San Fransisco
Saturday, 11 June 2005
Americans have some kind of wierd ettiquette that I just don't understand....
They all keep beeping at me - they just don't understand my freestyle road crossing technique. Really. There was no danger. They just beeped to tell me off.
I hate being told off, frankly, it's affronting.
Yesterday as I was riding on the cable car (thats what the call the really cute old style trams here) I asked the bloke if I could get off, he didn't hear me as obviously I wasn't shouting as much as American ettiquette requires, so I reached up to ding the bell. This apparently was a massive, massive breach of ettiquette, or an invasion of his bell dinging territory, or both. He grabs hold of my hand. Pulls it away and shouts DON'T PULL THE BELL. DON'T PULL THE BELL. YOU ARE NOT TO TOUCH THE BELL LADY. DON'T PULL THE BELL. Really. He said it that many times and still kept hold of my hand the whole time. Then he just rings the bell himself and stops the cable car. If we were in England the conversation would have gone thus:
me: (reaching up to the bell)
Him: Sorry, you aren't allowed to ring the bell, do you want to get off?
Me: Oh sorry, sorry about that I didn't know, thankyou yes I wanted to get off back there actually.
Him: Thats ok (rings the bell and stops for me)
Me: Cheers
Is it really like that in England, or have I just imagined it? Actually I do remember a bus driver in Manchester slamming me in the doors of his bus once, but he didn't shout.
Well, now I've got that out of the way I can tell you about San Fransisco. It's cool. Very different from LA but it's still full of nutters and homeless people I think I saw that most San Fransiscan of things, the homeless transvestite yesterday, well it was a trannie with a shopping trolley full of smelly grimy rubbish anyway. Perhaps they are all the ex inmates of Alcatraz, which kind of looms in the near distance accross the bay. It doesn't look that far away but the water is very cold. Loads of exercise fanatics swim in the sea here just up and down for hours in wet suits. Another thing they really seem to like (in the tourist areas at least) is this kind of fishy milky soup called chowder. I haven't had any yet due to it being fishy milky soup, but it sounded nice in a book I read when I was seven (Heidi I think) so maybe I'll try some and report back. It's very entertaining just walking around, the city is really hilly and every area is really different. I walked up to the top of this massive tower yesterday which was cool. There was a bloke at the top of it doing the imaginary front crawl looking out towards Alcatraz. I also went in the library where loads of homeless (by the smell of them) people were listening to music and totally rocking out with headphones on. They should put a shower and a washing machine in there too.
Then I walked around North beach which was Jack Kerouac's adopted home. It's great round there, it's an Italian area and there are loads of great cakes and restaurants and stuff and everyone speaks in Italian. then I went to China Town which has the greatest range of tac I've ever seen outside of Majorca. There are even glow in the dark Buddahs.
So there you go - if anyone has any American ettiquette advice I would apreciate it
On June 11, 2005, Dan said:
I think american ettique revolves arond the use of handguns. Try that.
On June 14, 2005, Tina said:
Hi Guys-
It's Tina, Martin's Girlfriend.
I advise you to try the chowder! It's best in seafood restaurants along any coast of the US (my favorite is in Boston. Hope you both are getting along here in the states and anything you both need let me know! (I'm used to translating!) Can't wait to mee you once you get to Philadelphia!
I have enjoyed following you both around the globe and reading about your journies!
Also, let me apologize for all the idiot americans out there. We're not ALL that bad :)
On June 14, 2005, Catherine said:
Hi Tina,
I have tried the chowder and it s good. I even had a hangover at the time and there was no badness. It will be cool to see you in Phily -grease up the fresh prince for us!
On June 14, 2005, Tina said:
Well... if you REALLY want to see the Fresh Prince I can arrange it!! He will be hosting Live8 here in Philly on June 2nd... are you up for it?!? it's free- and the city will be insane- but I'm up for it if you guys are!
On June 21, 2005, Stan said:
> if anyone has any American ettiquette advice I would apreciate it
1) Don't pull the damn bell.
2) Honk if you love Jesus.
That should cover you just about anywhere except Poughkeepsie.
You're on your own there.