Urban Ambulation for the Day

I had some airline credit on Southwest Airlines so I decided to buy myself a one-day round-trip ticket to San Francisco. I went walking and I used my Clipper Card to ride the MUNI bus and light rail vehicles as well as Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).
I did do quite a bit of walking. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the United States and I love getting lost there. I seldom feel the need to look at a map unless I am in completely uncharted territory. That notwithstanding, I can generally feel my way around.
I donated plasma and red cells at Vitalent (Irwin Memorial Blood Bank) not far from the Haight. I went to the Castro and did some early xMas shopping at Cliff's Variety Cliffs' Hardware Store. While there (on Castro Street) I grabbed a slice of pizza Home | Marcello's Pizza at Marcello's. They had a ready-made Hawaiian ½-pie that was accompanied by a can of squirt (grapefruit soda). Grapefruit a forbidden food in my diet for reasons I will not disclose.
From there I walked to Chinatown with the goal of getting to the Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant on Washington Street. The Lucky Creation Vegetarian Restaurant
I used to live there and before deciding to make it my new-found home, I spent a few summers there in an SRO (single-room occupancy) hotel in the Tenderloin. The neighborhood was (and still is) a bit rough around the edges, but it was a very inexpensive place to rest my head. Hardest part of life there was keeping control of the roach population. Hoy Hoy trap-a-roach was a popular method back then. Or baking soda. I had a rather effective Electrolux that I would use to suck them up. Of course, i would have to make sure the bottom of the hose was secured with rags so they couldn't crawl out. Ah, death by vacuum bag dust inhalation.
I don't speak much of that era. I lived in the Winton Hotel for a year and met quite a number of characters. None of them owned a phone (pre-cell phone era) and they used a pay phone in the lobby if need arose. I lost touch with most everyone I had contact with there. I think no one was looking to make friendships in that place.
I had a few other places of residence along the way; a studio on the 5th floor at the Frontenac (with walls as thin as toilet paper). A single room further up Hyde Street (1531) on the cable car line (between Jackson and Pacific). It was a grand neighborhood (Nob Hill) and easy walking to Chinatown or a little more adventurous walk towards Pacific Heights. Russian Hill and Fisherman's Wharf were also easily within reach.
Rents are out of sight these days. I dream of winning the lottery and buying something there. I also dream of dual citizenship in another undisclosed country after I change my name and become Mr Anonymous.
I love being on my own while doing urban adventures. I blame no one for my choices and I explain to no one why I have done what I do.