What I love most about Giuletta Masina in Nights of Cabiria is her instinctiveness. At times she cups her hands to her face and weeps inconsolably. Her body heaves in a fit of expulsion. But all this lasts only a few seconds. She then removes her hands, dries her eyes and immerses herself back in the world as if she had only blown her nose.

At Salsa dance clubs here in the city, you will see young latin men and women dressed to the hilt (well, at least the women) The men hover at the edge of the dance floor like wolves. The women in skirts and heels feign indifference. The ritual is so ancient that it is beautiful.

Yamo Thai is a small place in the Mission with only a small kitchen and bar inside. The entire staff consists of one person - the owner/chef/waiter who considers a visit to this place as a visit to his home. When I walked in he was practicing electric guitar while watching a Bollywood movie. M. arrived later. He put the Bollywood movie on silent (an endless succession of colorful happy dances) and put on some CD's of Miles Davis while he whipped us up some Pad Thai and made me a Yerba Mate.