Berkeley: counterculture and bones at the campus.

Following the spirit of Haight-Ashbury, and knowing that: "much of the 1960s counterculture originated on college campuses", particularly at Berkeley, I knew we had to visit.

"The 1964 Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley, which had its roots in the Civil Rights Movement of the US South, was one early example. At Berkeley a group of students began to identify themselves as having interests as a class that were at odds with the interests and practices of the University and its corporate sponsors".

I also wanted to see Telegraph avenue, famous for the student activism of the 1960s and 70s, where many of the protests took place.

While we were there, of course I had to visit the Life Sciences building (the biologist in me was squealing with delight when we found it), and I was not disappointed. We say Lucy's bones (though at this point I am not sure if the skeleton was the real deal or a replica), as well as a T-Rex and a Pterodactylus. I love the fact that Lucy was named after 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds' .Those were the days!

*PS: I had read that when you walk through Berkeley, you still feel a hippie nostalgic vibe. I have to say I felt more of that at the Haight and at some other neighborhoods in San Francisco (maybe around Valencia street, or Dolores park but the vibe at those places was way more hipster than it was hippie). What we felt at Berkeley's campus was old! I remember my university days like it was yesterday, and yet, all the students, even those who were graduating, posing in their toga, looked so young. (It did not help that there were high-school kids touring the campus, they seemed to be there to make us feel as ancient as the dinosaurs). They all looked very content, not really against the system. (Except for some posters plastered along the walls). And, just like in the movies, there were stalls recruiting members for all kinds of clubs, including a Glee-like choir (they were singing too :) )