Dear GS,

Don't forget to pay a visit to Charlie Chan's honorable relatives' community of Chinatown while you are in San Francisco. If you have access to the Biggers Chan novels, you can even retrace his footsteps within a portion of that historic community.

Above all: Have a great time!

Sincerely,
Rush

Rush - are there any maps to Charlie Chan sites that you might recommend I find on the internet? Some of the older Hammett editions put out by Dell had maps on them that are great. I found them on a website, copied them, and even laminated them for the trip. Were his stories ever printed by Dell?

Or would you have any compiled information on Chan in SF Chinatown that I might find on the internet?

GS

Today I visited the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. I had the tour AND was given a free treatment in their clinic! Which was great because they treated me for my recent (meaning from this trip) Shin Splints and swollen ankles.

Tomorrow will be my Japantown/Chinatown adventure day. I currently don't have access to any of the Chan books here, Rush, though I may buy a couple if I get to Borders. I did buy the "30th Anniversary Hammett Tour" book and the "SF Noir Film" book yesterday(not to mention the Acupuncture books I picked up at ACTCM today).

We ate at John's Grill yesterday evening and I ordered the "Bloody Bridget" to get the commerative glass. I visited the upstairs room and was surprised that the Falcon statue on display there was not one that matched the Bogart film. My hotel is about a block and a half or less from Burritt St and I hope to see the plaque tomorrow where Archer was gunned down. (Good thing my husband has the conference, he wouldn't be interested in putting up with such nonsense.)

GS

Dear GS,

I just scanned the pages from "Behind That Curtain" that will help you to retrace Charlie Chan's footsteps in Chinatown. I will sent the scanned pages to you via your email address. I hope that this will be of help to you.

Please enjoy, and let us know what you were able to see there.

Sincerely,
Rush

Thanks Rusn!! I printed these. I will plot them on my city map and check them out tomorrow.

GS

GS,

I am very happy that you received the information in time for your time in Chinatown! Please let us know how your walk went. If you take any photos of the streets that you walk along, can you possibly share these? It may be beneficial to creat a page at our site devoted to real-life Charlie Chan connections.

Sincerely,
Rush

I have ploted the streets on the map - I found the three listed. So i can check them out.

As shocking as it sounds, I do not have a camera. This is especially shocking when you consider I used to be a camera operator for a small television station and I took all their still photography. Of course that was before "digital" photography.

I was drooling over a Japanese Puzzle Bos with 54 moves today in Japantown. I've read that the 54 move box is even harder than the 72 move one. I have a 27 move at home that I treasure. I wonder if my budget could stretch far enough.........

GS

I would love to post them on my site, pretty please!

Virginia

I've checked the maps and have a pretty good idea of the streets mentioned in "Behind That Curtain". I'll look for the Oriental apartments and see what is down Waverly.

Rush - in the pages you sent, is there any clue where "Kirk" resides since that is where Chan starts from? This would give me some idea of which direction to go on Grant. I'm wondering if I start at the north end of Grant or the south end. Of course it says "Chan turned up Washington street" so it might not matter that much - I'll look for a hill.

GS

You remind me of an old song about "Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail and our caissons keep rolling along" . . . or something like that as Lee would say in Olympics!

Virginia

Dear GS,

Yes, Mr. Chan walked along Grant toward Washington St. If there is still time, I will try to locate tha approximate location of Kirk's apartment.

By the way, I had forgotten, but we have links to the text for eack of the Biggers Chan books here, in the "Charlie Chan Links" portion of this web site. If you can, you might take a look. You may even be able to have the computer search for key words within the text.

Sincerely,
Rush

Dear GS,

Here is more text from "Behind That Curtain" that will place Barry Kirk's apartment for you:

Rankin pushed the facetious one aside. "Don't interfere with your betters, my lad," he remarked, and added, to the driver: "The Kirk Building, on California Street."

The taxi swung out into Market Street, followed the intricate car tracks for a few blocks, and turned off into Montgomery. In another moment they were in the financial district of San Francisco, now wrapped in its accustomed evening calm. The huge buildings of trust companies, investment houses and banks stood solemn and solid in the dusk; across the doorways of many, forbidding bronze gates were already shut. Gilded signs met Rankin's eye---"The Yokohama Bank"; on another window, "The Shanghai Trading Company"; one may not forget the Orient in the city by the Gate. Presently the taxi drew up before a twenty-story office building, and Rankin alighted.

The Kirk Building was architecturally perfect, in the excellent taste that had marked the family ever since the first Dawson Kirk had made his millions and gone his way. Now it was the particular hobby of young Barry Kirk, who lived in bachelor splendor in the spacious but breezy bungalow on its roof. Its pure white lobby was immaculate; its elevator girls trim
and pretty in neat uniforms; its elevator starter resplendent as an Admiral of the Fleet. At this hour the fever of the day was ended andcleaning women knelt reverently on the marble floor. One elevator was
still running, and into this Bill Rankin stepped.

"All the way," he said to the girl.

He alighted at the twentieth floor, the final stop. A narrow stair led to Barry Kirk's bungalow, and the reporter ascended two teps at a time. Pausing before an imposing door, he rang. The door opened and Paradise, Kirk's English butler, stood like a bishop barring Rankin's path.

I think that this may help find the starting point of Chan's walk to Chinatown.

Sincerely,
Rush

I posted my tour yesterday - regrettably before I received your update on the Kirk building.

Today I am heading to Sacramento for the National Acupuncture conference. I printed your latest information and will compare it to my map of my tour. If anything looks promising, I'll let you know. I don't think I'll be able to "walk" the tour again.

Tomorrow we fly back to the other coast.

GS