Day 3: Cambria to Monterey on route 1

Early start, out of the motel around 7:15. Day is cool but sunny. Drove down the road to Redwood cafe for breakfast. Would describe it as a " Ma and pa" establishment,  Had a few locals eating , but what was interesting was their familiarity with the waitress ( on first name basis, the conversations went something like this; local " you got new nails? I like the colour". Waitress:" got them a week ago and thanks"). They knew each other's business.  We then drove about 15 miles up the coast to Hearst Castle, had a 9 am tour booked. The tour was off the " casa grande" or grand tour of the main rooms I.e the living or entertainment room, the banquet room and the smoking or Ballard room plus the movie theater. The place was full of 15 and 16th Century artifacts ( European) from Italy, Spain and Persia. After the tour we were free to wander around outside. So we did. Looked at the Neptune pool ( Greek or Roman architecture). The pool was drained as repairs were underway. I will dedicate a whole page to this later on.

From the castle's visitor centre we drove down to the beach to San Simeon. Consists of a few houses (all built around the mid 1800's). One the general store was still operating and had been in the same family since 1919! Walked out to the end of the wharf, good swell coming in and a few men fishing off it. Headed further north on rate 1 to see a colony? Of sea elephants. Really busy place, wall to wall animals, big males, smaller females and their young. Also a lot of humans watching them. It was well organised with 3 or 4 guides/ watchers giving the general masses information. I figure if the sea elephants are here so are the white pointers.

Now it was a slow windy drive up rite 1 to Monterey. Spectacular scenery , lot of traffic, but thankfully no large trucks! Also, lots of road works. Finally made Monterey  around 3:30. Pleased to say my navigator worked well and we found our motel very easily - Cannery row inn.

Checked in, then went for a walk along cannery row, made famous by the author John Steinbeck. In his prize winning novel " Cannery Row". Actually cannery row got its name from the factories that canned sardines which were caught off the coast in great numbers. So great in fact that the fishing stock collapsed in the 1950's. Now it's a tourist trap of souvenirs , food outlets, large hotels and the aquarium .

What was interesting were the number of different migrant groups that serviced cannery row. First there was the Japanese ( one man in particular being responsible ), then came the Sicilians, Philippinoes etc - a real melting pot.

After walking around, using the local walkway, which ran along the shoreline we headed out for dinner. Must mentioned while walking we saw sea otters and a harbour seal. Lynley thought she saw Pelicans as well.

Dinner was at Buba Gumps ( from the movie Forrest Gump). Great selection of sea food all southern style, all deep fried or grilled. After 3 days off no sweet food I gave in - had a bread pudding, on the pretense of sharing it with Lynley. She left me stranded, had to leave half behind.

So that was our day. Tomorrow we head inland into the foothills of the Sierras to Diamond Springs to catch up friends Stan and June plus meet up with Regan and Kerry ( who are currently in Yosemite).