San Francisco Pride! Part one...

Julie in a tree in the evening sun, and very content

The view from the tree (Photo by Julie)

Crowded portrait

This was my vibrant introduction to San Francisco on my first full day in the city: The Dyke March began in Dolores Park. There were about 50,000 women there, and everyone walked together. (We were all participants, not spectators.) The March ended in the Castro with a street party unlike anything I could have imagined.

I met up with Julie for this event. I was happy (and relieved) to connect with an old friend in this new place. I'm never far from my Naramata extended family, and I'm so grateful for that.

I took some photos in the crowd, not certain how they'd turn out. When I saw these images on the computer, it was a surprise to see what I'd captured. I like this particular crowded portrait, with a big ear framing one face in focus. It conveys something about what it was like to be in the midst of so many people, walking down streets that were completely new to me.