Monterey

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My first night in the B&B I was glad to find that I had slept deeply and well, all the time serenaded by a frog out the window who lives in the lovely little water feature my hosts have created on the corner of their home. A little pond that just happens to be right outside my bedroom window.

I woke to a cool morning fog that opened to beautiful sunshine. I took a walk/run over the hills next to the house only to find beautiful calla lily farms! Further exploration brought me to the Elkhorn Berry Farm - I don't know what kind of berries - there were just starting to green up into little buds. They were either raspberry or blackberry, maybe.

It was a slow, easy start to the day with great coffee and a ymmmy granola cereal with almond milk. As a friend one said, and I love to think about, I let the day gently unfold.

I finally got off to the Monterey Bay Aquarium at 11:30. Among the other things, jellies and sea dragons! Such a great aquarium. It was pretty cool to see the historic boilers - it wasn't until I saw them as part of the exhibits that I realized that the aquarium is actually built inside an old cannery. The entire road has maintained a sense of the charm and history of the period - complete with the old cannery names on buildings and the bridges across the road. I also go to see the area made famous by Steinbeck's novel, "Cannery Row" - and the marine lab of the real life "Doc" - Ed Rickets. It really inspired me to read "Between Pacific Tides" someday.



When talking with mom for a bit while standing out on one of the outside view points, I noticed quite a few sea otters floating out in the kelp. So, this meant a walk back to the car for a bigger lens before walking the trial along the estuary. This meant more harbor seals and sea otters galore!!!

Back to the B&B safe and sound - serenaded by the chanting of our hosts and the frog out side my window before bedtime.

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