VETERANS' DAY

ARMISTICE DAY!
Today is “Veterans Day.” It is an off-shoot from “Armistice Day.” The first such Armistice Day, was on November 11, 1918. The day was also known as “Remembrance Day” The day was very significant! Not because I was born on that day, but because it commemorated the signing of the document calling for the halt of all fighting between the Allies (the U.S., France; Great Britain; Canada and other friendly countries) and Germany - the Western Front. The “Armistice” was signed at 11 A.M. (Paris time) “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”, in Compiegne, France, ending World war I. I was born 20 minutes later (0620 local time)) in Hillsdale, Michigan.
Armistice Day was re-named “Veterans Day on November 8, 1954.
Today, my family treated me to a day in San Francisco for my 91st birthday. Sue picked me up here at Quail Creek at 8;15, and drove over to Mary’s where we met Mary, Joan, Manny and Brittney. Mary drove her car, and Manny his to Vallejo. We got to the Ferry building about 9 o’clock. This meant an hour wait before our scheduled 10 o’clock departure. By the time they purchased the tickets, and grabbed a mini-breakfast at the café’, it was time to line up to board.
Baylink Ferries has four vessels - “Vallejo”; “Mare Island”, “Intintoli”, and “Solano”. (Our boat was the “Solano”). “Vallejo” was the first boat in the fleet, purchased about 20 years ago. It is much smaller and slower than the other three. It was a case of the old Army game, “Hurry up and wait”. Instead of leaving on -time, the Captain delayed departure for five minutes - to allow “always- late runners” to board. Their time was more important than ours. I was grousing, and Joan commented “Dad, what if that were you running?’ Good point! But, I could never picture that happening. (I missed a plane connection once on a business trip. I promised myself that it would never happen again!) The Captain reversed the engines at 10:05 and we started to back out of the slip.
We headed South down the Mare Island Channel. We poked along, at 5mph for ten minutes, to prevent bank erosion from the wake at a faster speed. The threat of shoreline damage wouldn’t be so critical if there weren’t homes and industrial development at the waters edge. We passed the former Sperry Flour Mill. A developer had planned on converting the building to apartment units, but I think that his project has stalled, due to the slow -down in the economy.
As we reach the mouth of the channel, the Captain “pours on the coal”. Soon, the catamaran vessel’s hulls are on the step, and we are barreling along at about 34 knots (40 mph). The water is calm, and provides a smooth ride. It was cool and overcast when we left, but the weather is improving as we move southbound. We pass Angel Island, and I can see Mt. Tamalpaius in the background. We pass under the Richmond -San Rafael Bridge, and soon I can see the outline of the Golden Gate Bridge off to the right.
We pulled in to the Ferry Building dock at 11:03. While waiting, during our 10 minute stop, I checked out the skyline in front of me. I saw the U.S. Bank building. I worked on the 19th floor there for 14 years, before retiring from California and Hawaiian Sugar Company (C & H Sugar Co.) To the right was the four Embarcadero buildings. Across from the Ferry Building - and next to the Bank building was the Hyatt Regency Hotel - with the revolving restaurant on top. A little beyond was the unique design of the Transamerica Building (the Pyramid). I last saw it on my thrilling helicopter ride six weeks ago. I saw a lot of these buildings being constructed, from my office window. Very distracting!
We backed out of the dock at 11:13 and headed northwest along the picturesque waterfront. The piers were empty - no cruise ships or military vessels docked. A 17 minute ride and we pulled in to Pier 41 at 11:30.
Joan had made reservations at Scoma’s for 12:15. So we slowly started our four block walk to the restaurant, The scenery on the streets in the area are not only very interesting, but some are real attention grabbers! For example: We walked by a guy sitting with a beer stein in front of him. His hand printed sign said “I won’t lie, I need a beer”. Not too far beyond him was another guy - smiling and younger. He was standing holding his sign for all to see - “I’m bored. My nuts itch. I need a shower. Please help.” His “collection container” was at his feet.
We passed Boudin Bakery. This is a landmark at Fisherman’s Wharf. It has been here for as long as I can remember (65 years!). The bakery is known for it’s Sour Dough French Bread. The bakery was opened in 1849 by Isidore Boudin, whose family came from France, as did mine - on my Dad’s side. Mary and I were wondering if Boudin still had to use the original sour dough -starter. Mary checked it out at Wikipedia and found our answer: The bakery still uses the same yeast-bacteria culture it developed during the California Gold Rush of 1849. If you haven’t tasted their delicious French Bread, it should be on your “to-do” list. Your experience will be well worth the trip to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.
My sister Jeanne, and husband Bob, would visit us quite often in Vallejo. When I asked them what they would like to do, it was always “Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square.” At Fisherman’s Wharf, we would head for the Baudin Bakery. There, Bob would get his clam chowder “fix”. I think the novel hollowed-out loaf of French bread, filled with soup, was what he liked. Afterwards, we would head over to Ghirardelli Square for Jeanne to have her hot fudge sundae, at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. Of course Marie and I enjoyed their “favorites” along with them.
In 1893, Domingo Ghirardelli bought the city block to make it into a headquarters for his chocolate company. In the early 60’s, Golden Grain Macaroni bought the complex, and moved the candy company’s headquarters to another location, and sold the property. The property was developed into a center of retail shops and restaurants. It opened as Ghirardelli Square in 1964. There have been many changes since, and Jeanne and Bob (nor we) would recognize the area. It is listed on the National Register of Historical Places.
Back to Wednesday. We continued walking past the large vats boiling crab on the corner, and past many fishing boats docked below the sidewalk. Scoma’s has it’s own street, and sits way in the back adjacent to the water on Pier 47. If you didn’t know that it was there, you would miss it. I had been there a couple of times before. They were very nice experiences. This is why I wanted to return. At the end of our very nice lunch, our personable waiter brought us dessert. In my piece of the chocolate tart was a lone lighted candle. He led the singing of “Happy Birthday” to me. I experienced a very warm feeling. I had no trouble blowing out the candle.
Later, I was reading Scoma’s brochure. It described their Fish Receiving Station. I wish that we had known about it. The write-up sounded interesting. I would have liked to have seen the Station. Maybe next time!
A slow stroll back to Pier 41. The biggest attractions were a fellow (Stephen Dreyfuss) playing his alto saxophone and singing. He was quite good. So good, that Mary and Joan bought his CD’s. Just beyond him, was the “Skeleton Man.” He looked grotesque in his spooky outfit. Many would tip him, and then pose with him in many different configurations - while friends and/or family snapped their pictures with camera phones.
We had a little time before our ferry arrived. Some of us sat watching people feed the gulls and pigeons. Others walked over to Pier 39 to see the lounging seals, lying on their floating platform. There were more of them than usual, and their over-crowding is presenting a “thinning” problem.
Our “Intintoli” ferry came in around three o’clock, and we loaded and left the Pier at 3:12. A ten minute run down to the Ferry Building where we picked up some early commuters. We backed away from the dock at 3:32. The Captain spun the boat around on a dime, with the boats side thrusters, and we headed North to Vallejo.
We got a good view of the new East Span that they are constructing next to the Bay Bridge. Then, a good view of Treasure Island. It was man-made - especially for the Golden Gate Expositions of 1939 and 1940. I took a trip out from Ypsilanti, to see the Fair in the summer of 1940, and I was really impressed. I spent a week in San Francisco, spending all of my time at the Fair. I stayed at the YMCA Hotel on Turk Street, and as I remember, I paid 50 cents a day! I walked back and forth to the Ferry building to catch the ferry. It ran from the Ferry Building the short distance, (probably a couple miles), over to Treasure Island. The price of the ferry included the admission to the Fair, I can’t remember the amount - probably 50 cents.
There was another small group on our return trip on the ferry. They were celebrating an older lady’s 90th birthday. So, I wished her a “Happy Birthday”. We both flashed our nonagenarian smiles (“Been there, done that”.) As the ferry was about to enter the Mare Island Channel, I could see the C & H Sugar Refinery below the Carquinez Bridges, at Crockett. I spent seven years there, working in the Methods and Standards Department.
As we started to slow down I spotted the Maritime Academy’s training ship - the Golden Bear - off to the right.
We tied up at the Vallejo dock at 4:30 - right on time! What a glorious day! What a day to celebrate my 91st birthday! RCL - 11/13/06.