[Real Life] Saturday at the Pier

It's interesting how a drunk parking his bike before walking into an IHOP can be a very welcome sight. Monica and I met up this afternoon before going down to Tourist Central, Pier 39. After braving a few hills, Ms. M having to hold on to me as we descended a steep Leavenworth stretch of street (I fall walking on flat land with these sandles) we were feeling a bit peckish. We decided upon a little dive only to find out that it closed at 2 PM. So we wandered towards the International House of Pancakes. It was outside the IHOP that we saw a very intoxicated man walking a bicycle. His hair was string, greasy and foul. He had a 70's style mustache (or current day Kentucky) and was reddened and leathery from the sun. He parked his bike and walked into the restaurant and Monica and I followed his lead. At the counter, an Asian woman named Annie confronted Mr. Boozer in a polite giggle way. "Ohhh, Meester you must-a leave." She then called for the male waiter to come over he ordered the guy off the premises. Mr. Boozer didn't pay much attention grabbing a handful of cinnamon starlite mints and some individually wrapped toothpicks. He flung a few on the floor, the mints shattering upon contact. Monica and I laughed a little as we waited to be seated. Finally Mr. Boozer acquiesced and went back outside. I think he only wanted to get some coffee. Monica gleefully watched him try to move his bike only to crash it into a few tourists. After lunch we headed over to Pier 39. Usually we would have bought water guns to shoot at tourists before asking them for money. But instead we went with an even older gag of acting like German tourists and saying a lot of ja-ja's. That was until we decided to be Japanese, which is hard to pull off when I look like a typical Scandinavian/Celtic mix, however Monica does look like a JAP. After the requisite Blue Chip Cookie we headed to the new home of the Musée Mécanique. We had our fortunes told by a few machines, watched some risqué 10 cent picture shows and delighted in viewing a moving diorama titled "Opium Den"-- where the characters had the shakes, a Chinese dragon came through a window, and skeletons were in the closet. Oh how it makes me wish opium was legal! We wandered out of the Museé and on to the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, a Liberty Ship that was sailed during WWII. We got in for the senior citizen price and took a self guided tour. It was simply amazing. I have a new respect for anyone in the navy. I don't think I could ever do it. Descending into the engine room which is four flights down was exhilarating as was sitting at one of the gun turrets. I can't even imagine floating on the ocean and being at war. I snapped some good photos of Monica on the port side with Alcatraz in the background. I also took some photos of the naked woman paintings found on the bow. Oh those sailors...

Perky, ain't they!

Coffee (chai soy latté for me) was the next stop on our agenda, soon followed by a trip to Cost Plus. I bought photo albums and Monica bought potpourri. All and all, it was a fantastic Saturday.