After almost two years, it's time for me to say goodbye to my current city of residence, Fremont, California. A job transfer takes me to Minneapolis later this month. So let's take a moment to consider the gloriously clear and beautiful evening we had here last night, and to consider that if Fremont were in Minnesota, it would probably be a major ski resort. As a native Northern Californian, it will be quite a big change.
The hills (those would be "mountains" to midwesterners) have turned from green to gold--finally, after a rather wet and cold spring.
The lone remaining farm in my neighborhood is starting its yearly corn harvest.
More on the flipside...
Central Park, which contains lovely Lake Elizabeth, is a major asset to Fremont. I've been living right near it, and enjoying occasional walks around its 2 miles of shoreline.
Lots of people in the Bay Area make fun of Fremont, say it has no character, etc. But of the 7 different places I've lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the last few years, it's by far the place I've enjoyed the most. Walking distance to the lake, walking distance to BART (the subway system that takes you straight to downtown San Francisco), and the nearby hills for exploration has made it ideal for me. San Jose just needed more help. Sunnyvale was elitist, overpriced, and anti-renter. Redwood City was way too dicey (my neighbor got hauled off by the feds for drugs and weapons charges!), Campbell was too hot and run down in many spots. Fremont has the perfect climate, integration with mass transit, and more nice parks and views than you would suspect. So adios to the city of Fremont, popoulation approximately 250,000, snuggled against the East Bay Hills. And adios to the invading Canada Geese on Lake Elizabeth.
Adios too to a city where no race or ethnic group has a majority, and where everyone just gets along. To a place where the local Trader Joe's market hands out balloons to little Muslim boys in traditional arab dress while Hindu, Christian, Jewish and otherwise affiliated and non-affiliated residents shop for treats from all over the world. It's a city that looks very plain on its face, but hosts the nation's largest Afghan community, and one of the largest Indian communities. Fremont has movie theaters for both. If this is what Rush Limbaugh is afraid America will turn into, I hope his fears come true. In Fremont, the future has already happened, and it seems to have turned out just fine.
Stay tuned for my backlog of California pics, and an introduction to my new home of Minnesota.
I've spent a lot of time in MN the last couple of years and like it quite a lot. I'm moving to a town north of Minneapolis which is closer to my job, but I plan to get down to the beautiful parks and other attractions in the city quite often.
Of course Harry is coming with me! And we will have a photographic record of his entire 2,000 mile trip, I can assure you, suitcase and all. He may at times be wearing a curious harness-like contraption in the pictures, but I can assure you it is completely voluntary. Look for Harry's trip pics the first couple of weeks of July. Stop #1: Lake Tahoe. (I'm finalizing house arrangements now in MN, and then will return later this week to Fremont to drive the car and cat across country)
Minneapolis is special too - I predict you'll come to love that city as well. Find a place in South Minneapolis so you can hike/bike around all of the lakes. MN is the Land of 10,000 lakes (actually more than 16,000 but ...) and Minneapolis is the City of Lakes. No, no mountains but beautiful river rock scapes in Southeastern Minnesota and the wondrous 'big lake' (Superior) as we taught our kids up in da nort (Duluth is nice but Grand Marais is, well, grand) and you'll have to spend some time in the BWCA (boundary water canoe area wilderness) too. I grew up there and dragged my husband, a California boy (Lompoc), back there where we raised our three kids 'til a job relocation had us moving to Boise, ID. I look forward to seeing your photos of all of the places I said goodbye to (and dearly miss) nearly six years ago.
Toonces the Cat insists that I ask if Harry the Cat will be accompanying you to your new home.
Minneapolis! Brrrrrrrr!
I am sure they will have mass transit there, yes? I will be very interested to know if they have Canada Geese, eh? Anyway, bon voyage. I will be looking forward to more photographs and stories from whence I have not been.
I'm sorry you have to leave Fremont. It is a special place.
But...think of all the new adventures in your new environment. All the new things to learn, explore and photograph!