On New Year's Eve, I dined and stayed at the splendid Cork International Airport Hotel. After listening to several live bands, the new year was toasted with champagne and dancing to Salsa music with both the young and the young in spirit. At 4:30 AM, I was in the lobby readying myself for the shuttle to take me to the airport for my journey to San Francisco.
On both flights, I got exit seats which helped mollify the fatigue. It was a very smooth trip culminating in a fine hotel where I was to be ensconced for 15 days up on the 29th floor with a spectacular view over one of the loveliest cities I have ever seen.
Back in the eighties I was a tour guide in San Francisco. I never appreciated the city centre as I do now. From the vantage point of the Yerba Buena Gardens, you will not see a finer array of modern architecture.
All during my stay I found the denizens sweet, charming, cheerful and helpful. I was not prepared to be charmed by the most far left liberal people in the United States. To wit:
• Mayor Newsom declared San Francisco a Sanctuary City i.e. it would not report illegals to I.C.E, Homeland Security, etc. - will not co-operate with the Feds who give funding to the city (which may change).
• San Francisco will not allow Junior R.O.T.C. in the schools.
• San Francisco will not permit U.S. Marines to film a commercial on Lombard St.
• San Francisco gave away money to homeless till bums from all over the country inundated the town.
• Bums needn't purchase a dog license.
• Mumia Abu-Jamal, convicted of first degree murder and given the death penalty for the shooting and killing of a 25 year old police officer was awarded an honorary law degree from the New School of Law in San Francisco as well as honourary citizenship.
• Marihuana clinics are used by pushers.
• Pelosi marched in a Gay Pride Parade with Harry Hay, who supports the North American Man Boy Love Association.
• Mayor Newsom performed illegal gay marriage ceremonies.
• The USS Iowa joined in battles from World War II to Korea to the Persian Gulf. It carried President Franklin Roosevelt home from the Teheran conference of allied leaders, and four decades later, suffered one of the nation's most deadly military accidents.
Veterans groups and history buffs had hoped that tourists in San Francisco could walk the same teak decks where sailors dodged Japanese machine-gun fire and fired 16-inch guns that helped win battles across the South Pacific. City supervisors voted 8-3 to oppose taking in the ship, citing local opposition to the Iraq war and the military's stance on gays, among other things.
• The City of San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted November, 2007, to issue municipal identification cards to city residents, regardless if they are in the country legally. These cards will not include "gender" due to transgender issues.
The latest news bringing San Francisco back to public attention was the escape and killing of a spectator by a tiger at the zoo because the fence was 4 feet (not inches) below code. That is indeed "liberal" in zoo keeping terms.