After being awake
most of the night with headache, fever and enough flam to rival any camel I am
not sure I have any energy left in me for anything today. I am planning on an
easy day. Maybe a walk two blocks to Japan town and then a visit to Alcatraz
and a nana nap before the Opera and sleep tonight so I can pack for tomorrow’s
trip home… Good plan?
It starts ok with the 2 blocks walk but then moves into a 2
miles hike to get to the ferry for Alcatraz from Pier 33. Followed by a two hour walking audio-guided
tour of Alcatraz. Then head back to the Wharfs for Clam Chowder (thanks
Amanda). Now I make the mistake of realizing I haven’t bought my mum a pressie
& that was a BIG MISTAKE. I go from one present for mum to bags and bags
and bags & I am tired and no time to nap and stressing about the luggage
and baggage weight. Arrrgh! Ok, I am blaming my mum for that J
I get to the Opera and there are some seriously ends of the
spectrum, there are those dressed like they have been invited to meet the
queen, there are those in Jeans, there are those in dresses and suits and
arrive on push bikes, there are those that are dressed in ragged jeans and
t-shirts and even one lady was dressed in a kimono.
The Opera building is magnificent and I am almost
embarrassed that I am hungry and they were selling sandwiches in the foyer and
me standing alone with a glass of red vino and a turkey wrap seemed
wrong…Thankfully, no one would ever know that (til now)
The seat is front row dress circle but the guy next to me
makes me nervous by leaning forwards so much I feel he is about to fall over
the railings. Also, the girl behind me must have been a hopeful cast (perhaps
rejected) but she attempted to sing along before the Opera started as the
Orchestra was warming up…Thankfully that did not occur during the performance J
The Opera was in French with English subtitles, the cast was
brilliant and it included a children’s chorus line of almost 30 kids (probably
between 9-13) very impressive. The props were superb and it was definitely a play
to behold. Although, I still think that the Albert Hall Performance in London
was by comparison much larger scale from a prop and stage but the voices of the
San Francisco Opera performers was grandeur and especially in French…
I highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates the arts to
attend a theatrical performance and please don’t go in jeans to the opera, even
a grub like me knows that.
That was a superb way to conclude my last night in the USA
for 2011…Thank you San Francisco…
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