Blogs from Carmel-By-The-Sea, California, United States, North America

Advertisement


When people are headed to Monterey, most of us really mean Carmel, or Pebble Beach. Hardly anyone goes to Monterey. Even fewer actually stay in Monterey, where the charm is definitely lacking compared to her more elegant big sisters, Carmel and Pebble Beach. Yes, Monterey is an ugly duckling of sorts, but perhaps it deserves a closer look. Monterey is home to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. It also hosts the famous Monterey Jazz Festival, known the world over. Some hidden gems include: Dennis the Menace Park, a favorite of my kids when they were younger, the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Old Monterey (downtown), and even two golf courses. Monterey also boasts many boring facts. The population is just under 30,000 ... read more
Flowers at the Inn at Spanish Bay
Wave Street Cafe breakfast


When people are headed to Monterey, most of us really mean Carmel, or Pebble Beach. Hardly anyone goes to Monterey. Even fewer actually stay in Monterey, where the charm is definitely lacking compared to her more elegant big sisters, Carmel and Pebble Beach. Yes, Monterey is an ugly duckling of sorts, but perhaps it deserves a closer look. Monterey is home to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. It also hosts the famous Monterey Jazz Festival, known the world over. Some hidden gems include: Dennis the Menace Park, a favorite of my kids when they were younger, the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Old Monterey (downtown), and even two golf courses. Monterey also boasts many boring facts. The population is just under 30,000 ... read more
The famous Lone Cypress, 17 Mile Drive
Golfing heaven


For me, I would say the biggest change is using Uber instead of cabs and buses. I still prefer public transportation whenever it is efficient, timely, and convenient. I love using the metros/subways in places like NYC, DC, Chicago, Paris, Athens, Munich, Seattle, SF Bay Area, London. I also value time over money, in most cases. Why spend half a day or more to get somewhere, when an easy one-hour flight will work, for a reasonable price. I still enjoy the train, especially in Japan and Europe. Tour guides are valuable resources when hitting a new city. They seem to know enough inside information to help me get to the "next level" of enjoyment, food, and culture. Apartments and Air BnB allow for more room, washers and dryers, even decent kitchens for some easy meals. But ... read more


This will probably be the last edition of Gerry's Travel Quotes. I am not running out of quotes, but it just seems harder to amuse myself. So, I will try to keep it light and funny, not so serious. "Your body is not a temple, it is an amusement park. Enjoy the ride" - Tony Bourdain "I have been to almost as many places as my luggage" - Bob Hope Life is not a fairytale, if you lose your shoes at midnight, you are drunk! I need six months of vacation, twice a year. Your vibe attracts your tribe. (I like this one) If you did not have a stupid story to tell, you did something terribly wrong. Airports are the only place where it is socially acceptable to drink at 8am. Or on the plane! ... read more
happy heart
very true


I answer this question in the affirmative, a big YES! From Ann Jones of Shermans Travel: A 2021 url=https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingentaconnect.com%2Fcontent%2Fcog%2Fta%2F2021%2F00000026%2F00000001%2Fart00006%3Bjsessionid%3Dyd5t63m2rmlm.x-ic-live-01&data=04%7C01%7C%7C43bec1751b294b8dc71408d94ae40c9c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637623165766983363%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=uAxGp3aM13PhXMHHOS2JxVUhzOy7tULHyb9vwHbXf6E%3D&reserved=0study in the journal of Tourism Analysis shows that frequent travelers are happier with their lives than people who don't travel at all. The study results indicate that respondents attaching personal importance to touri... read more
Happy travel
Morning vines


These might be some Monterey area facts you did not know: Fort Ord is a mecca for mountain biking with more than 83 miles of trails. Gray whales put on a show between December and April, while humpbacks and blue whales fill out the rest of the year. This year is the 50th anniversary (2017) of the famous Monterey Pop Festival. October 7 is Poodle Day here, with a parade, cocktail party, and off leash beach play. There are 94 seabird species that live in or near the bay. Largest sea bass caught here was 500 pounds. No more sardine fishing allowed until June, 2018. Thirty marine mammals live in or near the bay. An average adult humpback whale weighs 53 tons! A sea otter has a million hairs per square inch, the densest in the ... read more
The 18th green at Pebble Beach
Flowers at Spanish Bay


Amidst all the rhetoric, and political campaign BS, let's try to stick to the facts. I appreciate the Dr. Fauci and Dr. Gupta insights, along with Bill Gates with a more anthropological view. My writing professor firmly believes in starting every correspondence with an appropriate quotation. Since we are all trapped in "Ground Hog Day" mode, I shortened the period for quotes to 3 months, instead of the usual six! It will give us all something to think about and dream. "Never stop doing things for the first time" “Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “If you think adventure is dangerous try routine, it’s lethal.”– Paulo Coelho "I'm in love with places I have never been to" "Traveling — ... read more
Wanderlust
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


Here is a previous email that you might enjoy on this special day. But we will celebrate this special day quite differently, with family and friends nearby. The Easter bunny may not make an appearance. And the proverbial Easter egg hunt may turn out to be a hunt for Easter face masks! Written in 2011: As a child, I was never curious enough to ask why chicken or candy Easter eggs were delivered by a rabbit. Shouldn't the eggs be delivered by an Easter chicken? Now, I understand that rabbits multiply, and perhaps their greater number contributed to a better and more efficient distribution system. But shouldn't the poor hen get credit for her hard work in making the eggs? Truth about hares or rabbits or bunnies? The rabbit has ... read more


For one, there are no street addresses anywhere in town. This was done originally to force neighbors to meet their neighbors. So, everyone picks up their mail at the post office? And the poor FedEx or UPS driver? I guess he needs to know where every business is located on his route. Prior to Clint becoming mayor in 1986, you could not buy an ice cream in downtown Carmel. The original reason was sanitation, as nobody wants to walk on melted ice cream. High heels of a certain height may not be worn downtown. Why? The Monterey pine and cypress trees have roots that create uneven pavement. This potential hazard is a liability for the town, thus the ordinance. Did you hear that, Wendy Wood? No chain restaurants either. All sixty downtown restaurants are local in ... read more
No restaurant chains allowed
Quaint little downtown


Written in 2010, let's see how much Carmel has changed in ten years. I really miss our trips to the Monterey Peninsula area, Carmel, Pacific Grove, and Pebble Beach. Perhaps we end up going in the winter when the rates are lower, and crowds much thinner. But no matter the season or the reason, this area is definitely, quite certainly, heaven on earth, rain or shine, sun or fog. And of course, golf here is superb. Of course, staying at a dog friendly hotel like the Bay Park, allows us to bring the dark haired, scruffy, and other ruffian-like canine of ours, Buddy Budster (now we have our little Labradoo... read more
Beautiful Carmel beach
It was over 80 degrees in February!!!!
A different view of Pebble Beach Golf Links, 9th hole




Tot: 0.167s; Tpl: 0.006s; cc: 8; qc: 66; dbt: 0.078s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb