It’s really true. After a while, you walk past the guys in leather chaps…and little else. You practically don’t even see the fancy pet outfits. Perfectly coiffed, exquisitely outfitted elderly twins fade into the background around Union Square. You don’t even question the obvious fact that Speaker Pelosi, Senator Feinstein and Mayor Newsom are entirely too conservative. Basically, it takes something breathtaking and unexpected to grab your attention and make you say, “Holy cow!” And this brings me to my point.

I tell people about this all the time, but they never believe me: There are real live buffalo in San Francisco! Okay, technically, they are the same American Bison, commonly called American Buffalo, that have long been sacred creatures to Native Americans. Growing up in the Midwest, I don’t recall ever seeing one anywhere. Sadly, they no longer freely roam the Great Plains as they did for thousands of years. Whenever I am on the west end of Golden Gate Park, I always take a moment to stop and see these majestic animals. I rarely get a photo clear enough to post, but this time I got lucky.

According to Wikipedia, Bison have been kept in Golden Gate Park since 1891, when a small herd was purchased by the park commission. At the time, the animal’s population in North America had dwindled to an all-time low and San Francisco made a successful effort to breed them in captivity. In 1899, the paddock in the western section of the park was created. The animals today are cared for by staff from the San Francisco Zoo.

Living in San Francisco, warm weather is in short supply. We have spectacular beaches that are usually too cold for fun-in-the-sun. Even when the air is warm, the water remains very cold.

When I go home to San Diego, it is mostly to visit family and catch up with friends. So this time I decided to just take a day out for me. I always enjoyed going to Torrey Pines State Beach when I lived in San Diego. The steep cliffs create a sense of distance and seclusion from civilization. Once again, I was not disappointed. The weather was spectacular. It was not too crowded, and the ocean water was a refreshing 74 degrees, making for good swimming.