Sorry about yesterday! The motel we checked into in Monterey did have an internet connection, but the laptop refused to be a part of it. Fortunately we have the facility back today.
So we left Los Angeles on the most beautiful day. There was little evidence of the smog that had been hanging around since our arrival. It was very warm day with the most bluest (is that a word?) of skies which made it an absolutely awesome day to be travelling up the coast road on the way to San Francisco. The weather is apparently unseasonably warm with record temperatures being set. Not that I would understand this...because I am stuffed if I can figure out the whole Fahrenheit thing. Me trying to figure out temperatures, mileage (versus kilometres) and time differences; is like trying to get Schultz to complete an algebra equation. *holds up stupid sign*
We travelled the coast road through Bel Air and Malibu. They were just WOW! Especially Malibu. Wow. Just stunning. It was hard not to sing the theme song to “Two and a Half Men”...so I just went with the overwhelming urge...and sung it. The backdrop to the ocean and the homes was a very dry, rocky, baron hillside which was a total contrast to the beach houses that lined the absolutely gorgeous beach. The palms there were less scary (yes...less scary) than those that are prominent in Los Angeles. I guess I haven’t told you about the scary palms? And that’s palms which sway in the breeze...not the thing on the inside of your hand.
Los Angeles has palm trees absolutely everywhere. These palms are native to California and were planted in L.A in the 1920’s and 1930’s and are known simply as the “California Palm”. They are tall, spindly trees with a tuft of fronds right at the top. They also feature grey “beard” looking stuff which hangs down beneath the fronds. It would seem as though this is cut off the tree in some suburbs but is left on in others. I am guessing its simply because the trees get too tall. When these palms are planted together, they don’t look too bad I guess....but when they are scattered unevenly – one here, one there – they look like tall, angry men who are trying to hide their arms. There is nothing endearing about that and I am fairly sure they become alive at night and terrorise their neighbourhoods. *shudders* Scary stuff. I really need to curb my imagination.
Anyway...no more angry palms. As we passed through Malibu the Bear suddenly stopped in the middle of the highway and did a u-turn. He had spotted a large pod of dolphins (well actually I think they might have been porpoises) and they were not in a hurry to go anywhere. I took a million photos and the Bear did some video-taping. It was just lovely to watch them.
Back on the road we found ourselves getting fuel (ok...gas) at a small town called “Winchester” which is just past Santa Barbara. It was the first time we had to fill up, so I felt this was a big moment in our lives. I videotaped it (yes....I am a fair dinkum nutter) before realising I had about seven and a half seconds to make it to a ladies room. The Bear pointed it out to me, so I ambled inside to find that there was only one communal toilet. The toilet was in a large room...and it had a sign on the inside of the door suggesting that you lock the door with the slide across bolt “in order to protect your privacy”. Geeeez, no shit Sherlock! So I take my place on the throne which seemed to be in the middle of this room. I felt like a naughty kid put on display. I had not even started to tinkle when the door knob started moving. Someone was trying to open the door! I dead set nearly fell in the toilet! I didn’t know whether to suck it up; hurry up; pull them up; or finish the job at hand and be ready with a witty salutation should the door be opened and my lily-white butt be shown for the world to see. Sheer fright allowed me to “pee quick” and unfortunately I was not given the chance to say “LAPD. Raise your hands and face the wall” to the obviously desperate Mexican who I found on the other side of the door.
May I just make this random comment before I forget again – Americans have cheese on absolutely EVERYTHING.....and they put coleslaw with nearly everything. I swear I will never eat either of those food stuffs ever again.
Okies...back on the road we decided it might be a bit of a stretch to reach Carmel before dark...so we took the trip easy with the intention of just pulling into a motel when we felt like it. We could have taken a far quicker route however we had been told that the coast road was amazing. Well amazing did not describe it. It is breath takingly beautiful with the scenery outside the right hand window changing every couple of minutes...and the Pacific Ocean (which was outside the left hand window)...was just stunning. The coast road goes in twists and turns as it climbs its way up the cliffs. This would normally have bothered me however I was snapping anything and everything with my camera. Still on the coast road (route 1) we passed Hearst’s Castle; stopped in the middle of nowhere to watch some sea lions; and made our way around the rocky cliffs with the intention of at least getting to “Big Sur” before dark. Big Sur is actually a part of the Santa Lucia Mountains which arise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. Big Sur means “the big south” in Spanish....and is nothing short of spectacular.
In the late afternoon ass we continued to negotiate the roads around Big Sur, I asked the Bear if we could stop so that I could take a photo of the sun setting over the water. I had only had the opportunity to see this once before (in Perth) however I stupidly closed my eyes at the moment in question, so that I could see if I would “hear” the sun hitting the water. Yes...for an intelligent person I sometimes have precious little upstairs. We stopped for a couple of minutes...I took a thousand photos...and we were on our way again. Driving through the last parts of Big Sur we figured we would to get to Carmel after all given that we weren’t too short of our target, and because there didn’t appear to be many places to stay at Big Sur. This was one of the few nights that we hadn’t pre-booked accommodation. The day was long.....and we were just keen to find somewhere and get to bed.
In the dark we saw a little bit of signage for Carmel but it was few and far between. I am night blind so I can offer very little in the way of directions unless I make them up. After a while it became obvious that we had passed any turn that there was to Carmel and the next exit off the highway would be at Monterey. Not to worry....we figured we would stay in Monterey the night and check out Carmel tomorrow. So it was off to Monterey!
This morning we woke up to a brilliant sun rise...with a view to die for. There was mist hanging around over the beach (a little like what it does to the bridge in San Francisco), the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the buildings were simply quaint. We checked out of our motel and took a drive to have some breakfast. We found an awesome cafe right on the pier which served fantastic food and provided fantastic service. I had a single pancake....which was larger than a hub cap (I kid you not...and I only ate about a third of it) and the Bear had a 3 egg omelette with spinach, cheese etc which looked mighty fine. As we sat there, we thought we could hear some sea lions.
After breakfast we went in search of whatever was making the noise and we came across several hundred sea lions sun baking on the large rocky pier. There was a metal fence that I was looking through and we could literally bend down and touch them. I was fascinated by their behaviour....which is not dissimilar to my son at home; they fought and growled, they stunk, and their teeth needed a good clean. On the bright side they obviously loved each other and lay all over one another. They growled and communicated just like Schultz and Ella! They were just beautiful! It made me seriously miss my dogs!
Anyway my lessons learned in the past 24 hours are as follows:
• Marriott Hotels do not have kettles in the rooms. They prefer to think that their coffee machines will cater nicely. I am curious to know why everyone here will drink pigs-swill because it sure tastes like something you would expect to use to strip wallpaper from the walls.
• Some Marriott’s here do not even have bar fridges in the rooms.
• Americans do not understand us. No amount of trying will get them to actually hear the sound. Most wont guess where we are from (dang it....I would have soooooooooo much fun with that!)
• Daylight savings (which ended in California yesterday) totally screws with tourists who are struggling to understand the times zones. This might only be another hour but it totally did my head in.
• Snickerdoodles go softer after the packet has been opened. No-one likes a soft Snickerdoodle.
Back on the road again today heading for San Francisco. We dropped into Carmel which we so cleverly missed last night – and found a very, pretty “village” with a beautiful beach, trees lining the streets and flowers hanging in baskets.....and a stack pretentious old people whose arrogance totally outweighed the beauty of this town. We were glad we had met the nicer people of Monterey and the beautiful African American people that were at Crenshaw a couple of days ago. So quicker than you could say "Go ahead. Make my day" we were outta there! I would have loved to hang around and assess how many people wearing heels did NOT have a permit (it is a legal requirement in Carmel) however it was more important to get back on the road.
We decided we had enough delays and made a genuine effort to make a beeline for San Francisco. The trip was uneventful although I still managed to take photos of absolutely anything. We stumbled across San Jose which was like an oasis in the middle of a moonscape... If anyone asks “Do you know the way to San Jose” I will have to say no...because in this land of a million signs....there was very little to announce San Jose. No wonder the question is asked in a song!
Finally we reached San Francisco. What an absolutely glorious city! It is just stunning! I was snapping madly away....when the Bear told me to keep my eyes peeled for the Golden Gate Bridge. A bridge came into view and he exclaims...”there it is!”.....”ummmm...no its not!” He had pointed out the Bay Bridge. We continue. A bridge came into view. “Now! There it is!”....”ummmm or is it the same bridge?”. He thinks for a minute and asks “does that Bridge look new to you?” B Bear....as if I could tell a bridge from a taco at this point in time. Which person in this car was just coming into San Fran for the first time in their life? *mentally shoots hand up* We drive further towards our destination, and the Bear is desperately trying to figure out if the bridge we could see...was the Golden Gate. The Bear found out that the bridge we could see was the Bay Bridge....and we were yet to see the Golden Gate. From all accounts, it sounded like we had lost a bridge...and I got the giggles. We arrived at our destination (minus seeing the darned bridge) and walked in to check in...with a person who I believe could be rather flamboyant....not that there is anything wrong with that.
Tomorrow we go to Alcatraz and will be crossing the Golden Gate Bridge once we find it...so that I can meet one of the challenges my daughter gave me. It should be a great day!
