Yes, There Are Even More Pictures

I know, I might have went overboard with the snapshots on this particular trip, but there was just so much to see.  Anyway, here are some of the nature shots that I took at various points on our vacation.

So, that's about all.  The scenery was so beautiful; it was nice to get away from urban living.  Hope that this gave you some ideas for your next vacation.
Kisses,
Anonymous

More Pictures

So, in the previous post I gave you the breakdown of our trip, but I also wanted to share some other pictures that I took.  The following are shots from Hearst Castle, the home of old newspaper tycoon, William Randolph Hearst. 

  Unfortunately, the museum lights inside prevented me from taking many pictures, however, I did manage to snap a few, such as this one of the dining room.  

The statues that were scattered around the grounds were actually quite lifelike; original works of some of the masters of sculpture.

Did you know that the castle was never finished?  If you look to on the left side of the above picture, you'll see that the limestone facade was never completed.  Kind of weird, but the park promised to leave the house in the exact state that Mr. Hearst left it, so the construction was never finished.

Mr. Hearst collected sarcophagi, but this one is considered a fraud because some of the detailing is not as it would have been done long ago. 

Hearst also collected  ornate ceilings, and this was one of many that he stored in a warehouse before giving it a place in his home. 

The wine cellar was incredible, with so many bottles in a spacious room.  Of course, none of it is drinkable anymore, but it was still quite impressive. 

The kitchen was very high-tech for the time, complete with refrigerators and giant mixers.

The Neptune Pool is one of the more famous parts of Hearst Castle, and it was probably one of my favorite spaces.

This is the other pool, and this one's indoors.  It's quite beautiful, with the entire bottom of the pool tiled in blue and gold, but sadly, it was too dark to capture the image. 

The hillside surrounding the castle was even magnificent, with cows and (although we didn't see any) wild zebras roaming and grazing on the green grass.  There was so much to see at Hearst Castle. So much, in fact, that I took over 200 pictures.  Of course there were plenty of other great ones that didn't make this post, but overall, these really captured the beauty of a place like no other.  A place known simply as, Hearst Castle.
Kisses,
Anonymous

Up the Coast Post

Salutations Hi!  As I mentioned earlier, I went on a great trip up the California coast. 

I took this picture from our room at the first hotel we stayed at.  It was really nice there, located right on the beach in a town called San Simeon.  The town was relatively small, but it was near Hearst Castle, which was our second day's highlight.

I took this picture on the steps leading up to Hearst Castle. The mansion and grounds were incredible, although the style was rather morbid.  Did you know that Mr. Hearst collected both ceilings and sarcophagi?  Rather disgusting if you think about it.  

That same day we visited an elephant seal breeding ground, where the beach was literally covered with the creatures.  This girl was apart from the rest, with its baby near by.  It was a truly magical experience.

That night we stayed in a cabin in the redwoods and then went hiking in the morning.  I'll admit, I'm not one of those great outdoors enthusiasts, so it wasn't my cup of tea.  However, the nature was beautiful, and I'm ended up being glad that I did it.

I took this picture on the side of the road near Bixby Bridge (pictured  below).  The coastline and farmland that we passed during our drive was absolutely breathtaking, and it was nice to remember that not the entire world is made of metal and concrete. 

Apparently, this bridge is famous because it was one of the first bridges that helped to connect the California coastline. 

The last stop of our trip was in Carmel, where we stopped at the mission.  I'd only been to one other of the California missions, so it was quite interesting to see how they lived there. 

This tree sits perched above the ocean on a scenic seventeen mile drive stretching from Carmel to Monterey.  The drive costs $10, and while by the end it gets a little repetitive, it's beauty is something that can't be denied. 

Our final stop before our long and tedious drive back was at Cannery Row in Monterey, where I had some of the best clam chowder I have ever tasted. 


Overall, the trip was incredible and filled with some of the best memories (and food) a person could ask for.  See you soon!!
Kisses,
Anonymous

Big Bear Lake, California

Hi everyone!!!  So sorry for the long silence, I went on yet another California vacation (this time a road trip), and had no time to post.  I completely apologize for the lack of notice. Anyway, there is so much to talk about, I don't know where to start.  But, I thought I'd begin with the first vacation that I told you about once upon a time, Big Bear Lake, California.

This picture I snapped on the way back down the mountain.  If you look at the top you can just see the snow peeking out at you.  It was a great trip and we (my family and I that is) got the chance to go both snow-tubing and skiing.  sometime this year we are also planning to go to a different mountain and learn how to snowboard.  That should be interesting.:)

Now we're getting closer to the snow.  The scenery up there was absolutely spectacular and the town itself was cute and lively.  It had the perfect small town charm that is so rare these days, but honestly, the restaurants were some of the best.  I know that may sound hard to believe, but there was one in particular, Cowboy Express, that had one of the best steaks I have ever tasted. (If the name makes you think of a fast-food place, trust me, it's not. In fact, I would get there early or make a reservation, because that place gets completely packed) 

I took this picture while driving by the lake.  Did you know that people used to put on ice skates and have a snow-mobile drag them across the ice?  Not anymore, of course.  Actually, it's illegal to go on the lake ice because it's so thin!!  Imagine how many people fell in back then. 

Well, that's about all.  I took a ton of other photos, of course, but these ones really capture the serene nature of the mountain.  It was my first time going to Big Bear, and I think that it was an experience I'd like to have again.
Till Next Time,
Anonymous