VISIT TO SAN FRANCISCO

This week I visited my brother in San Francisco and decide to sight see at Fisherman's Wharf to watch the swimmers and to talk to all the people who were reenacting the 19th century on the 5 schooners docked at the bay. I even met a couple of very nice men who had sailed from China and had replicated and built a Chinese junk - a total of eight men sailing the storms and keeping their goal in sight and enjoying each others company. One Chinese man served me tea, but it was a black tea I didn't care for. They had a nice hands on and experiential boat where anyone could be involved in stepping upon the vessel and having a tea party.They said their next port stop was in San Diego and then to Hawaii I believe. What braveness I thought to sail all the way around the world on those rough seas and the cold waves, wind and whales - I was remembering the movie the Whalewatcher which had a young girl riding the whales on the sea to save the life of some whales in New Zealand. One young American told me his story of being self educated in nature and living his entire life on the sea and docking at various ports - free of charge - a sort of living museum interpretive display. He spoke fluent Chinese and had never been to formal school. Their sering tea is a welcoming gesture , as it is for many oriental cultures. God has provided for them as they have of course many adventures on the sea, and have encountered many storms.

They live their entire life on the ocean and it reminded me of my life as an archaeologist - being free in nature and letting nature speak to me. I can't imagine living my entire life at sea - I SURE KNOW THEY DO NOT HAVE NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER I love the land and you may say that I am a land lubber havingf hiked over 1000 miles some months as an archaeologist.

They reminded me of the ancient tribes in Hawaii or those folks who came across from Russian across the Bering Strait that made their catch of the day using dugout canoes from KOA wood
or Redwood as the Yurok use in northern California.

It was quite an exploration for me as I have been trying my best to collect local friuts and nuts locally in Sonoma County and haven't left the county much in the past eight months.

Till next time - have a safe trick or treat.