickle, I just wanna ride my motorcickle

Note year it opened