California

At first the northern California coast looks much like the Oregon coast – jagged rocks, sandy beaches, stunning views. 

Suddenly you realize that there’s something different – it’s like a green cathedral along the wild shoreline.  Coastal redwoods, the world’s tallest living things, are a national treasure – and in spring, their beauty is accentuated by blooming rhododendrons, azaleas, dogwoods and wildflowers.

Redwood National and State Parks protect 45% of all remaining coastal redwoods – about 40,000 acres of an area that once covered 2 million acres.  Today, the redwoods stretch in a narrow band along 450 miles of the northern coastline of the state.  At maturity between 400-500 years old, the oldest on record has been estimated at 2,200 years.  They soar to heights between 200-325 feet (the tallest on record reached 375 feet); diameters often exceed 15 feet. 

Trees of Mystery adjoins the national park.  It has a nice interpretive trail through the redwood forest, giant chain-saw sculptures, and a ‘sky-trail’ gondola ride to the top of a hill overlooking the forest. 

The Humboldt Redwoods State Park is another 50,000 acres of protected old growth redwood forest.  The Avenue of the Giants winds through the park, in a narrow slot right through the tremendous trees that are quite close to the road.

One of the many walks in the park is the trail through Founders Gove.  It is like walking into an ancient forest, one of the greatest on this earth.  The Dyerville Giant was recognized as a ‘champion’ coastal redwood; it was 370 feet tall – taller than Niagara Falls, or comparable to a 30-storey building. It is 17 feet in diameter, 52 feet circumference, and estimated to have stood here for as long as 1600 years.  Wow.

 

Northern California is also known for its premium wine-growing regions.  Dating back to the mid-1800s, there are now over 500 wineries in the hills and valleys north of San Francisco.  We visited two wineries in the Napa Valley for tours and tasting.

Beringer Vineyards claims to be the finest in Napa Valley – can’t vouch for that, but ... they are in their third century of wine-making and doing very well.  We had a guided tour here and learned about Beringer’s long history: it is the oldest continuously operating winery in the valley.  We saw the old stone winery and wine-aging tunnels.  And … we tasted six different wines as our guide tried valiantly to teach us how to taste wine like professionals.

 

The V. Sattui Winery was a different kind of place.  It started in 1882 when Italian winemaker Vittorio Sattui arrived in the U.S.  His wines were sold directly to customers and delivered to their homes.  Today the winery still sells directly to customers, who must come to the winery to make a purchase – no middleman.

Here we enjoyed a delightful tour.  We heard about the history of the winery and visited the vineyard, crush pad, production room and barrel cellars.  We then proceeded to a lovely shaded patio overlooking the vineyards – here we tasted a bunch of very fine wines and had a very nice lunch.  We even brought some home, but it’ll be long-gone by the time you read this!

San Francisco, the city by the bay – our first look was from Treasure Island, a man-made island built for the 1939-40 World’s Fair.  To the left is the Oakland Bay Bridge; to the right is the Golden Gate Bridge.  Alcatraz is the small island to the far right. 

We arrived in the city just in time for the celebration of the 75^th anniversary of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The city put on quite a party, with lots of fireworks. 

We joined the fun by walking across and enjoying the view – with thousands of other people. 

 

And of course, we took pictures from every possible angle.

 

Sausalito is the first town after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge – a good place for a sandwich after the exhilaration of walking across the bridge, 1.5 miles in a gale force wind.  We didn’t venture far beyond the main drag (overpriced shops and restaurants) because we dared not miss the ferry back to San Francisco.

The ferry ride takes only about 30 minutes, with great views of bridges, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and San Francisco.  Back in city – we had two days to spend.  We had a grand tour one day with a local guide and one day on foot.  Some of the city sights ….

 

The Ferry Building Marketplace is on the waterfront in a building that once served as the city’s ferry terminal.  A few local ferries still use this facility, but the main draw today is an eclectic collection of eateries and gourmet shops – and best of all – we were there on the day of the farmers’ market.  Rainier cherries were especially yummy.

Fisherman’s Wharf is part of San Francisco’s northern waterfront.  It is a working wharf, but the area is packed with restaurants, hotels, souvenirs and assorted tourist attractions.  One of the wharves has been taken over by sea lions.

Chinatown is the place many folks go for dim sum and cheap souvenirs.  The cheap souvenirs are easy to find, but this neighborhood is actually a vibrant city within a city and well worth some time.  Its streets are crowded with residents hurrying along and conversing in various Chinese dialects.  

 


We mostly just wandered around, soaking it all in and enjoying the sights and sounds of the narrow streets.

  

We went inside a couple of trinket shops and grocery stores.  Not much looked familiar!

Our favorite place was the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.  It is a tiny little place where we watch three workers turn out mountains of fortune cookies.  Never before thought about how they were made, but it’s a very low-tech process.

 

Golden Gate Park is a wonderfully serene haven in the middle of the bustling city. It covers over one thousand acres with enough gardens, museums and walking trails for weeks of diversion.

Lombard Street is known as the crookedest street in the world.  This brick-paved one-block stretch descends a 40-degree slope in a series of eight tight S-curves.  Handsome homes and condos stand on either side, with blooming bougainvillea and pink and blue hyrdrangeas.

 Postcard Row is possibly the most photographed spot in the city.  These colorful Victorian houses, or ‘Painted Ladies,’ make a perfect picture with the San Francisco skyline as the backdrop.

Speaking of views, Twin Peaks may have San Francisco’s best view.  This set of high hills is located near the geographic center of the city, offering stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the city, the bay and the ocean beyond.

City Hall is a Beaux-Arts monument to the city.  Its dome is huge – the fifth largest in the world.  Lots of people get married here – maybe that’s why the big red flower?

Last, but not least, let’s not forget the famed San Francisco cable cars – the only vehicles of their kind still in operation.  They’ve been running since 1873 and have come to symbolize what folks love about this place.

Our stay in San Francisco was short, but sweet.  Now it’s time to head further south – there’s lots more to see.

Few places can live up to their own mythology, but Monterey may be an exception.  The beauty of its coast and the charm of the town itself are undeniable.  John Steinbeck was a frequent visitor here and drew considerable inspiration from area landmarks.  On Cannery Row, Steinbeck’s sardine canneries have been transformed into galleries, shops and restaurants. 

Along Fisherman’s Wharf, an art gallery, handicraft shops, and whale-watching cruises have superseded the commercial fishing activities of the early 1900s.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is home to more than 35,000 animals and plants.  It’s also a good spot to watch for sea otters swimming amongst the kelp beds and generally being cute.

We took the super-scenic route from Monterey to Carmel-by-the-Sea; 17-Mile Drive may well be one of the most scenic drives in the world.

The Lone Cypress is surely one of California’s most enduring landmarks.  This little tree has prevailed on its rocky perch for over 250 years.

The Drive passes mile after mile of beautiful coastal scenery, including Bird Rock, which is home to countless shorebirds, harbor seals, and sea lions.

Other wildlife included occasional deer and fat little ground squirrels.

 

Part of the road parallels the Spyglass Hill Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones.  This notorious course takes its theme from the classic tale Treasure Island, whose author (Robert Louis Stevenson) was inspired by the wonders of this peninsula’s forest and sea in 1879.

To keep our golfing companions happy, we stopped for a look around the Lodge at Pebble Beach, home of the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links.  The Lodge offers a great view of the sweeping 18^th fairway and green.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is known for its upscale shopping as well as its most famous (former) civil servant, the Honorable Mayor Clint Eastwood.  We walked on by the art galleries, boutiques, hotels, shops, restaurants and quaint homes to enjoy the broad beach fringed with Monterey pines.

Leaving Carmel-by-the-Sea, we headed inland for a ride through part of the Salinas Valley.  This long valley contains thousands of acres of agricultural land nestled between mountain ranges.  It is dotted with hundreds of growers, shippers, wineries, and other farm-related businesses.  Salinas is also the boyhood home of John Steinbeck.

Leaving the green Salinas Valley, we crossed the golden Santa Lucia Mountains to return to the Pacific coast just below the town of San Simeon.  We were there to visit the Hearst Castle, designed by architect Julia Morgan for newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst.  By 1947, Hearst and Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkway.

The house is perched high on a hill overlooking the Pacific.  On our way up, we were delighted to catch a glimpse of a herd of Barbary sheep – just some of the exotic wildlife that Hearst kept on the ranch.

The estate’s main house, Casa Grande, and three guesthouses are of Mediterranean Revival style, while the imposing towers of the main house were inspired by a Spanish cathedral.

The cozy dining room and billiards room are examples of how the architect designed the home to accommodate Hearst’s huge appetite for buying art and antiques, including centuries-old choir stalls and ceilings. 

 

Even the indoor swimming pool is decorated with statues brought from Europe.

The gardens around the estate are beautiful and the views stunning. 

 

But … the highlight of the tour was the outdoor Neptune Pool.  It is located near the edge of the hilltop, overlooking the mountains, the ocean, and the main house.  The Neptune Pool features an ancient Roman temple front, transported wholesale from Europe and re-assembled on-site.  In fact, it was rebuilt three times until Hearst was finally satisfied – we rather liked the whole idea.

 

Just north of Hearst Castle is Piedras Blancas, a point named for a white rock outcropping just off shore.  There’s an old lighthouse nearby, but the real attraction is along the beach at the elephant seal rookery.  Elephant seals are some strange-looking critters.  They are well-named because adult males have large noses that resemble an elephant’s trunk.  This one pictured is a young male, but his nose is starting to grow.

This group was born here and return annually to the same spot to molt.  We’re here in early June, when females and juveniles are molting, as well as a few sub-adult males.  They look pretty scruffy, with their skin coming off in patches as they undergo a catastrophic molt.  Instead of losing bits of skin and hair during the year, elephant seals lose an entire layer of skin and all their hair as the rest on the beach for four to six weeks.

The seals that have recently arrived are a dull tan or brown color, with patches of skin beginning to peel like a bad sunburn.  They also are plump, having bulked up for their fast during molting.  The seals that are near the end of their molt have silvery new coats.  They are also thinner than the new arrivals because they have not eaten during their stay here.  When they are finished, they will leave, one by one, to travel north to feed.  Amazing.

Danish in heritage, customs and atmosphere, Solvang is called the Danish capital of America.  The pretty architecture is not just for show – the town was established in 1911 by a group of Danish educators, and today two-thirds of its residents are of Danish descent.

In town, windmills tilt in the breeze and some local sport wooden shoes and dress in Danish costumes.  There are craft shops, collectibles, antiques, Danish imports, smorgasbords, wine-tasting rooms and restaurants.  There’s also the scent of fresh-baked goods that will drive you crazy until you have located their source – an authentic Danish bakery.  The Danes really know their pastries – try an ‘aebelskiver,’ a ball-shaped pancake with jam and powdered sugar.

It’s easy to see why Solvang was named one of the ten most beautiful small towns in the western U.S.  Nice place to spend a few hours or a few days. 

Santa Barbara is sometimes called the American Riviera – ocean views, mountains, and great scenery all around.  It’s a popular resort town for the Hollywood elite.  It’s also the home of the Santa Barbara Mission.  The ‘Queen of the Missions’ is perched on a hillside above the town.  The distinctive twin-towered structure dates back to 1820; this is the fourth structure on this site after earthquakes destroyed earlier adobe versions.

Within the mission walls, there are beautiful gardens and a cemetery dating from 1789 to the present.  It contains the burial sites of early Santa Barbara settlers as well as some 4000 Native Americans.

The church itself is cool and beautiful.  There a stone plaques in the floor marking crypts where early missionaries were buried beneath the church.  The artwork is from Mexican artists of the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

Our visit happily coincided with a community art festival.  Anyone can buy a section of the parking lot and be creative with chalk.  There were hundreds of colorful pieces around the grounds.

 

For almost 160 years, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse has been the home of local government and a place of civic pride and celebration. Visitors from around the world come to see the courthouse, mural room and grounds. Hundreds get married in the Mural Room or in the Garden every year.  The building was established in 1929.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is in Simi Valley, California.  This is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald W. Reagan, 40^th President of the United States.  The facility is perched on a mountaintop, with sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, valleys and the Pacific Ocean.  The library/museum site covers 100 acres; the building is 100,000 square feet and includes 24 different galleries.  Some of the highlights:

 

The Oval Office:  Inspired by the West, Reagan added earthy colors, western art and a jar of jelly beans to decorate his oval office.  This exact replica appears as it existed during Reagan’s administration.

Air Force One:  It was one of Reagan’s dreams that Air Force One would one day be shared with the American people.  His library/museum now houses the plane that served seven U.S. presidents and flew over one million miles during its 28 years of service.  We walked through the plane and viewed each cabin, detailed as it was during Reagan’s time.

Presidential Gifts:  On display throughout the museum are hundreds of gifts that the Reagans received from world leaders, visiting dignitaries, and American citizens.  There are all sorts of gold, silver and bejeweled objects, as well as dozens of cowboy belt buckles.  Perhaps the most impressive was an actual piece of the Berlin Wall.

Jelly Beans:  Jelly-Bellies were most famously enjoyed by President Reagan, who kept a jar of them on his desk in the White House, Blair House and on Air Force One.  Of course, all 50 flavors are available in the gift shop.

Los Angeles – La La Land?  The Circus without a Tent?  City of Angels?  World’s Worst Traffic Jam?  Los Angeles is many things to many people, but for us it was a chance to visit our friend Stephanie Simon, of Safari Serengeti fame.  We had a great time with her and still had time to see the sights.    Some of the ones we remember:

El Pueblo de Los Angeles is the site of the pueblo where Los Angeles was established in 1781, this oldest section of the city reflects the ethnic background and heritage of the diverse groups who settled here.  The main street is Olivera Street, one of the city’s oldest – today it is a lively Mexican marketplace.  Sidewalk shops and stalls sell handicrafts and restaurants (such as La Golondrina, where we ate) serve authentic Mexican dishes.  Strolling mariachis serenade the crowds.

The plaza was the center of activity in the old pueblo.  On weekends, all sorts of street performers vie for attention and a donation. 

Downtown Los Angeles at first glance is just another big city – big hotels, banks, convention center and city hall.  But wait a minute – we’ve seen this city hall before.  Think Dragnet, Perry Mason, Superman.

There are other indications that this town revolves around the entertainment business. You’ve probably heard of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Mark Taper Hall and the Mark Ahmanson Theater, but how about the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  It was a funded by a gift from Walt’s widow.

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is nearly 100 years old – seems almost out of place amongst the brass and glass.  Its pillows have been plumped for assorted royalty and seven presidents, including FDR and JFK.  In 1962, the Beatles were dropped by helicopter to the hotel rooftop and stayed there a few days during their first U.S. tour. 

Nearby is the much newer Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels - the seat of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  Only seven years old, the building’s architecture is intended to be a reflection of the diversity of Los Angeles.    

  

Hollywood is all about the entertainment business, particularly the motion picture industry. We wandered around looking for celebrities, but ended up looking mostly at sidewalks.

Grauman’s Chinese Theater is – in theory – a movie theater on Hollywood Boulevard.  Look again.  This theater is best known for the 200 concrete blocks set in the forecourt, bearing the signatures, footprints and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day.

 

The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of nearly 2500 terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street.  The stars pay tribute to the entertainment industry, bearing the names of actors, musicians, directors, producers, fictional characters and assorted others.  It’s a fun place to walk around looking at the ground.

 

Beverly Hills is an affluent city within the city; it is surrounded by the city of Los Angeles.  Beverly Hills is known for its luxurious culture and its famous residents. 
















Beverly Hills is also home to the famous, upscale shopping district Rodeo Drive. Rodeo Drive is said to be the three most expensive blocks of shops on the planet.  In the movies, the snooty shopgirls snub customers who don’t pull up in a Ferrari.  

 

Santa Monica is a beachfront city west of Los Angeles.  The Santa Monica Pier has been the city’s most famous landmark for over 100 years.  It has a carousel from the 1920s, an aquarium, shops, entertainment, a trapeze school, a pub and a restaurant.

Santa Monica also marks the western terminus of Route 66 and the point at which we made a big turn and headed back eastward.

Calico is a ghost town and former mining town in the Mojave Desert region of southern California, not far from the Nevada state line.  It was founded in 1881 as a silver mining town, and it flourished until about 1907.  Walter Knott (of Knotts Berry Farm fame) financed the restoration of all but the five original buildings and created yet another roadside tourist trap.  However, we rather liked the old hotel…