more San Fran stories...

San Francisco is a city with a thousand faces and has wonderful sights all over... In the past couple of days I've seen so much here and made lots of new friends. For example I met Ron, who used to be a professional bass player for 30 years and he played with musicians like Robben ford and John Lee Hooker. Not bad! And now he's buddhist, hehe. See, we'll get all of you eventually!
We jammed 2 nights and were hanging out in his hot tub. Sweet!
The whole week it has been kinda foggy weather but today on my last day it's clearing up... But I am home right now planning the rest of my trip (and I just broke a piece out of a tooth of mine, so tomorrow first thing in the morning is gonna be seeing a dentist). I have a little less than 2 weeks left to drive back to Connecticut. On the way I will stop in Nevada city, Colorado and hopefully Arches national park. Also I will visit Rob again in west virginia and spend a day with Kenchen Rinpoche in upstate new york.
So, lots on my plate for the next 2 weeks, let's see if it all works out! But first some more from San Francisco:

I was cruising through the city the other day when I came across this nice view... that's San Francisco for you!

and this was an exiting story:

I was driving through downtown and stopping at a red light, when another car smashed into mine from behind... BAM! wow, I was thinking 'ok, here we go... damn, I was making it all the way over here without a scratch on the car and now THIS.... grrrrr'
But it got even better when the other car turned into the street (I was already stopping and about to get out) and TOOK OFF. So, the other car was running away!
Well, what to do... I could see the other car was pretty banged up at the front. I had no idea about mine, the only thing I wanted to make sure is that the accident gets reported in an official way, since mine is a rental car and the other person was clearly responsible for running into me while I was stopping at a red light.
Ok, so I got back in and followed the car! It was an older Honda, so no chance against my Ford "Turtle". Soon I was directly behind the Honda and started honking and giving signs to stop. But no way... I had to follow the car on the freeway! I stayed very close (I mean very close) and honked and waved. I drove alongside the car and saw a black woman inside, she was giving me a sign to follow her. I didn't like this at all but what can I do. She got off the freeway the next exit and after a while she was stopping and finally getting out of her car.
Well, I was kinda opset of course, I mean come on! But she said she has no ensurance and I was not even sure if the car was hers at all. She seemed pretty confused and overall not in good shape. Poor lady, but I insisted to make this official. When she went back to her car to get her drivers license she drove off again!
Allright then I thought, I followed her again (back to the freeway) but I was making a picture of her car to get the license plate and I was calling 911. Damn it, where are the cops when you need them! ;)
Well, after a while on the phone the 911 lady convinced me to give up the car chase (by the way, I felt like in a bad movie... all that car chasin' and taking pictures and so on, HEHE). She forwarded the information about the Honda and the driver to the patrols in the area. So maybe they found her later. Also following a the car was actually not so smart, I mean who knows who's inside... And since you can buy ammunition in the supermarket and guns around the corner... !
(ok, thats NOT the case here in San Fran a friend told me, but still...)
Anyway, so I got off the freeway and filed a police report downtown. And I finally had time to check out the damage at my car. And surprise, almost nothing! The rear bumper took the hit and has just a few scratches in the finish that's it. Let's see what the rental car company thinks about this! (I think I'm gonna paint it over and try my luck, hihi)
All in all it took 2 hours, and it's a real american crime story, isn't it ;) ?

the other day I went to Berkeley to Glenn Cronkhite's house. He makes very fine handmade instrument cases (gigbags) and I orderd one for the West Virginia 345 a couple of weeks ago. Glenn used to be a drummer himself and played with lots of big names, for example with John Abercrombie... It was a very nice experience to meet him and by the way, he is into Buddhism aswell and for years he was hosting the Dalai Lamas medical team in his house when the Dalai Lama was in the bay area. Isn't that funny!
But his cases are really the best, if you want to get a case for your drums, your bass, your horn or your guitar that lasts forever and is super protective, call Glenn!!!

Chinatown! Karolina was showing me around....

Alcatraz

the Oakland brige


there is this girl in Amsterdam who told me that she left her heart in San Francisco...

well, good news for you D.
I found it! You only have to come over and pick it up ;)

it's waiting for you here ;)

the fog is lifting today

and again Alcatraz as seen from Morgan's rooftop!


Tomorrow or tuesday I will move on. Wish me luck with finding a dentist!
(later that day I decided to wait to get my tooth fixed until I am back in europe. Let's see how it goes!)