California Dreamin' - Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, and Beyond!

View of Morro Rock from the marina.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Morning came, and off we went to Morro Bay as we continued our drive up Highway 1. Thank you, Steve and Jessie and boys, for your welcoming hospitality. And the homemade bread was pretty tasty, too, Jessie!

Morro Bay is not a very big town, but its waterfront shops and restaurants and marina are all absolutely lovely. There's this big rock (Morro Rock) in the bay that's a major landmark...and also a power plant that's been closed down. There's kind of a love/hate relationship with that particular landmark, but there it still is, begging for a photo.

The power plant from the marina.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

It was yet another spectacular day, with bright sunshine and calm breezes and balmy temperatures. We stopped for a latte at a little indoor/outdoor place right on the water. Again, the waitress gave Harry a hard time. Either they all think he's awfully cute, or they are going for the big tip. Either way, it makes him a happy camper. It's all good. Just for good measure, I happened to find a few tiny things to purchase. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I hope I'll have occasion to wear the clothing at some point.

The Central California Coast
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We made our way up Highway 1, stopping here and there to admire the sand and surf of the California coast, a different panorama appearing with every twist and turn. What an enjoyable drive! We walked along the water's edge wherever we felt like stopping. There was no agenda and no schedule. It was awesome.

Hearst Castle appears.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Suddenly, we saw Hearst Castle appear on a hilltop, floating over a majestic sweep of undulating countryside. The setting is magical and overlooks miles of coastline. Really, what could we? Of course we stopped for a tour. Without a reservation! I know!

Hearst Castle
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

We toured the sumptuous upstairs suites and the expansive gardens and, of course, the swimming pools that everyone has seen in dozens of pictures already. Oh, my. My imagination ran wild. What must it have been like to be a guest of William Randolph Hearst for the weekend at this fanciful place, secluded on the coast, being flown in from Los Angeles on Mr. Hearst's plane and landing on the private airstrip and being chauffeured up the hill, the buildings appearing and disappearing and reappearing as the road curved to the right and the left and the right and the left, higher and higher, and closer and closer on approach? How many gowns and tennis outfits and swimsuits would be packed carefully into how many suitcases and bags? Would I arrive, only to find I'd left my shoes at home? Oh, the horror!

One of the guest cottages.
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

And, because our daughter is soon to be married, I imagined what it would be like to reserve the gardens and terraces for a wedding. Which you can totally do, if you happen to have the considerable rental fee handy in your bank account. One of the docents regaled us with stories of parties past, which I won't share here (as it wouldn't be prudent), of the super wealthy and entitled. At any rate, the stories were entirely entertaining and delightful, and I'm sure the parties concerned wouldn't mind at all if I knew about how their guests were throwing up in the flower pots and falling into the swimming pools and behaving in a manner generally unacceptable to average people. But I digress.

If you happen to be driving up the coast and find yourself in the general vicinity of San Simeon, you really must stop at Hearst Castle. What a treat for the senses. The vistas are superb. The gardens are made for meandering. The rooms are luxuriously appointed. The library is stocked with all sorts of rare volumes. The pools are enticing, yet forbidden. Really, what could be more appealing? And though we were perfect guests, we were not invited to stay for a few days. Tragic! I'm sure you can imagine my disappointment; however, I managed to maintain a stiff upper lip as our shuttle returned to the visitor center.

See all those rocks on the beach? They are elephant seals.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Heading north on Highway 1 once again, we came upon a stretch of beach that was absolutely overrun by enormous elephant seals, sunning themselves and occasionally moving just enough to add a thin layer of sand. Perhaps it helps to avoid sunburn, I wondered? Amazing! We were glad we stopped.

And then we headed north again, past Big Sur and Carmel and Monterey and Seaside and Salinas and San Jose. We had dinner at a new Chinese restaurant in Milpitas that had the very best tofu I've ever tasted. Creamy. Light. Coated in just the right amount of sauce. When I complimented the chef to the waitperson, she just looked at me with a bemused expression on her face. The sort of look that makes you feel stupid for saying anything.

And then we were home again, having fully intended to spend more time on the coast, yet not realizing how quick the drive really is. Besides, when you find yourself within an hour or two of home, wouldn't you rather sleep in your own bed than toss and turn in a hotel room, punching the pillow to make it fit the contours of your neck and head? Of course you would.

California Dreamin' - Pacific Coast Highway to Los Osos

Breakfast at Paul's
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Too soon, it was time to leave the OC (Orange County, California) and start the drive home. But first, Dave joined us for breakfast at Paul's Pantry, where the waitress was energetic and sassy and the food was hot and plentiful. I love a diner atmosphere in the morning. Looking out the window at the spectacular weather, palm trees, and flowers made me wish we were staying on for a few more days. Or years. I seem to feel that way about every place I visit, don't I? Our friends Dave and Reggie had been wonderful hosts and great company. It was hard to leave. It always seems to be. [Thanks again, Dave and Reggie. Looking forward to seeing you at our place soon!]

The coastline in Southern California looks so much
different than in Northern California!
Photo from moving vehicle (again) by Chris.
All rights reserved anyway.

We decided to drive up the coast rather than going back home the same way we had come. It had been many years since we'd been up the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), Highway 1. What a beautiful drive it is. Blue skies, beaches, palm trees, surfers riding waves. Massive homes on the edges of cliffs, overlooking the panorama. I thought of scenes from films, with large gatherings of beautiful people dripping in diamonds and designer clothing, sipping cocktails on the pool terrace while the sun sets. Not something I'm likely to experience anytime soon, probably. But daydreams can be wonderful things.

Just because you can never see enough sunsets...
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

Beach Boys music played softly in the background of my thoughts as we passed Malibu, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach...and we realized it wouldn't take long to get to Los Osos, where our nephew and his family are happily ensconced. And so, on the spur of the moment, we decided to drop in on Stephen and Jessie and the boys, just to say, “Hello!” We had intended to stay at a hotel in San Luis Obispo or Morro Bay, but they wouldn't hear of it, even though they were preparing to leave for a weekend camping trip. Yes, we really do have that kind of family. Are we blessed, or what? Steve and Jessie are very environmentally minded, and Steve has built an addition to their home that's made of straw bales. It's an all-purpose room with study areas, couches, and the guest quarters. The thickness of the walls surprised me, as did the smooth stucco covering. The windows are set deep into the walls, so the windowsills act as shelves, with plenty of room for knick knacks or pictures. Jessie is working on smooth stone mosaics to cover the shelf surfaces. The room is pleasant and comfortable. I was proud and impressed at their skills.

The Green Flash forming.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

We arrived just in time to rush up to the state park, leave our vehicles, and admire the beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean. As the sun dipped, we saw “The Green Flash!” Wow! Not just any green flash, either, but a huge one! It was the first time I'd ever seen this environmental phenomon happen, and how special to share it with Steve's little boys. All of us held our breaths for a moment. It was so unexpected and wonderful and thrilling.

Steve and Jessie at Sylvester's
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

What could we do after that but go to their favorite burger joint to celebrate? Sylvester's serves up a fantastic burger. If you don't like the Hearst Ranch beef, you can try the elk or buffalo or turkey or chicken or black bean or veggie or...well, just check out the menu on the link. They have a couple of locations, but the one in Los Osos is the original. There are lots of entertaining “customer birthday” photographs on the walls and ceiling. The restaurant is casual, and the staff is friendly. Los Osos seems like it would be a relaxed place to live. Well, once the city is all finished tearing up the whole place to put in the sewer system, anyway!

View of the sandspit, Morro Bay, from Los Osos
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

California Dreamin' - Touring the Midway

USS Midway
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

The drive to San Diego was gorgeous. Spectacular sunshine. Blue ocean. Great conversation. Reggie had taken a day off from work to be with us, which was an unexpected and special treat.

As Dave drove south on the San Diego Freeway, we passed right through Camp Pendleton. The marines were apparently going to have some fun, as there were tanks racing along on the dirt roads and sandy dunes on both sides of the freeway. Camp Pendleton seemingly goes on for miles, and what a location! But I'm sure if you're stationed there, it isn't the paradise it appears to be, nestled as it is between the hills and the beach.

It was going to be a military kind of day. We were on our way to San Diego harbor to tour the USS Midway, one of the many aircraft carriers that are now museums. There's one by where we live in the San Francisco area, too, and there'll be more on that in a later post.

Watch your step!
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

The Midway museum is impressive, with excellent renovation of not only the ship but also the airplanes. There's a self-tour that we took, and you have earphones so you can hear a presentation at each numbered station. I found it all very interesting, even fascinating. When you see a carrier pull into port, deck lined with sailors wearing their dixie cups at a jaunty angle, you don't realize the conditions they work under. The complete lack of privacy. The noise. The danger, too, and not just from the enemy. The work itself presents all kinds of opportunities for lost limbs, eyes, and heads. Be sure to duck when going down the “ladders,” or you'll quickly discover that sailors don't have headaches only because they were in port the night before!

Don't pay any attention to the recommendation to devote two or three hours to the tour. That's enough if you race through, don't read any of the signs, don't pause to imagine at any of the stations, don't have conversations with docents, don't try the flight simulators (ever wonder what it's like to land on a carrier?), don't stop at the gedunk (snack bar), and don't go back to take one more picture. It's a better idea to devote the entire afternoon, if not the whole day.

Cozy!
Photo by Chris.
All rights reserved.

Here are there, there are mannequins (some of them animatronic) in position at work stations. This gives the sometimes eerie illusion that you are not alone. Don't think about it too much. The situation rooms are designed to help you experience what it would be like to attend a briefing or debriefing. Those of you who have experienced real life on a carrier might not want to be reminded of it too realistically, but it helped me to understand what daily life in intense situations might have been like for the men on the Midway and other ships like it. Thank you for your service, guys.

Much better.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The enlisted men's bunk rooms were a revelation. One can only imagine the steamy stench emanating from the sardine-like quarters occupied by young guys who might be too tired or busy after a hard shift doing dirty work to shower on a regular basis. Okay, don't think about that too much, either. The officer's quarters were much roomier and nicer, but it isn't as though there was any space to waste there, either. I am thinking it would be better to be an officer than to be an enlisted person.

The galley (kitchen) was impressive. Reggie and I were both intrigued by all the equipment, the ovens, the massive mixers. Food (such as it is) for thousands of people is prepared in the galley on a fairly constant basis each and every day. I am thinking it might be fun to tour the galley on the next cruise ship I board. Anyway, I had visions of peeling, slicing, and dicing bushels of potatoes and carrots and onions. Somehow, that made the job much less glamorous to me. But perhaps it's your cup of tea. More power to you.

Not the enlisted silverware.
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

The mess hall (dining room) for the enlisted personnel was like a school cafeteria and very utilitarian, whereas the mess hall for the officers was like a restaurant. Not a five-star restaurant, mind you. But maybe so by comparison. There's a beautifully appointed table-for-one in the corner. It's the MIA/POW table. Sobering.

Harry and I, visiting the brig...
Photo by Dave. All rights reserved.

We visited the brig and the laundry (That must have been a hot, unpleasant job) and the sick bay and the surgical center and the dental clinic...all the things that make the carrier like a city on the high seas, the center of the group of ships headed off on a mission somewhere far away from home. And all of that was before we went out on the flight deck and up into the tower. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes when you go. It's quite an experience, and I recommend it. We decided to visit the Hornet upon our return to the Bay Area.

"Hotel del"
Photo by Chris. All rights reserved.

One of the things I'd never done while in San Diego was to go to Coronado. I know it's hard to believe, but there you have it. Specifically, I wanted to see the Hotel del Coronado, that storied place on the beach that oozes romance and history and elegance. Instantly recognizable, it is a place where I'd like to spend a long, luxurious weekend someday. Hint. The tide was low, the beach was wide, the waves were curling, the sun was setting over the Pacific. It was a moment to fill the senses. Breathe in. Breathe out slowly. Feel the stress leaving your body. Ahhhh....

The four of us. What a great day!
Photo by the docent. All rights reserved.