Highlights of my trip so far...
Posted by
CovingtonCat
Jun 21 '13, 17:52
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Delta lied when they said there would be on demand movies on my flight. I paid for 1st class and all I got was Jack the Giant Slayer (on video tape, no less) that changed over to Spanish about 15 minutes in. They changed the tape to Safe House, which also changed to Spanish. At least I wasn't squished in with the hoi polloi. Too bad the flight was so early or I would have dented their liquor cabinet. (Not really, I don't drink all that much.)
Drove up to my high school (not where I graduated but I was there 3 years and it was largely responsible for my world view today). It hasn't changed. Literally, it hasn't changed - the same lockers from when I was there way back when. It all looks exactly the same - if a little worn.
Woke up at 2am local time this morning (my body thought it was 5 my time). Was up and out early. Learned there used to be a Chinatown in Marysville (near where I lived). At one time it was the 3rd largest in California, after San Fran & Sacramento. There are still some buildings there, including a temple, which was, of course, closed at 7am. I also learned that Marysville was named after a survivor of the Donner party and that steamships brought people from San Fran to Marysville during the gold rush.
I drove out to the Sutter Buttes which I'd never done when I lived in the area. Just followed the roads around them. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Buttes. It was a beautiful day for a country drive.
Nothing much else to do in the area - all my old friends had moved away long ago, so I headed to San Jose.
There are LOTS of cars on the roads here. Many more than I remember (duh, right?). I learned to drive here and thought Cali drivers were the worst. Until I moved to Massachusetts. They're still worse than California drivers but Cali drivers drive as fast as Rhode Islanders but not as crazily.
After the Japanese Friendship Garden I went to the other end of Kelly Park to check out the San Jose Historic Park, a conglomeration of historic buildings and ethnic museums - all of which were closed.
I'm now at the Marriott where my friend is staying while at the Net Roots conference. I'm not a fan of intown, convention hotels. They charge for everything. $29/night for parking. $12.95 for internet, which my friend's sponsor is picking up - he gets a "scholarship" that pays his way but he also works the LGBT pre-conference and a booth at Net Roots.
I have a day pass for Net Roots tomorrow. I want to tour the Stanford campus so I won't be at the conference all day. It might be interesting. I missed Barney Frank - he was here last night.
Then up to San Francisco via Half Moon Bay Sunday morning.
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