Only In California - Never a dull moment !

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Living from one weekend to another while trying to surpass other rats in the race, we began to think it was time for some introspection and deep meditation. Of course, in our context, it just translates to a lot of wine, a lot of fun and basically a good old holiday.

So we had about 5 days and we just decided to see the place we’ve wanted to for a while now…California

Thunderstorm + Evening Flight = Missed connections

Thursday evening found us sitting smugly in the plane, ready to take off in time. And what do you know, a large thunderstorm decided to roll in just then. So we sat and sat and sat some more. We had a connection in Phoenix which we obviously missed and had to spend the night in an airport hotel in Phoenix which was ridiculously hot at 41 C even at midnight !

Day 1 - Soaking in San Francisco

The next morning the pilot got sick so we had to wait some more. Finally reached San Francisco at 10:30 in the morning. We chose to stay in downtown San Fran near Union Square. This is a great part of town, close to all sightseeing spots.

Let me take a moment to talk about San Fran. It is a city with a distinct character of its own, a unique flavor unlike any other place we’ve visited so far in the U.S. Firstly, walking in the city is like riding a roller coaster, it is settled on hills and no street is straight. So you’re constantly either puffing because of the steep climb (in places nearly an incline of 25%) or running down trying to break your speed. It does look really beautiful though, especially due to the bay view which is never far away.

There is a lot of art deco style housing and residential highrises are rare to spot, which could also be due to the fact that San Fran is a major seismic zone. And then there are the cable cars which run on the streets , old and expensive and always chugging along ringing a bell.

So our first stop was Embarcadero and Pier 1 - which has lovely views of the Bay Bridge. Soon we found ourselves in Pier 39 - which is really like a fun-filled fair with lots of tourists and cute little ice-cream shops and the ever present souvenirs stores. In one corner a street band was playing to which a man with a broken leg was dancing, in another a magician was playing tricks.

As we turned the corner, we could hear some animal sounds and couldn’t quite place where it was coming from. And then suddenly, bang in the middle of the harbour, right next to all these stores and milling crowds, was a colony of sea lions! we just couldn’t believe it, and stood watching them for a long time.

That spot offered us another spectacular view - of perhaps the most famous bridge in the world - the Golden Gate Bridge. Seeing it from afar wasn’t going to satisfy us, so we quickly bought tickets for a bay cruise which would take us under the bridge and around Alcatraz island. Cruising under the bridge was an indescribable experience, the strong wind and the rough waves throwing us all over the place yet we barely noticed, so mesmerized were we by the Golden Gate. This one hour cruise is an absolute must-do for anyone visiting San Fran.

After the cruise, we started walking towards the Coit Tower. I wish I could say it was a hop and a skip or a song and a dance but it was neither. It was long and winding and steep. Also breathtaking. An elevator took us to the top of the tower from where we got 360 degree views of the city. Saying that it was beautiful is stating the obvious.

From Coit Tower it was on to Lombard Street better known as the crookedest street in the world. And boy is it crooked ! Seeing the cars zig-zagging down the street was quite a sight. After all this activity, we were really exhausted and fell asleep early.

Day 2 - If I only have one ocean drive to make in my life, let it be this one.

Friday morning we rented a car and headed down the Californian coast on Route 1 towards Big Sur. This drive is very popular as one of the best ocean drives anywhere. And we were about to discover why.

Soon as we left the city behind, we were greeted by clear sunny skies and spectacular views of the Pacific. Route 1 hugs the coast most of the way and winds through high cliffs. We were stopping again and again, the views were so irresistible. We crossed Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel.

One interesting spot along the way is Point Lobos State Reserve which we spent some time in.

As we got closer to Big Sur, we kept climbing higher and higher. The road was narrow, cars were zooming past us and one hairpin bend taken wrong would mean a straight 1000 ft plunge into the mighty Pacific. Which could have been scary if only it were not so stunningly gorgeous.

We stopped at the highest point in the drive called the Hurricane point. So I got off the car (in places some very narrow spots have been created as overlook points) and the wind was so strong I just had to grab a stranger next to me. Very cautiously we stood at the edge of the cliff and took some pictures. Gingerly, holding each other and the car for support we managed to get back inside. The winds at that point were at least at a force of 60 mph. And we know this because the previous day on the cruise, when the wind was whipping us around the captain told us it was near 60 mph and it wasn’t quite as strong as Hurricane point.

So slowly we reached Big Sur which really is a tiny place in the middle of the jungle. The whole point though is in driving to Big Sur.

On the way back we stopped at Carmel-by-the-sea, a very posh little town by the ocean. One thing which struck us was how sunny the day was. Apparently, California receives an average of 311 days of sunshine a year.

After the drive we thought California should be called the Bay state. But no, that’s Massachusetts. How about the Sunshine state ? no that’s florida. Really, now !! Seriously though, the drive to Big Sur ranks right up there in the most unforgettable moments ever.

Day 3 - How drunk can you really get in the wine country ?

I haven’t spoken of all the great places we had breakfast in. Our favorite was Café Madeleine on 300 California St which had some yummy cheesecakes.

A mere 45 miles north of California is the 4th largest wine producing region in the world. Napa Valley is known for its over 400 wineries spread across a 35 mile drive. Its also known for its micro climates where basically the temperature deviates upto 20 degrees within a 20 mile radius. Which is how they’re able to produce the different types of grapes required for different wines.

One interesting winery we visited was Artesa which was on top of a hill and offered an art gallery along with the winery. So we reached the winery and Sanjit started demanding why the aerial tram wasn’t working, much to everyone’s amazement because there isn’t an aerial tram there to begin with. Obviously the wine was having an effect on him even before he started tasting it!

From Artesa we went to Sterling winery which of course is the one with the aerial tram. It was quite a special experience, the aerial tram gave us good views of the valley and on reaching the top you can take a self-guided tour of the winery with wine tasting at various spots along the way.

We saw a couple( with a small child) who got so drunk just by tastings that they were tottering and had to be escorted out of the winery. They were right before us on the aerial tram down and we were alarmed to see the drunk guy stand up in the small and rather unstable tram while it was on the move !!! Good going drunk guy !!!

On the way back, we took a long route just to drive on the Golden Gate bridge. Its nice enough obviously but they rob you on the tolls.

Day 4 - Foggy evenings and Dark (K)nights

Day 4 we had reserved for just being in San Francisco and strolling around the city. Another unique thing about the city is the fog which rolls into the bay and keeps the city rather cool. On this particular day, it was really cold with strong winds.

We wanted to see the China town of San Fran as it’s one of the biggest in the country. We bought some Chinese umbrellas and had Chinese lunch. By then the cold winds were getting unpleasant so we decided to head to a theatre and were able to get tickets for “The Dark Knight”. Full marks to Heath Ledger on a stupendous portrayal of The Joker. If anyone deserves an Oscar posthumously, it’s him.

We had been trying to catch a Californian sunset since the day we arrived but kept missing either due to not being able to time it properly or miscalculating a good location. So not ready to give up, after the movie we headed to the Golden Gate Bridge to try and catch the sunset from the bridge. The fog, however, had other plans. We reached the bridge and couldn’t even spot it because of the dense fog! So that’s something we’ve chalked up for a future California trip.

We had lovely dinner at a Basque restaurant called Piperade on Battery Street. It was recommended to us - Thank you Him, Tracy, Ma & Baba for so many great San Francisco tips!

Day 5 - We leave California kicking & screaming…

…Well not really but we absolutely did not want to leave. And with the time difference working against us this time we had to leave at 2 in the afternoon to arrive at 10:30 p.m. in Boston. Thankfully it was a direct flight so we made it back without a hitch.

As Governor Schwarzenegger would say , California - we'll be back !!

{p.s. - Don't forget to click next to view more photos on page 2}

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Photos

Picture of the trip
at Bixby Creek Bridge near Big Sur

At Hurricane Pt.
Near Big Sur

Sea Lions
At pier 39

Comments

[Baba]

The sighting of so many Sea Lions must have a great plus point of your trip. Even though I told Ma about them we didnot see them. Terrible.