Hello Contra Costa

The view of Mt Diablo from the window of the plane as we come in to land at SFO is always a cheering sight. The Swiss air flight was as efficient and comfortable as one would imagine the Swiss would provide and the journey to our home at the base of Mt Diablo accomplished courtesy of a crazed Indian with little trouble and maximum speed ( mind you we now all speak Hindi). As an Englishman I always feel guilty by the joy California elicits in me but what can I do?...sun,food,wine and good company is an unbeatable recipe for happiness....it's good to be back.

Christmas cheer, Christmas beer

Anchor Steam Christmas ale is a great winter warmer and for me is a perfect Christmas drink that goes well with traditional seasonal fare...but not this year...I'm stuck here in England! if anybody who reads this gets a chance to buy some..do so and have a drink on me...cheers!

Lets go to San Francisco.

I am taking visiting family into San Francisco in the morning to see the various sites and to do some holiday shopping. San Francisco is a beautiful city with amazing architectural in a stunning setting with the Pacific on one side and the wide bay on the other. I am sure that after visiting Union square,china town etc my guests will no doubt share my enthusiasm for the city (cooler weather too). I also would imagine that the site of countless bums,drunks,junkies and lunatics will leave lasting memories...not the ones the authorities would wish. I am constantly amazed at the amount of human detritus that has accumulated in the city centre....did the people of the city loose their minds?...just why would anybody tolerate such chaos on their streets? Liberalism when unrestrained by a more reasoned philosophy always seems to end up at such an impasse.Countless supposedly well meaning resolutions with no thought to cost or consequences is a hallmark of the typical liberal administration...the result being a city plagued by crime and a lowered quality of life for all....I just hope we don't step in something nasty.