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| Hwy 1 |
I’m back. Again. I just get so caught up in all there is to do in these new locations that I forget to record my fun! When I last wrote, I had finished my assignment in LA and was headed north to Monterey, California. Little did I know, I was about to embark on the most beautiful I drive I will probably ever take (and by drive, I mean sit in awe of my surroundings in the passenger seat while my dad drove).
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| Solvang |
My dad flew out to meet me in LA and make the drive up Highway 1. It was a few hours longer than the direct route, but I’m not here to take the fastest route, I’m in this for the experience! We drove through Brentwood and Malibu and stopped at the Santa Barbara Wharf for lunch. We veered slightly off course to experience Solvang, which was settled as a Danish colony and seems to have changed very little from that time, windmills and all. Somehow we made the best turn we could have possibly made as dusk started to fall and stumbled upon the absolute most charming area that California has to offer. If you’ve never heard of Cambria I need you to drop what you are doing and book a trip. And a rental car because there is literally nothing around here but the most adorable love-story-style inns and family-owned shops. We stayed at Sand Pebbles Inn. Yep, it’s as cute as it sounds, real key and all. All of the inns look out over an incredible rocky coastline, and it was while we were walking from the one restaurant in the area, that I realized I hadn’t seen the stars in a good six months – I forgot about them. The rediscovery was a magnificent start to another unforgettable journey.
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| Cambria |
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Roman Pool
Hearst Castle |
The next day, we explored Hearst Castle, whose grounds and views are as astonishing as the buildings themselves. One thing I wish I were better at is conveying the beauty that I see almost daily. I can only say “amazing” or “beautiful” or “astonishing” so many times, I need stronger words! Maybe I’ll test out “amazeballs” or create “astonishificent.” I’ll keep you posted.
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| Pebble Beach 18th Hole |
Next up was San Simeon and the stinky cool elephant seals and after that we made it to the fairytale neighborhood of Carmel-by-Sea.
Pebble Beach and 17-Mile Drive were next on the list and I felt pretty fancy checking it out. Then it was time to return Dad to the real world, which involved a trip to San Francisco. Which, if you haven’t been, is a whole different world. The streets seem like they are at 90 degree angles and the houses look like paintings. No wonder the Tanner Family loved it there.
From the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, the Painted Ladies, Alcatraz, the cable cars, and Haight Ashbury, I would never be able to choose a favorite. We may not have much history compared to some other countries, but America has packed some seriously cool stuff into the short time we’ve been around.
Next up was San Simeon and the stinky cool elephant seals and after that we made it to the fairytale neighborhood of Carmel-by-Sea. Pebble Beach and 17-Mile Drive were next on the list and I felt pretty fancy checking it out. Then it was time to return Dad to the real world, which involved a trip to San Francisco. Which, if you haven’t been, is a whole different world. The streets seem like they are at 90 degree angles and the houses look like paintings. No wonder the Tanner Family loved it there. From the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, the Painted Ladies, Alcatraz, the cable cars, and Haight Ashbury, I would never be able to choose a favorite. We may not have much history compared to some other countries, but America has packed some seriously cool stuff into the short time we’ve been around.
