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So I left LA when it started to snow. Can't believe it actually happened while I am here!!! - thought it was a fallacy/ a rumour used to signify the impossible being possible in films (see LA Story & Crash) but there you go - miracles DO happen.
So... I set out with my music playing loudly and drove up PCH1 -that's the Pacific Highway for you Aussies.. It has been an amazing experience.
Took two days of casual cruising and blissful sight-seeing. What was memorable? - so very much.
Cruising along with a Californian Condor flying parallel to me over the shimmering, silky ice blue Pacific, watching the pods of migrating whales breeching and spouting all up the coast, quietly observing the mother elephant seals as they lazily nursed their wrinkly, black and insisitently squwarking newborn calves.
I stopped to trek up to the Chumash Cave which has paintings from what they estimate to be early 15th Century and just sat enjoying the view of the Pacific below in the crisp winter air.
Heading North I found myself inexplicably drawn to Solvang(!!), that wacky Danish town where they shot 'Sideways'. After an unfortunate incident with a paperbag in the rain when I inadvertantly got wacked in the eye (scratched cornea - not nice at all to bear) I felt compelled to follow the trusted local Doctor Horst's advice (and a few other locals who happily got involved) - thus I found myself receiving medicinal treatment to the Sunstone vineyard. Organically grown, the Merlot is loooovelly, my eye feels so much better now....fruit and vege from the Farmer's market and a homemade cherry and apply pie also made my day.
Travelling north I made it to Cambria and spent the night in a sadly 'yea olde quaint beyond belief' town. Must have been nice once.
Next day visiting and wandering the grounds of the Hearst Castle, it evoked such a strong sense of history and 20's- 30's Hollywood glamour that I was in heaven. The spectacular view down to the coastline takes your breathe away. The Neptune pool was truly awe-inspiring, but when we went inside and I saw the massive indoor pool with it's gold leaf mosaics that's when I really fell for the place - oh yes and his private cinema - I live to dream!.
Leaving there and looking for some one to 'make my day' again - I found myself in Carmel, but the once popular choice for Mayor was nowhere to be seen. Oh Clint where are you when I need you... Still I was taken by the architecture, the beach and the spectacular Cypruss planted earlier this century.
But the big STAR of the trip really was the coastline.
Driving the Big Sur and the winding curves of the narrow road with the steep precipices and massive cliff drops was simply thrilling. Pure happliness for me.
Spent a night in San Juan with the lovely and informative Ken before heading out A visit to Mr Steinbecks hometown and the museum may seem a tad tedious to some but I revelled in all info, photos, films and memorabilia of one of my favourite writers. Seems he travelled the US with a Charley too (a more animate companion than my champagne gold car- his was a poodle) so my naming stakes seem appropriate.
Then out onto the 101 highway to enter the hub bub and throng of trucks, SUVs and cars descending upon San Francisco at the fast pace of what seemed to be a medium range of 75 MILES an hour! Passed one scenario with 3 cop cars, 6 cops with guns pulled and 1 unlikely 'bad' guy hands-in-the-air pushed against his car bonnet. Must have been driving too slow!...
Well it's the weekend and I plan to enjoy this beautiful city...love to you all.
 | Currently listening:
San Francisco
By Scott McKenzie
Release date: 03 June, 1999 |
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