California 2007 (5)

Friday Dennis drove us to Sacramento, an hour away, to see the old town, dating form Gold Rush days and designated a national Park. I wanted to see the Railway museum which told the story of the railway coming to California. There was a film and then a retired black man, a volunteer guide, told us about the exhibits. he was an incredible fount of history but I noted that neither the film nor he talked about the security problems building the railroad. The locals were not friendly to the bringers of the Iron Horse ... but we mustn't talk about that, this id the land of political correctness. But the exhibits were fine, so shiny they did not look old, unlike some of the toy trains on display which looked their age.

From the museum we met up with Joanna, the Roe's youngest daughter who is studying sociology locally. We lunched together on a balcony overlooking the river. I enjoyed jambalaya, a new Southern experience with good prawns, and a decent beer too, once it warmed up to a drinkable temperature, which did not take long as it was in the 70s all day.

After lunch we visited the state Capitol but Arnie was not at home. He'll be back. Then I wanted to see the oldest building in the place, Sutter's Fort, the destination of safety and sustenance for the waggon trains.

Before dinner at the Roe's we had our one and only bad experience of the country so far. Can you believe that you can go to a store in a huge mall, tell the assistant what you saw on their web site with exact identification, only to be told it means nothing to them, they do not relate their stock to their web site. So my message to one and all is do not shop at Abercombie and Finch. The ambiance is revoltingly sexual, the noise (music?) too loud, and like IKEA, they are run solely to sell what is in stock and not to serve the customer with what they want.
Here endeth the rant. BOYCOTT THEM.

In the same mall I was offered a job. Santa was already in his grotto and after I walked past a lady came out to ask if I would like a job. I told her I was experienced in the post but was waiting until the week before Christmas before I start in my pharmacty as Santa. I also told her I coud not do it professionally as in England you would have to have a CRB check to prove you are not a paedophile. As i believe the common law had always presumed innocence I refuse to prove I am not a criminal pervert. As it is i am not interested in having demandng children on my knee. Kissing their mums though, that is a different story :-)