Stuart - Days 1 and 2

Met Steve at Heahthrow and after check-in we had breakfast at Wagamamma's. Proceeded to the departure area where we bumped in to some American friends of Steve's who were on their way to Chicago. Seems that wherever we go we meet someone that Steve knows. Smooth flight with a good choice of on-demand movies. I managed to watch The Social Network, The Fighter and The King's Speech - all very good in different ways. We also found ourselves sitting next to a young lady who had arrived in the UK the day before, been held in a detention centre and then sent back to the USA. A very sad story but of course we only heard her side. Arrived in San Francisco at 2pm local to the cloudless deep blue sky that I associate with this city. An interesting ride into the city in a Supershuttle van followed. We were the only passengers and our driver talked to us non-stop all the way into the city, while fiddling with his mobile and satnav. As we sat at an intersection near our destination, he could not understand why there were traffic lights on the other three sides of the intersection but not on our side - at least until I pointed out to him that we had come up a no-entry street. He was definitely on something! By this stage, we were already fed up with people asking us about the Royal Wedding. Still haven't seen any TV coverage.
Arrived at Tom and Aneesha's - a spacious two-level condo in the Noe Valley area of San Fran. Went out for an early dinner at Liberties Irish pub, where we met up with Aneesha's parents. Finally, jumped (!) into bed at 5am UK time.
Day 2

Holi Day

Aneesha,s Mum in technicolor

5-a-Siders

After a surprisingly good night's sleep and a bagel breakfast, we wandered to the farmers market on 24th and then down to Castro, the gay area of San Francisco that I have never visited before. At the invitation of Aneesha's parents, we then went to to the Holi Day celebrations in Dolores Park. This is an Indian celebration for the arrival of spring and involves the participants covering each other in paint to denote seasonal colours. Needless to say, we watched rather than participated and by the time we got there, technicolor people were playing what semed to be a version of British Bulldog and throwing water bombs at each other. The evening was spent in a couple of dive bars and a Tackueria with Steve's old 5-a-side cronies, most of whom I have met before. Lovely, welcoming people and a great night.
Weather - 73 degrees and not a cloud to be seen!