DAY 6
High Temps in the upper 60's
here in Monterey California
(map of just of some of the places we saw while visiting the Castle)
Today was a pretty nice and leisurely day spent strolling up the PCH while taking the scenic route - and along the way, we made a few stops w/the first one being the Hearst Castle 'compound' (imo).
And along the way, it was soooooo nice to slowly wake up while finishing nibbling on the just a tab bit over a pound of assorted chocolates with partaking in some much needed OJ and muffins......and dare I say OJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJOJ?
Took me a bit but YYESSSS, I did wake up. I tell ya, without me being fully awake, I seem to act just a weeeee bit Goffier than Goofy; just a little FYI.
Anywho -
About Hearst Castle -
It is sitting high on a hill overlooking San Simeon, this private castle was once the home of media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Very nice estate as I really felt emotionally overpowered by the overall granduer of the place:
and to think, I feel that the places we saw only barely scratches the surfaace as to what all he had built. Overall, IMHO - "A MUST DO."
:
The Tour Guide ROCKED!! and so did the Visitor's Center - very well organized.
We saw 4 rooms from the "Grand Room" tour. Afterwards, (on own your own time), we toured the lavish pools,
The pool (the indoor one)
and -
(the architechure of the place is just jaw-dropping) -
... gardens, etc. There is an indoor Roman pool, a theater (The theatres faces on the Romanesque figures inside have no relavancy to Hearst's past unlike 'that DISney theatre in NYC' whose 1 individual face on of the areas DOES in relation back to Hearst; FYI) and while there, we even saw the remnants of his private zoo.
LUVED THE 'REC ROOM"
FYI & FROM THE DIGCHA KNOW FILE:
That it costs approx. $30,000
a day to fully and properly maintain Hearst Castle - OUCH!!
ANYWHO -
and the "Great Hall" - took my breath away!
Now of course, what's a tour without checking out the food that's being offered there - so ya know me....I just had to 'check out' the fudge they have for sale there = YUM!!
So with a belly full of food & drink,
we all slowly made our way back to the motorcoach & headed on back up the coast -
- chilled out for a bit while checking out the Sea Lions -
(FYI - there is a coin operated telescope at the motorcoach stop u can use to see them upclose if ya want)
and the "Lone Cypress Tree"
(saw this while visiting "17-Mile Drive" in the Pebble Beach area...pretty nice and relaxing drive IMHO)
On the way to San Fran, Justine (our Tour Director), read to us some info about the Golden days of San Fran that just left all of us in stitches -
** JUST DOUBLE CLICK OVER THE ABOVE VIDEO & IT WILL PLAY 4 U **
** Thank you Justine....you really helped to bridge this vacation into one incredible adventure **
Very interesting to see them (the Sea lions) frolic in the waters like that tho I do add if that's their mating call......WHOAH!!
ANYHWO -
Then headed onto a pretty sleepy but cool looking town of Monterey around 4:45pm. Love the look and feel of the place and really felt right at home with her as we headed out to a nice Seafood restaurant;
Very accomidaing place when it comes to ordering any food & drink from their menu -
LUV SO CAL'S CLAM CHOWDER!! YYUUMM!!
(I remember from past DISboards readings to eat the soup FIRST - lol )
Afterwards, I was in the process of heading back to my room when I spied some fellow travelers I had meet a few days earlier, so off I went to check out a nice Milkshake....
(that's a Cookies & Creme milkshake = YUM!!)
....at a local restaurant - (I will say it...it was a Denny's but HEY!!!! DONT LET THAT NAME FOOL YA!! WONDERFUL FOOD IMHO)-
but wait! There's more -
.........the waitress was nice and yes....COMPED me a nice big ol bowl of chicken noodle soup!!
**THANKUTHANKUTHANKU **
Headed on back to the hotel right about now & well, this here kid needs his 'beauty sleep' cuz
I got me a big day a head of me
CUZ............ GUESS WHAT?????
T.T.F.N.
&
CHEERS