Coming full circle

We said goodbye to Monterey around 9 and drove the 100 miles or so back to San Francisco airport, hugging the coast as far as Santa Cruz. With its fields and fields of strawberries, a artichokes and Brussels sprouts, no lees, nd then due north to San Francisco International airport.  We picked up the hire car some 2 and a half weeks ago, and now there is just over 2500 miles on the clock. It has been a great 3 and a half weeks and we are sad to say goodbye to California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada and all the wonderful sights we have seen. We will post more photos of animals and birds we have come across, add in some videos, and maybe improve on the pictures but for the moment Adieu! 

Monterey

2 nights in the same place felt a little luxurious after our 2 nights on the move. The Travelodge even did us a nice breakfast. We headed off to Lovers Point looking for sea otters, and we found them! 2 were playing and eating just offshore. Really lovely creatures. There was also this delightful bronze statue in the Park.

 

On then to join the 17 Mile Scenic Drive, a private road going around the coast of the Monterey Peninsular, taking in lovely links golf  courses and a rocky coastline, with pelicans and sea lions aplenty. 

This is actually the back tee...

..for this hole.

This island is covered in.....          

..sea lions! How did they get up so high?

We drove past many golf courses until we got to the famous one, Pebble Beech. It is a public course, but at 750 dollars a round we thought we'd give it a miss! The club house, the Lodge was open to us as well, and we enjoyed a drink on the patio looking down onto the 18th Fairway. 

We strolled down later to have a closer look, and a chat to the steward keeping watch. The golfers we saw weren't so impressive! 

In the afternoon we headed for the Monterey Aquarium, which has a very good reputation. It isn't very big and they do not keep huge sea mammals. They have 4 female otters, and a selection of penguins but the rest were fascinating tanks of sea urchins, sea horses, jelly fish and fish.

   

   

And finally a stroll into town in the evening and dinner at the very good and buzzing Alvarado Street Brewery and Grill.     

   

 

 

Big Sur and Monterey

We stayed the night at beautiful Big Sur Lodge, in our little cabin in the woods, complete with a fireplace and logs - sadly far too hot to put it on! The other thing that was sad was that the State Park was mostly closed, due to the fires raging in the mountains.  

Breakfast 

A quick move of the car and a view of the ash falling all around us from the fires...      

..and then to the check in car park and here were a few deer waiting for us...

We walked the Buzzard Roost walk through some coastal redwoods. Not as big as the ones we didn't see in Yosemite because of their location, but these trees are still pretty impressive,made spite having had a large fire in December 2013.              

   

The view from the top allowed us to watch the helicopters buzzing back and forth to dump water on the fires

               

               

Dangerous work

 

Back in the car we drove on to Carmel-by-the-sea where Clint Eastwood was mayor for a time. Had a brief stop for a picnic lunch, but it was foggy and we decided to abandon our plan to do the 17 Mile Scenic Drive and head instead for the hotel. A Travelodge with access directly to the pool from our room. So for the very first time this holiday we donned our swim suits and spent the rest if the afternoon by the pool!           

         

         

A longish stroll into town to Fishermans Wharf for dinner, and an Uber home.

 

 

 

Hearst Castle and Big Sur

Up as early as we could, NOT taking the joke for a breakfast that the Sea Garden Motel offered, and heading for Hearst Castle, home of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who died in 1951. Still unfinished despite his 29 years of building, it has been left as he last worked on it. What a place! 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

                 

               

               

               

 

             

             

 

           

           

 

After the 5 hours of Wow we headed north again dropping past a few elephants seals asleep on the beach on the way....

       

       

 

And then onto Big Sur and a fantastic drive along the ocean edge...    

...and finally to Nepenthe, a much recommended restaurant with a view over the Pacific for a great end to the day (although sadly the fires raging in the mountains added colour to the sunset)