As I write this, we're in Mexico City, taking it easy and recovering from the nightclub on top of the youth hostel that finished at 3am - but more of that later! We arrived here from a great week in California, courtesy of Rachael in Palo Alto, and Andrew in Frisco (subject of tomorrow's blog).
Rachael and I last saw each other sixteen years ago, and I at least was a little shy, turning up on her door with family in tow. She made us right at home though, in her calm house full of beautiful things, with a little river just over the road, oranges and grapefruits fresh from the tree, interesting new people for us to meet and all within walking distance of downtown Palo Alto, complete with all the wealth of the New World Order available in bookshops, cafes and supermarkets. A (moneyed) person could spend their whole life here eating delicious, healthy food, reading fascinating books, watching great movies, and enjoying the general greenery. It was great to see an autumn in the Antipodes, having missed the 2004 UK one, but it was perhaps even better to visit a temperate spring - blossoms and buds, birds and new green leaves.
A few highlights: whole pints of milkshake in the Peninsula Diner; the most genuinely (Tex-)Mexican food yet in a Mountain View tacqueria; meeting and eating with Houria, Robbie and Suzie; getting an inside look at full-on Californian-ness at an evening of improvisational theatre, complete with water ritual and people who were "filled with gladness that they could be with us in this space"; help with and enthusiasm for our Visionaries project; Trader Joes; meeting up with Brad Newsham of Backpack Nation (did you vote for Lani yet?) and lots of chatting and laughing with Rachael. And here are some photos:
1 comment:
Hi to you all - great to get news from California. It sounds as if you had a good time and I am so glad you caught up with Andrew in San Francisco. Enjoy Mexico! Lots of love to each and all xxxx Jo
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