OCTOBER 15, 2008

A visit with the fishes.

Before starting my drive home, I stopped to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Included with the displays & information about life in the waters of Monterey Bay, there were also live shore birds & furry otters. The aquarium is a colorful & fascinating place to visit. Later on, I stopped in San Juan Bautista to visit the mission. The mission is located on a large grassy plaza which is surrounded by various historical buildings. On a geological note: 50 feet to the east of the mission church lies a portion of the San Andreas fault. I concluded my visit at the mission & drove home.

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Route map of the last three days.
October 13 to 15, 2008.
Palmdale, CA. to Tracy, CA.

Monterey, CA.
Cannery Row

Monterey, CA.
Cannery Row

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Entrance building.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Kelp exhibit.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
A school of small fish.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Little quakers.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Sea life as found on the harbor piers.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Shore bird #22.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Jelly fish.
Without the dramatic lighting they are almost invisible.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Furry
Blurry
Otters.
Too active to capture their image.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Watching humans, watching fish.

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The building blends in with "Cannery Row".

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
A view of the Bay.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
The Mission & plaza.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
The Mission church.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
The mission.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
A view of the Plaza Hall as seen from the mission.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
The Plaza Hotel.

El Camino Real (Avenue of the Kings) Mission bell.

Bells like this were placed along the "El Camino" in 1906 to mark the route connecting the California Spanish Missions. I remember seeing them when I was much younger. The "El Camino" ran through San Carlos, CA. near where I lived. Most of them are gone now.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
San Andreas fault plaque.

San Juan Bautista, CA.
San Andreas Fault.

OCTOBER 14, 2008

By the Sea.

What a beautiful day! Perfect for a drive along the Pacific coast. There was plenty to see. The blue ocean on the left & the rugged golden mountains to the right. While I loved the twisted coastal Hwy 1 along the Big Sur area, I did not like the several stops for road maintenance. It’s important, the wet season is coming soon, a severe storm can often wipe out sections of this road. I like spirited driving on these twisted roads & I can get annoyed with some slow drivers. For example the guy from Mississippi who rode his brakes while I was behind him. The odor of hot brakes remained in my car long after I passed him. I there aren’t many mountain roads in his part of the country. I ended my drive in Monterey, CA. I took an afternoon walk to the harbor after I checked in to my motel.

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Route map of the last three days.
October 12 to 14, 2008.
Needles, CA to Monterey, CA.

San Luis Opispo, CA.
Historical Museum.

San Luis Opispo, CA.
The old mission church.

San Luis Opispo, CA.
The old mission church.

San Luis Obipo, CA.
Old buiding near the mission.

Morro Rock

Morro Bay
Art Deco Building.

A misty view of the Pacific Ocean near San Simeon.

Sea gull & ocean foam.

Waves crashing on a rock.

Light house near San Simeon.

Near San Simeon, a rare straight section of Hwy 1.

Big Sur.
The Pacific Ocean.

Big Sur.
Hwy 1 hugging the mountains.

Big Sur traffic stopped for road maintenance.

Carmel, CA.
The old mission church.

Monterey, CA
Golden State Theatre.

Monterey, CA
Plaza fountain.

Monterey, CA
The harbor.

Monterey, CA
Old Fisherman's Wharf.

Monterey, CA
Seals & Sea Gulls.

Monterey, CA
Old Fisherman's Wharf.

Monterey, CA
Cannery Row.

Monterey, CA
The old Customs House, 1827.

Monterey, CA.
Pelicans on the rocks.