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Too Hot to Pan-Handle

Despite being known for it's fog (which by the way was given the name Karl by locals and happens to have its own Twitter account) it's actually not uncommon to have a sunny day with blue skies in San Francisco. But a sunny day that is also warm (i.e. over 25 degrees C) is rare and when it happens it is loved by all, especially us Aussies who are used to blistering hot summers. 

The only thing about a hot day in San Francisco is that the city is kinda unprepared for it. I don't know a single person in the city who owns an air-conditioner and it's almost impossible to see (public or private). I think there is one pool at the UCSF campus in the Sunset and I suspect there may be a few mansions with pools along Billionaire's row. 

I guess this type of ill-preparedness for the warmth is not too dissimilar with how Australian's prepare for winter. Most houses in Australia (unless new builds) are just not prepared for the cold. Houses generally have pretty crappy insulation, there's definitely no such thing as central heating, and most of the winter people seem determined to wear thongs (aka flip-flops) everywhere they go.

So if you live San Francisco and there is a heat-wave, what are your options? Well you can: 
  1. Head to one of the beautiful parks. My faves include Dolores Park, Lafayette or Golden Gate; or
  2. Go watch a movie or traipse around the Westfield's downtown (which during COVID19 is not an option at all currently); OR
  3. You can hit one of the beaches! China or Bakers Beach for views of the bridge, Ocean Beach pictured below which stretches for 3.5 miles, or La Playa a bit further south. 

SF Chronicle reports on a jam-packed Ocean Beach on Memorial Day May 25, 2020.

Growing up in Sydney, there was nothing better than going to one of the of beautiful beaches on a hot summer's day. Hitting the beach was as normal as eating a meat-pie or sausage roll. But going to the beach in San Francisco or anywhere in Northern California is a pretty different experience! A few things you'll notice is that the sand, water and sky look completely different. The sand is less golden and more brown, the water has a grey-ish tinge and the sky is always a bit hazy as you look toward the horizon.

But what's really notable however is that the water is insanely cold. And I'm not talking about a refreshing cold like in Australia where you might not be able feel your nipples in the beginning but you eventually get used to it.... but a cold that makes you feel like you're being stabbed by a thousand knives. Apparently it's all thanks to an ocean current that ends up making the waters of Northern California colder than Alaska!! 

Anyway if it is a hot summers day then as ill-prepared the city is there are options to enjoy it. The warm weather is supposed to be more common around September & October due to what's called an 'Indian summer' (still some debate about the origins of this term and whether it's politically incorrect) but right now it's May and we've already seen some pretty warm days this year. It's blissful when it happens and actually the best part is: even if you can't find respite during the day, you'll most likely get it during the night when you want it the most. It usually cools right back down and this means you can actually get some sleep!



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