22 December 2007

Some images of San Francisco

Right now, my feet are hurting, thanks to the newish boots I was wearing today (along with tights and socks, which made for a very tight fit). But it still felt good to wear the Sarah look on the streets of San Francisco - Sarah likes to wear long shirts/sweaters/other tops, with tights and boots (I added a short boxy cardigan and a long suit jacket for today). Think Mary-Kate Olsen's look without the sloppiness.

Here are some photos I took today, as I toured the Civic Center area of San Francisco.

I first went to the Asian Art Museum, where given the museum's emphasis on Buddhist sculpture, I decided to concentrate on statues of Kwan Yin - possibly the best known transgender deity. This is a very old male Tibetan example, dating from the first millennium. Of course, the caption used only the original Indian name, Avalokiteshvara, as well as Tibetan script I couldn't read.

These are Chinese examples, probably Ming, and definitely female.

I then passed through the Korean galleries, and while there were Buddhist sculptures, none of them were Kwan Yin. I would've loved to see a Korean Kwan Yin, as I plan on Sarah to learn about Kwan Yin during her first Seoul assignment (thanks to fellow flight attendant Julie, based in Seoul).

Right before the Japanese galleries, there was another thematic gallery with more Chinese sculptures, including this jade Kwan Yin.

A male Kannon (Japanese Kwan Yin) from the 1100-1200s.

Asian Art Museum is across the street from City Hall. While the gay weddings of 2004 will not be relevant to the story, I will bring Sarah here, for a free Melissa Etheridge concert that took place in August 1999. It will be a very affirming experience for a baby dyke, which Sarah was at that time.

Tomorrow will be Sarah's Unitarian Church in Berkeley. I am also returning there for its Christmas Eve service, to close my itinerary out.

No comments: