California Dreaming

The reality of this blog situation is that I rarely (ok, never) actually get photos printed.  I have great intentions, but in this modern era, many of our family memories are lost with the passing of a phone or computer.  So this blog, and perhaps my social media accounts, are what has proven to be the most lasting photographic record for my family.  This is my family photo album.

Jeremiah and I just returned from a trip to CA.  We started in San Diego where he attended a work related conference.  We managed a bit of sightseeing there.  Following are pictures from the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier in service from 1945 to 1992.

 The ready room for pilots heading off on missions.  

 The enlisted men bunks.  Space was tight for 4,500 men.  Jeremiah couldn't stand upright anywhere below deck.  

We left San Diego and started our trip up to big Sur.  We stopped in Santa Ana  at Tacoria Zamorana, a taco shack Jeremiah frequented as a missionary.  We ate at a bunch of fancy places on our trip, but this was Jeremiah's favorite meal.

 We had breakfast one day in Morro Bay.  Creme Brulee french toast was amazing.

We stopped to see Hearst Castle.  I think of William Hearst as the original Hollywood mogul.  It was a strange tacky place filled with medieval art brought from Europe.  The place seems silly when you compare it to one of it's contemporaries like Falling Water.  The location was amazing, far up on a hill overlooking the Pacific.  The area still has wild packs of roaming zebras descended from Hearst's private zoo collection.

 It was interesting to see.  Also consider on the blessed and happy state of those cows living on the grounds.

 We arrived at our resort Ventana in big Sur.  Jeremiah always finds us amazing places, but this quickly surpassed any other resort where we've stayed.  When we arrived the valet met us at the car, addressing Jeremiah by name.  At check in they had us sit in comfy chairs by the fire while they explained the resort and then gave us a tour.  The resort has only 50 rooms, and because Californians apparently find temperatures in the 50's to be intolerable, it was at 1/3 occupancy.   The natives were all wrapped in winter coats and scarves and making fires everywhere.  I didn't mind pretending it was winter and cozying up to a fire at night myself.  Jer found this resort on hotwire, and most of the other guests seemed likely to have done the same.  They were in our demographic, and wandering around the resort with a look that asked, "Did they really let us in here?"

 These Japanese hot baths and the accompanying mountain pool were clothing optional as it was explained to us.  We kept worrying if we were going to run into any nuddies, but no.  I think the other guests felt similarly.

 We hiked among the redwoods.

 We saw the seals at China cove.

 It wasn't always sunny and beautiful, but the fog had it's own loveliness.

 We stopped at the Steinbeck museum in Salinas and saw his camper from one of my favorite books, Travels With Charley.

And the skies bid us farewell in lovely fashion.