San Simeon to Monterey, California

I continue north up the coastline on route 1 north stopping at San Simeon and the Hearst Castle where I take the Grand Rooms Tour.  You have to take a guided tour to see the castle or even get to it in their tour bus which winds up a steep curvy road from the visitors center.  I expected a real town at San Simeon, but it's just a general store and a State Parks beach area although a few miles south was a cluster of hotels and a couple restaurants for tourists.  The castle is a huge attraction, everyone is crazy about the life of the super wealthy and the extravagant houses they live in.
The tour was fast paced, these tours are run one after another on a time schedule, but after the guided tour you can leisurely explore the grounds around the castle.  It seems to me that Hearst was partly genius, partly insane and partly star struck himself.  It seems to me that he built this ridiculous castle mainly as a way to meet the most interesting and famous people of the day by inviting them for a stay at his castle. On a normal day, he worked at the Castle during the day managing his empire and then made a command appearance in the evening to meet and greet his guests and have dinner in his amazing medieval dining hall.  Seating positions were organized by Hearst according to how interesting a guest you were and once he was done hearing you, you were shuffled down the table closer to the door. Probably just as well as then could meet and hang out with the other famous guests.  It was said that if you reached the end of the table, you had probably overstayed your welcome.
It’s an amazing place filled to the rafters with priceless objects, but to me a little on the tacky overdone side of good taste.
The most interesting thing to me was that the castle architect was a woman, when women were not invited into that club and she worked for Hearst for several decades.  Obviously she did a remarkable job, the Castle suffered no damage in the most recent serious earthquake.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearst_Castle

The grand entrance, have a wonderful visit

A swim in the outside pool alone ?

Clothing optional of course

Careful on the stairs

Don't strain your neck looking up at all that detail

Not too close to the roaring fire

Relax in the cushy chairs and admire the tapestry covered walls and priceless art 

Your rightful place at the dinner table

A game of pool old chap ?

A stroll through the garden

Maybe a dip in the indoor pool, the sun is bad for the skin you know

I expected a real town of San Simeon, was surprised that it was just basically a State Park Beach, a couple of houses and a historic General Store. A few miles away is a cluster of motel and hotels, a couple of restaurants and not much else.  The store is another state historical site.

I back track a few miles to spend the night along the main street in the town of Cambria.  I’m out of there by 7AM in the morning, grabbing a coffee at a convenance store and heading north on route 1 also known as Cabrillo Way.  I make a stop at a nearby scenic view point where I do my usual breakfast (when I'm good) of milk, cereal, coffee and fruit.  I have to say It was a near ultimate breakfast view.  It’s was a long twisting, turning scenic ride north with scenic viewpoints to pull off every few miles.  It’s also hard to bypass these viewpoints, they are all so good, that it takes a very long time to travel this route.  The Monterrey California coastal view is fabulous, but after a while even I was starting to think that each view was the same as the last one. I made one lengthy stop at Ragged Point where there is a restaurant, gas station and lodging.  I was looking for the Bluff Trail which I saw listed on a map and that someone had told me was especially good.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_seal

It just goes on and on like this

Elephant Seals are huge and very social

Pounding surf view

The Piedras Blanca Light Station from afar, the road was closed

There are actually not many places where you can get to the surf easily

Many places are inaccessible 

  

Monterey holds a large 4th of July parade in its central downtown area which I attended although I'm kind of disgusted by all the fake patriots these days.

Nice late 1930's police car

Amazing how almost all towns saved their old firetrucks
but not there old down building

Lots of marching was done but not much precision

This woman was the best in the parade

I'd been to Cannery Row on a previous visit to Monterrey for the aquarium but had to return to see more.  Actually there isn't much else to do except buy tacky tee shirts, souvenirs and eat.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannery_Row

The mural fits the scene

John Steinbeck's best friend Doc Ricketts is famous in Monterey

I do love the way they left the cannery building

I then visit the Monterey Presidio and the the fishing pier and harbor area. As I entered the museum the docent delighted in telling me a couple of stories.  One was about a Argentine sailor who attacked the Spanish taking control of Monterey. He ransacked the town, burned it to the ground and then left.  (readers digest version)  As I was looking at exhibits a man comes in and says to the docent, I am so glad to be here, I'm from Argentina and I want to know all about Hippolyte Bouchard.  He is a naval hero in my country !  These guys had such a conversation following this exchange, I just had to chuckle, history is amazing !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidio_of_Monterey,_California

The harbor is full, but mostly pleasure craft these days

The old fishing pier and buildings remain

The Monterey Fish Company doesn't look like much is going on

I visited the Carmel Mission in Carmel, California but since it wasn’t open and I needed cash I went first to an ATM  in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea.  In Carmel it is easy to see that there is plenty of money with exclusive clothing stores, wine tasting, real estate offices, fine coffee shops, fancy restaurants and art galleries everywhere.

Tasting rooms on every street

And many Art galleries

And really great looking bakeries

The Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo is well supported in this town of excessive wealth and rightfully so, it is a treasure.  I spent a couple of hours wandering around the grounds and looking at the exhibits.  This was the 2nd mission established in 1797.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_de_Carmelo

The classic mission architecture of the day

Most of the Missions have a similar impressive fountain

Beautifully restored interior, a lot of money has been spent on these mission restorations
to make them more earthquake proof.

A special painting and frame

Afterwards I took a ride along the coast to Point Lobos where cars were parked along the road for about a mile to gain access to the beach.  It wasn’t a nice beach day at all, in fact all day it was cloudy and cool.  Come to think of it the sun hasn’t shown itself since I’ve been here.

A scenic viewpoint near Pacific Grove

Returning to downtown Monterey I visit the Colton Hall which is the building where 48 delegates met in 1849 when California was admitted into the United States to establish the California state constitution.  It was also the first school house of Monterey.  The area surrounding it is the original Monterey and there is a history walk that identifies several historic buildings and old adobe houses.  Walking this area was very interesting and I also stumbled upon a small hidden shopping area where there was a Peet Coffee shop, a Trader Joe’s market and the Fieldwork brewpub patio and a Chipotle restaurant.  I believe I patronized every one of them. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colton_Hall

Colton Hall

They had a series of these history plaques in the sidewalk

A most embarrassing incident

There were several old Adobe buildings in the area

Old stone walls from the Spanish days

Also nearby is the Cathedral of Saint Carlos Borromeo, build in 1794, which is as historic and possibly more genuine than the mission in Carmel.  It was the original Monterey Mission that was moved to Carmel, very confusing ?   It is the oldest continually operating parish in California and the oldest stone building in California.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Monterey,_California)

It was very impressive but not open to the public

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_San_Carlos_Borromeo_(Monterey,_California)

Next stop is Santa Clara, California.