Are We Being Attacked? Tuesday Sirens at Noon

It's Tuesday here in San Francisco and anyone that's been here on a Tuesday knows what that means... Air Raid Sirens at Noon!!!

When I first heard them, I was not sure what was going on. Should I run for cover? Should I run to higher ground? So I asked a guy walking down the street what the sirens were all about. He looked at me, almost in disbelief that I would ask such a question and said "Those are the air raid sirens... If you hear them anytime other than Tuesday at noon, we're dead!" I laughed and thanked him for filling me in. Kind of a sobering thought. These sirens if heard on another day or at some other time could mean a disaster of some sort is about to happen or had already happened.

During World War II, fear of an impending attack from Japan was the norm. "Pearl Harbor was recently bombed so why wouldn't San Francisco," was the current thought. People knew it was a possibility. So our armed forces put up air raid sirens throughout the city as a form of public defense to warn people of the possible air attacks.

During the Cold War, they only tested out the system on a monthly bases, but after the 9/11 attacks here in the US there was a need to engrave in our minds that something could and would happen at any moment. So the weekly raid sirens came back into affect. In case of an attack (from the sea, land or air, or a natural disaster like a tsunami or an earthquake) the sirens will be played to inform us on where to go for help or safety.

Luckily for me, since I've been here, it has always been... Just a test! And I hope it stays that way.

Here is a short documentary style video on the Tuesday Air Raid Sirens here in San Francisco. What other city do you know has weekly air raid sirens? A little gem that everyone hears but little acknowledge.

Enjoy.

The Tuesday Noon Siren from kris vala on Vimeo.

The Labyrinth of Lands End

Yesterday, I went in search of some peace and solitude. Saying I had a hard week is sort of an understatement. My nerves and patience were pushed to the limit. And that says a lot about me. I think of myself as a pretty calm and mellow person. I like to go with the flow of the river, but man were those rapids rough this week.

So I took off for some calmer waters... A spot were the earth ends and the ocean begins. Lands End! With great views of The Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands, it's almost surreal.

Getting there is easy. Enter at the Sutro Baths/Cliff House area and walk east on The Coastal Trail till you see the set of stairs heading down to the left. Now, a heed of warning... The stairs take you down to Mile Rock Beach... It's more like a mile of walking down stairs... but so worth it!!! As you make your way down, you will see the stairs sharply turn left... Continue straight ahead on the dirt path and it will bring you right out onto an rocky point. You won't see the Labyrinth till your right over it.

This little cliff face used to house cannons for the military during the WW's and you can still see the rusting bolts and piping left over from that lost era.

As I made my way down the stairs I started to prepare my self for my journey through the labyrinth. Every step I took, every breath I took, all came together in a meditative rhythm. I began to think of my journey on this path. Where it was taking me, with no expectations, knowing it would bring me out the other side.

The labyrinth, unlike a maze, is a wallless path that is not trying to confuse the mind but allowing the mind to be open. Winding in big circles and short left and right turns, the labyrinth brings you to the center of it all. Allowing you to see and hear all around. The walk out is just the same.

With the steady blowing wind and the rhythmic crashing of waves, it sounds as if the ocean is breathing. I became in tune to the breathing earth, giving me peace and harmony.

Walking the labyrinth a few more times, each exit a rest, admiring my surroundings, it allowed me to free my mind and clear my thoughts even more. It was exactly what I needed. Such a relaxing afternoon. I left felling calmer and my thoughts clearer.

If ever in this area, I highly suggest making a visit to this hidden gem on the cliff side of Lands End.