My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew came rolling into San Fran to pick us up in their RV. We jumped in and set out along the coast. We stopped in Monterey to visit its famous aquarium. It is one of the only aquariums in the world to have yellow and blue fin tuna on display. Our next stop was Hearst Castle. There is so much to say about that place. It was designed by the San Francisco based architect Julia Morgan between 1919 and 1947 for William Hearst. At first he named the house “La Cuesta Encantada” or “The Enchanted Hill”, yet most of the time he lovingly referred to it as the ranch.
William Hearst’s father had struck it rich with silver in the late 1800’s. He bought huge pieces of land along California’s central coast for cattle ranching. His son, William, grew up loving the terrain of the area. When he was 10, his mother took him on a year and a half grand tour of Europe. The trip left a lasting impression on him. After his parents’ deaths, he began building his dream home on top of the hill from his childhood overlooking the beautiful California coastline. He wanted the house to incorporate the architectural designs he had seen in Europe. The house represents one of the greatest collections of art and architecture ever owned by a private individual.
Next up was San Luis Obispo. We checked out Calpoly (a place I have had interest in for graduate school) and ate some local cuisine. The next day we drove past the famous golf course Pebble Beach and along the 17 mile drive. Our last stop before reaching their house in Orange County was a winery for a tasting of Californian wine.
What a cool state. California has deserts, mountains, forests, lots of national parks, cultural cities, and thousands of miles of coastline. C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A!
William Hearst’s father had struck it rich with silver in the late 1800’s. He bought huge pieces of land along California’s central coast for cattle ranching. His son, William, grew up loving the terrain of the area. When he was 10, his mother took him on a year and a half grand tour of Europe. The trip left a lasting impression on him. After his parents’ deaths, he began building his dream home on top of the hill from his childhood overlooking the beautiful California coastline. He wanted the house to incorporate the architectural designs he had seen in Europe. The house represents one of the greatest collections of art and architecture ever owned by a private individual.
Next up was San Luis Obispo. We checked out Calpoly (a place I have had interest in for graduate school) and ate some local cuisine. The next day we drove past the famous golf course Pebble Beach and along the 17 mile drive. Our last stop before reaching their house in Orange County was a winery for a tasting of Californian wine.
What a cool state. California has deserts, mountains, forests, lots of national parks, cultural cities, and thousands of miles of coastline. C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A!
