Crossing a little valley...

California could easily be an independent country. Miles of fertile soil are covered with crops and cattle, oil drillings pretty much everywhere, wind turbines... its economy it's pretty independent already. From Los Angeles to San Francisco I saw so many trailers full of different products, from tomatoes to appliances, free trade in action. Just so productively beautiful. But besides that, the whole state is beautiful, not as much as Guatemala, of course, but the landscapes of San Joaquin valley are just... amazing. Of course the beauty does not end in the hills, valleys and sky of this state, or the economical organization, or in its neat freeways with more that 6 lanes. You can find unparalleled beauty in the smile of a young cashier at an In-n-out restaurant in what I considered the middle of nowhere, in the perfect light blue eyes of the girl who was swiping the floor at the same restaurant or in the delicately curved bodies of some girls about my age (hopefully) at the most organized and crowded post office I have ever seen.

Her name was Tricia. I know it because I read her tag. Dark but beautiful eyes, the must sincere smile and a remarkably soft-looking skin, I guess she is just beautiful by nature, or all those creams they sale really work. Anyway, I think I have made my point here. Beauty can be find anywhere in this huge state.

Lately people in this country seem to be more and more concerned about what they are eating. They want to know the origin of what they are eating and what is in it. Everyone is worried about gaining weight and concerned about their health.

There's a journalist who's a professor at Berkeley and now is well known by every person in this country. His name is Michael Pollan. His book Omnivores' Dilemma has got everyone thinking about "major problems" related to the origins of the food we eat. It is interesting to hear this man talking, hi's got some pretty good points, but from my very own perspective, when it comes to food I eat because I like to and because, as a human being, I need to and I eat almost anything. So, the day before the trip to San Francisco Carmen's mother and me saw Oprah. Wait, I would never watch Oprah but there was an interview with Pollan. It inspired us to listen to his book while in our way to San Francisco. McDonald's, Wendy's, then the Concentrated Animal Feed Operations (Google it!) and the miles covered by mono-cultives served to illustrate all what he was saying. Then, the hamburger and the magical cashier moment In-n-Out where the perfect end to a trip full of coincidences. It was an Omnivore's Dilemma day trip no doubt.

Like in the south, in the bay area the cities are right next to each other, creating a huge urban area, this one is different though. They have refineries right next to the wetlands and there is no visible ecological damaged. Their parks look a lot like Florencia in the middle of... say la zona 12, or a prettier version of it and their bridges make El Incienso look like a lego- made bridge.

The fog had taken over the city's skyline. The buildings and the top of the bridges where completely covered by gray clouds. No matter what an average tourist would say, in my opinion the best and most romantic pictures of this city are those with fog over it. It just gives it a mysterious kind of look.

By the end of the day six I fell asleep over my ipod in Richmond City.