Chapter 10
Formerly 29 & 30
San Francisco Weekend
As they rode in the cab after leaving the airport, Dutch explained to Rosa who had never been to the city before, that no matter how convenient it may seem they wouldn't even consider driving.
"It's not that driving is difficult," he said, "it's just that parking is nonexistent, well not really, but its premium prices everywhere for the privilege of parking in the city."
Rosa's eyes widened at that, for she was accustomed to driving everywhere around the L. A. area.
"Uh uh, not here," He said. "Here we use public transportation. It's available to almost everywhere and I think you'll find hopping on and off the trolleys a lot of fun. And with With its crowded streets, bustling markets, mysterious alleys, hidden temples and busy restaurants," he paused to take a breath, and the cab driver glanced over his shoulder and smiled in deference to Dutch's knowledge of his city.
"You know this town pretty well huh, buddy?" The Cabby said with a grin.
"Yeah, I guess I do," Dutch replied. I lived here for several years. And until very recently they were the best years of my life."
The cabby nodded happily and swerved around a slower moving van.
For that comment, Rosa gave Dutch a big hug and laid a kiss on his cheek, leaving an imprint of her lips. She immediately began rubbing it with a tissue from her purse to remove the lipstick stain. Dutch didn't mind at all. He was delighted to be back in a city that he truly loved.
"Los Angles is fine as far as it goes," he said to Rosa, "but this town . . . this town has character. I mean, take Chinatown and Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. You gotta see the bridge shrouded in fog; it might be the most romantic setting in the world."
She hugged his arm at the use of the word romantic, and promptly forgot the reason for their escape to this city, avoiding the police in their investigation of the Clarice's murder.
Dutch continued his talking tour. "And the Japanese Tea Garden, absolutely beautiful, one of the finest in the world . . . you'd have to go to Japan to see anything better."
"Are we going to see that today?" she asked.
"Why not?" he responded and then continued on. "First though, we'll explore Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. You can get some shopping in as we hop around town." He smiled at her and she beamed back at him.
He picked up where he'd left off, "We're not meeting Marilyn until tomorrow afternoon. We'll have dinner with her someplace nice and the next afternoon we'll fly back home.
"All this sounds great," she said, thinking this was like a mini-honeymoon more than a brief escape from the potential notoriety of being among the last to see poor Clarice.
"And I'm saving Chinatown for tonight," Dutch said, "Its San Francisco's most colorful neighborhood. It's also among the most famous, and it teems with visitors. Beyond all the tacky tourist traps, I'll show you an authentic area well worth exploring."
"Oh, Dutch, I love you so much," Rosa said and they kissed and were still kissing when the cab pulled up at the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf, Hotel.
Rosa noted that the Powell and Mason Cable Car Line were across the street and that everyone was streaming toward what must be the wharf itself.
They registered and had their luggage brought up to their room on the 12th floor. Rosa was stunned by the view of the harbor and the spectacular waterfront in front of her.
"The view . . . it's actually breathtaking, honey."
"I was hoping you'd be impressed," he said as he donned a pair of Nike sneakers. "Better put something comfortable on, we'll be doing a lot of walking today."
"Okay," she said and opened her suitcase and drew out a pair of Addias walking shoes and began putting them on.
"And a sweater, I know it's warm out right now, but the temperature changes fast and often in this town. It's better to be prepared." Thus warned, Rosa tied the arms of a cardigan around her slim waist and felt she was ready to take on San Francisco.
"I have to say that I'm getting hungry, could we eat first?"
"Sure, that's what I had in mind for us anyway. How about something fishy?"
"Hey," she smiled, "when in Rome . . ."
They lunched at Cioppino's on the Wharf; taking a table outside and enjoying the cool breeze and the seagulls flying overhead. They both settled on the restaurant's most famous dish and had what Dutch called, "the best damn cioppino in the city if not the world."
As they dined, he told Rosa, "There's no shortage of places to eat on Fisherman's Wharf, or all around the city for that matter. I have serious doubts about getting a bad meal in San Francisco. But of course I do have my favorites. Aliotto's is my all time favorite. They serve great seafood, have a beautiful view of the bay, and across the street is another favorite; the Boudin Bakery; which serves up steaming clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls.
But we can't eat all day and night, we'll explode," he was looking at her and Rosa felt herself blush like a young girl.
"What?" She said with a shy smile.
'You're beautiful," he said, "truly beautiful."