Lois followed Clark, once again in his jeans and T-shirt, around The Emigrant Trail Museum at Donner Memorial State Park. She had been impressed at the 22 foot high monument outside. It was the height of the snow drifts that terrible winter. The valley itself was very pretty with another perfect little lake.
Clark was thoroughly absorbed in the displays showing the whole emigrant story. "Emigrant" was the correct word, she mused, because they were leaving their home country, the US, for foreign lands: Mexican California and British Oregon Territory. The US government had a role in this too.
Lois learned from the displays that in 1818, the United States and the United Kingdom (controlling British Canada ) had established a joint claim over the Oregon Territory; the region west of the Rocky Mountains and between 42° North and 54°40' North (the southern boundary of Russia's Alaska territory). Joint control worked for over a decade and a half but ultimately, the parties decided that joint occupancy wasn't working well so they set about to divide Oregon.
The 1844 Democratic presidential candidate James K. Polk ran on a platform of taking control over the entire Oregon Territory and used the famous campaign slogan, "Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" (after the line of latitude serving as the northern boundary of Oregon at 54°40'). Polk's plan was to claim and go to war over the entire territory for the United States. But the public was more interested in getting good farmland than in fighting another war with the British.
The Oregon Treaty of 1846 established the boundary at 49 degrees North latitude. The exception to the 49th parallel boundary is that it turns south in the channel separating Vancouver Island with the mainland and then turns south again through the Juan de Fuca Strait. This maritime portion of the boundary wasn't officially demarcated until 1872.
During the 1840's American policy was to encourage emigration to California and the Oregon Territory. So the government offered financial incentives for those willing to undertake the trek west. The West was the final frontier of the 1850's and 60's.
Suddenly Lois became aware that Clark was getting a little too absorbed in the story. He had such empathy, he was worrying about people dead a century before he came to this planet. She needed to get him out of there. She came up behind his almost hunched shoulders and put a hand on his back. "Clark? Clark, I think I'm ready to move on, how about you?"
Clark turned to her, a look of tight intensity on his face, but his expression cleared immediately and he smiled one of his wonderful dazzling smiles. "Sounds good. What kind of food are you up for for lunch?"
"Lunch? I'm still full from breakfast! But I guess it is getting that time." She knew he didn't need to eat, but he certainly loved to, especially if it wasn't her cooking.
They walked out of the museum with hands swinging together in rhythm. "How about Mexican food? There's this nice little cantina down on the American River in Sacramento where they have this really good hot salsa."
"If it's so hot you like it, am I likely to survive it?" she grinned up at him.
"Hey, they have regular stuff too. Besides, you like Thai and that is hot. Just a different hot."
They had reached a stand of trees in the campground and Clark was looking around to make sure the coast was clear.
"So which way are we going?" Lois asked with a twinkle in her eye. Clark looked confused. "Undercover," she gestured at his current outfit, "or full colors with all flags flying?"
"For you, my lovely wife, all flags flying."
*********************
Superman landed with his wife on a small rock outcropping on an island in San Francisco Bay. He quickly spun into Clark clothes and tugged Lois up the hill with him.
"Where are we, Clark?"
"Alcatraz."
Lois rounded on him, startled beyond measure. "Alcatraz? Are you kidding me? This is romantic?" She was incredulous.
"Hang on a moment and all will be clear. Crystal clear." He tugged her out from behind the ruins of the Post Exchange and Officers club and pointed. "Look at the view."
Lois inhaled sharply. Laid out before her was San Francisco, illuminated in all its glory by the westering sun. Right in front of them was Fisherman's Wharf with a large white cruise ship docked in port. The ship dwarfed the terminals along the Embarcadero.
"Come on. We'll miss the ferryboat." Clark tugged her forward and started walking rapidly through the sally port and past the 1844 howitzer canon left over from when Alcatraz was an army camp before it became a prison. Tied up at the floating dock was a Blue and Red ferryboat about to depart for Fisherman's Wharf.
Lois gave up questioning and simply followed Clark. They were just hopping on this ferryboat? But didn't such ferryboats charge to take tourists to and from the island? Lois knew Alcatraz had closed a long time ago as a prison and was now a state park, letting tourists roam past the cells of Al Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly and "The Birdman of Alcatraz". Lois shivered at the memory of a resurrected Al Capone and what that whole incident had meant to her.
Clark guided her onto the ferryboat and they quickly made their way up the stairways to the top level and to the front. "Just look, Lois. Isn't it magnificent!"
The view was breathtaking. The boat was quickly being buttoned up by the crew for the return trip. It pulled out and shortly Lois could see from the Oakland Bay Bridge to the Golden Gate Bridge. By luck, the sky was clear and the sun was reflecting off the tall buildings downtown. She identified the Transamerica Tower by its unique shape. But she was stunned by something else. She had never known Clark to simply take - in this case a ferryboat ride - something he hadn't paid for. He was meticulous in that matter.
Clark looked over at Lois and saw something was bothering her. "What's wrong, honey?"
"Don't they charge for riding these boats?"
"Yes, they do. But since this is the only way off the Island of Alcatraz, they only take tickets coming out. You hop on any available ferryboat to leave. They're here every half hour."
Lois turned large eyes on him. "But we didn't buy tickets."
Clark saw her problem immediately. This from a woman who merrily did breaking and entering at a moment's notice for her job? His mouth quirked into a smile and he leaned closer. "Relax, Lois and enjoy." He mouthed the word "Superman" and then said aloud "has a lifetime pass. He helped a sinking ferry from the same company sometime back and it was a gift from the owner. I just didn't want to use it publicly. Besides, like I said, they don't check on the return trip."
"Oh," Lois breathed a relieved sigh and turned to enjoy the view and the ride. Clark hugged her to him because the wind was biting as they moved into high speed.
Clark pointed back to the lighthouse on top of the island. "That lighthouse was built in 1854 and is the first lighthouse on the west coast. It's been updated of course, but it is still key to the safety of the ships coming in and out of San Francisco Bay. It and the foghorn," he chuckled. "When we get to our room tonight, you'll be able to see what I mean."
"Our room? We're not going home tonight?"
"Nope. This is an overnighter. Like Las Vegas."
"Ohhh." Lois smiled appreciatively. It was a wonderful, clear afternoon and Lois relaxed and enjoyed the sights and smells of the water as they headed to Pier 43. As they followed the large crowd off the boat, Lois began to hear this loud sound. "It sounds like barking. Lots of dogs running around?"
"Nope. Seals. Want to see them?" Clark took Lois' hand in his and headed to his left toward Pier 39. They reached the rail of the pier and Clark pointed to large rafts of wood chained together on top of which was a large herd of California sea lions. Clark gestured at the massed bodies. Large brown bodies glided sleekly through the water, several very large males slept contentedly with heads up, necks back seeking the sun, smaller females slept together in large entangled masses. "These are Harbor seals, which are a class of California Sea Lion. See, they have visible ears. True seals have no visible ears. They are very friendly and intelligent and are the ones trained as entertainers in aquatic shows."
Lois inhaled sharply. "Oh, my god. What is that smell?"
Clark smiled. "Well, they live 24/7 on these floats. Basically it is the smell of seal poop."
"Oy. This is when you *don't* want smell-o-vision. Doesn't it bother you?"
Clark cocked an eyebrow at her. "I can tell it smells bad, but it doesn't bother me on the same visceral level it does you. Let's go on to Pier 39. They have restaurants..."
Lois rolled her eyes. More food?
"...an aquarium, shops, and other stuff." Hand in hand they wandered over and strolled the pier. In due time they made their way westward on Embarcadero, looking at an endless procession of shops and souvenir stands selling nearly everything imaginable that could be labeled with the name "San Francisco". The ding ding of a trolley bell announced the stop of a rail trolley along the street. Throngs of people moved all directions along the sidewalk, across the street and in and out of stores. Cars drove through. The smell of fresh cooked fish permeated the area.
Suddenly Lois stopped and pointed across the street at a store front with a loud neon sign. "Clark, look, 'Ripley's Believe It or Not.' Don't they have a wax statue of Superman in there?"
Clark turned to Lois, mouth open, about ready to protest that he, in no way, was going in to stand next to a wax replica of his alter ego. Then he saw the twinkle in Lois's eyes and his mouth stretched to a rueful grin. "You, you, minx, you!" He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I'm going to get you for that...later."
She laughed. "Oh, I'm counting on it."
They continued to marvel at the sights as they strolled contentedly toward Hyde Street Pier and the Maritime National Historical Park and Ft. Mason beyond it. The further west they went the more the wind increased and Lois began to shiver with the cold.
Clark noticed and hugged her to him, but the wind was more than even his proximity could compensate for. "You need a coat, Lois. Let's go get our room and I'll go back for our suitcases."
Lois could do little more than nod her agreement. They turned up Hyde Street and Lois forgot the cold enough to exclaim, "Cable cars!! Here's the cable car turnaround!!"
"We get some warmer clothes and we'll ride the cable car into the city tonight."
Lois arched her brow at him, "We?"
"Alright, you. And I think I'll get something fancier than I have on for tonight. Come on, it's just a block more."
Suddenly the sidewalk turned markedly steeper. "Whoa, I'm glad I did my workout on the stair climber this week! This is steep."
Clark moved his hand lower onto her outside buttock and gave her a subtle super assist.
"Thanks," she whispered softly.
"My pleasure, I assure you. From this point on," Clark said as they reached the next cross-street, "it is much easier." They turned right on North Point and walked along the level street until they were near the western end of the block. "Here we are," Clark gestured at a gray and white classic three-story San Francisco home dating from the early 1900's.
In the window was a small discrete sign saying "Bed and Breakfast." They walked up the three steps of the stoop and entered the front door. A bell jingled as they entered. A short wiry dark-haired man rose from a desk in the converted living room and greeted them enthusiastically.
"Senor Clark! It is so good to see you again. It's been - what? - over a year since you dropped by to visit us."
"Arratsaldeon, Eztebe. Zer moduz? I'd like to present my *wife*, Lois. Lois, may I present Steve Penagarikano."
The man turned and smiled at Lois, executing a small bow over her hand in an old world gesture. "Please to meet you, Lois. And even more pleased Clark has married such a lovely woman!" He then turned back to Clark and prattled on in the melodious language they were both using fluently.
Lois could only stand by and follow the facial expressions. Whatever Steve said to Clark caused him to blush.
Clark cleared his throat. "So, Steve, is our room ready?"
"Bai. Zenbakiak bost." Steve returned to his desk and brought out a metal key with the number 5 on the tag. "Bi giltz?"
Clark shook his head. "Ez, eskerrik asko."
"Ez horregatik," replied Steve with a wink. "You know where it is."
Clark then led Lois to the top floor where they walked to room number 5. Clark let them in and went on through the room to open the drapes.
Lois entered and was immediately charmed by the room. They were on the west side of the building and the north side of the street, so the room had commanding views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.
Lois was in reporter mode, on a mission to get information. She walked up to Clark, wanting to find out what made him blush. "So, Clark. What was that language? I got lost after Senor. Well, except for the English parts, of course."
"That is Basque. A totally unique language unconnected to any other language on earth. I, er, asked if the room was ready and he asked if we wanted two keys and I said no. I always get this room if I can. I called him Monday and found out it was available this weekend."
Lois made a curt dismissive gesture, a twinkle in her eye. "No, not *that* part. The part where you wound up blushing."
Clark blushed again with the memory. "Well, Steve's sister Arantxa was always trying to set me up with her friends. Steve said she would be very sad that I was now taken."
Lois looked Clark in the eye. "Yeah, but your expression tells me there was a little more to it than you're sharing. Maybe I will torture the information from you later." Lois poked a finger into his chest, then began moving it around softly, seductively. "So are you off to get our stuff?"
When they had started their weekend journeys, the routine had been to pack a small suitcase of clothes and toiletries for Clark to pick up if they decided to stay overnight.
"Yes, but first you have to see why this room is special." Clark possessively grabbed her hand from the front of his chest and tugged her toward the north window, which turned out to be a sliding glass door. Beyond it was a small balcony of white low fencing. Clark and Lois stepped out onto the balcony.
"Wow, this view is even more spectacular outside," Lois breathed. The sounds washed up and over them. The Hyde Street Cable Car clanged its way up the hill.
"There's more." Clark showed her the spiral staircase leading to the roof.
"On the roof?"
Clark nodded assent. "Just wait. You first."
Lois climbed the staircase. "You know," she said in a normal voice, knowing that Clark could hear her, "if I lived here, I'd never need to use the gym again." She emerged onto the roof and beheld a small seemingly magical garden. "Ohh, how beautiful!"
Clark was beside her. "And even better, it is private and perfect cover for quick departures and arrivals." Gesturing to the bench in the garden, he said, "Have a seat. I'll be back in a jiffy. Which coat do you want?"
Lois told him, but then added, "Were you serious about painting the town red tonight?"
At his nod, she asked him to pick up the hang-up bag with the evening dress, coat and shoes too, then sat on the bench and watched. Her super man stepped back and spun into the Suit. "All flags flying," she murmured to herself as he whooshed out of sight.
Sitting in the little garden in a spot of sunlight, Lois was protected from the wind she had felt so chillingly near the Maritime Park and was quite comfortable. After only a few moments she felt a tickle of cool air on her neck and a voice rumbled in her ear, "I'm back."
"So soon? Get everything?"
Clark moved to sit next to her and tugged her close to him. "Of course. I left the door open, so took them straight to the closet."
"I'm enjoying the sun here. It's so pleasant. Stop and recharge a little." Lois lay back against Clark and closed her eyes.
Refreshed after their little sojourn on the roof they returned to their room. Lois walked over to the west window, attracted by the sight of a large tower and what was obviously a shopping complex. "What is this?" Somehow with the height of the garden on the roof, she had not seen it from there.
"That, my dear, is Ghiradelli Square."
"Does it have anything to do with the chocolate of the same name?
"Oh, does it ever. You ready for the tale?"
Lois plopped down on the plush bed. "Ohh, this is soft," she said admiringly. "O.K., my super tour guide. Inform me."
Clark made himself comfortable on the little sofa across from the bed and began the tale. "Domenico "Domingo" Ghirardelli was born in Rapallo, Italy, that's near Genoa, in 1817, and learned about the confectionery and chocolate trade from his father by the time he was 20."
"Like so many of that time, he needed to leave his beloved Italy to make his fortune. The first places he set up shop were Uruguay and Peru -- but tales of the California gold rush were irresistible. Doesn't this sound like a familiar theme from today?"
"To continue," Clark said, "in 1848, Domingo's neighbor, James Lick, packed up $25,000, a huge sum at the time, and 600 pounds of Ghirardelli chocolate and sailed for the San Francisco Bay. A year later, Domingo followed him through the Golden Gate. He set up shop in San Francisco and like many soon to be wealthy entrepreneurs, he made money by grubstaking claims in the gold fields of California."
Clark waved a scholarly finger at his now seductively reclining wife on the bed. "Grubstaking, you remember, oh lady from the east, is the word for providing supplies for miners to go off to the gold fields and hunt for gold. They pay you back for the supplies and give you a part of the gold. Well, Domingo was grubstaking so many miners he thought it more profitable to open a little store in the boomtown of Hornitos so they could buy more supplies from him with gold nuggets. He bought his supplies from the only general merchandise store in Stockton- a town on the water near Sacramento, remember - and brought them by wagon to Hornitos."
"Finally he decided to give the store a run for its money by opening his own store in Stockton and did a thriving business. Soon Domingo was operating a fleet of his own river sloops to keep the Stockton store supplied from his base supply store on Battery Street in San Francisco."
"He saw so many people pouring into San Francisco to reach the gold fields that he next decided to build a hotel. Building one of the first hotels in Old San Francisco, the Europa Hotel, was Domingo's next business. But in The Great Fire of 1851, everything Domingo owned in San Francisco was destroyed."
"Just four days later, another fire burned his Stockton properties to the ground. Undaunted, Domingo used his remaining resources to open a coffee shop in San Francisco, on Commercial Street, but it lost money and he sold the store."
"Domingo needed a lucky break and the confection connection supplied it. Using his old trade, he managed to rebuild and open a store on Kearny at Washington with a partner named Girard. At long last, his wife - who had remained in Peru - joined him in San Francisco and soon replaced Girard as Domingo's business partner. Soon the store's name was Mrs. Ghirardelli & Company."
"After operating stores in several locations, the store that firmly fixed Ghirardelli fame was established on Jackson Street around 1856 where it flourished for the next 40 years. From this factory, Domingo shipped chocolate products not only throughout the United States, but also to Mexico, Hawaii and British Columbia. The factory was among the largest in the western half of North America at that time. It's still standing in Jackson Square near the new ferry building and is an antique gallery now. And somehow it survived the 1906 earthquakes."
Clark got up from the sofa and strolled to the bed where Lois was laying, entranced by his tale. "Domingo's business was growing and he need a bigger factory. He and his sons purchased an entire block of property for their headquarters in 1893. Here, on North Point Street, Domingo and his sons began a spectacular building program that extended over 11 years. Ghirardelli Square was the result. There are actually nine buildings there. In 1894 Domingo Ghirardelli died during a visit to his hometown."
Clark put his hands on the bed, then his knees, crawling toward Lois who began to giggle. Clark lowered his voice in pitch and volume, turning the pedantic words into something very sexy that belied their content. "The Broma Process was his patented method for making dry, powdered chocolate which could be easily shipped and that's what made his fortune. The buildings were used as a chocolate factory until the early 1960's when the Golden Grain Macaroni Company bought the chocolate business and move the factory across the bay to San Leandro."
Clark was now even with Lois's lips and began kissing her neck as he continued. "The buildings went up for sale in 1962 and, fearing they would be torn down, two prominent San Franciscan's bought the property and converted it into a shopping center. The huge sign saying Ghiradelli - 25 feet tall and 125 feet long - has been lit up at night since electricity came to San Francisco." For a conclusion to his tale, Clark captured Lois's lips in a deep kiss.
Lois returned the kiss in kind. When she needed to breathe, she broke off the kiss and purred. "I would say that's an electrifying delivery, my tour guide."
Clark rolled to his side, propped his head on his right hand and began making circles on Lois's stomach with his left hand. "Well, that's the story of what's outside the room, but you have missed something important on the inside."
Lois looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean, the inside?"
Clark waved his left hand around. "Of the room."
Lois was still puzzled. "I see the room."
Clark smiled and a certain glint came into his eyes. "Look at the bathroom."
Lois couldn't read his expression. So she swung her legs off the bed and made her way to the bathroom, which had clearly been a modern addition to the interior of the large bedroom. "OH MY GOD!" She could hear Clark's pleased laugh behind her. Marveling, she walked in and looked at the enormous clear glass enclosed shower with a bench. A small west facing window lit the bathroom with a beautiful light. "You could throw a party in here!"
"Exactly my idea, Mrs. Kent. Well, a party for two, anyway."
**************
tbc
Artemis
