Which Nobel Laureates Could We Be?

We arrive at our destination. 

Oh, I want to say right here, right now that I'm having trouble with My Tenses. Which is probably what you'd expect from An Anxious Person. 

As a travel writer, does one write in the Past or the Present Tense, I wonder? If I was a Zen Buddhist or maybe Eckhardt Tolle or Oprah, I'd say there's no such thing as the past. There's Only Now.

So I won't worry about it. I'll just stick to Present Tense. Until I get stuck in the past.

Anyway, back to Our Destination. We've arrived. And I bet you can't guess what it is or where it is? Goody Goody.

So, I'll just have to walk you through it. 

 We crawl like Snails along the 101. Which was just as well because I was reading a v. small & unsatisfactory map. We could see tantalizing bits of San Francisco in the distance - something we imagined to be the Golden Gate Bridge but it was far off & surrounded by more fog, which is one of the Themes of this Roadtrip. We also saw that Pointed Building that you see in photos of San Francisco.

But I Go on too Much.

Let me Cut to the Chase. Look at the photo below. Does that give any clues to our destination?

Perhaps Not.

 So, let me tell you.

We are in Berkeley. At the University. Actually staying inside the University of California at The Berkeley Club. I am instantly transported back to The Sixties. Student activism. Student Protests. Dustin Hoffman & Katherine Ross in 'The Graduate' which was a Major Film of my Adolescence. I sooo totally wanted to look like Katherine Ross which was out of the question. Her character, Elaine went to Berkeley where Dustin Hoffman followed her & stalked her. I was desperate to be stalked by Dustin Hoffman back then. Now I think that he's a Scenery Chewer. 

That's one of the things that I love about America. Everything reminds me of a Song or a Movie.

We are thrilled with ourselves & perhaps a little smug. We have a Suite which we imagine has been occupied by many many Nobel Laureates over the years since the Berkeley Club was built in 1902. Apparently, once you get the Nobel Prize, you get a Permanent Parking Spot inside the University designated in Red Paint. What a marvellous incentive to achieve at The Highest Level!

The suite was generously restored by the couple in the photo above the fireplace, below. Thank you, O Beneficent Philanthropists!  The only thing that jarred for us  was the rather awful painting that you can see in the last photo,  just above where Marge is lolling. 

But look at me wearing my newly-thrifted  from 'Goodwill'  'Isaac Mizrahi for Target' sweater. Once again, my boobs have drifted down to my waist. Must stop wearing stupid sports bras. 

I'm with Kat, Marge's step-daughter who is my Second Favourite Girl in the World next to my own daughter, Billie-Mae.

That's why we're here. We're visiting Kat. Whether she likes it or Not.

Oh, I must mention where I got the first two pictures from, in case you're wondering. Marge found a 'Blue & Gold Berkeley 1905 Yearbook' amongst the shelves in The Suite. I was sooo tempted to quietly put it in my bag.  But since I'm now a Non-Practising Buddhist, I resisted temptation.