Beyond the quirkiness of San Francesco and the epic landscape of Yosemite, Maria Chiara and I had a few days to experience other parts of Northern California: four world famous wine regions and a drive down California's famous Pacific Coast, along the appropriately named "Highway One". America is brilliant - where even driving on the motorway is a cultural experience. We drove south through Silicon Valley towards San Jose, all part of the vast conurbation of the Bay area, the freeway was six lanes wide at times and we were forever passing through spaghetti junctions. Cool!!! Eventually we left the city behind, drove over a mountain, through a forest and hit the coast at Santa Cruz. This beach town is a complete antidote to Riviera-style pretentiousness. With the Pacific Ocean and towering palm trees on one
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