Day 31 Moss Landing - Cambria
Trip Start
May 07, 2008
1
41
205
Trip End
Nov 22, 2008
Loading Map
Cambria,
California,
United States
Friday, June 6, 2008
With us having a hire car, the Castle was having a rest, but not the travellers. We set off at an earlier time than our "usual" to take on highway 1 south bound towards Los Angeles.
The sky was a beautiful clear blue, the BUT is, the wind was very cold and quite forceful. No big deal while we are following the picturesque Coast road viewing the ocean with a lot of sea weed and many white caps rolling in towards the shore.
We can tell you that when we stopped at one of the vistas to absorb the feeling and the view, we knew it was a wind we couldn't take lightly. It was vicious, and certainly had us scrambling for a coats and jackets; the views were worth it we admit.
The road is again similar to a roller coaster over the valleys and steep winding cliffs beside the ocean on our right side.
A few stops to look at the views as well as obtain some pictures, and a longer stop to talk to the elephant seals laying on the beach in groups and taking in the sun, gee the smell and they are so large you wonder how they can get around. They do look so awkward moving on the land, but of course, come into their element in the water.
Leaving the seals behind us we continue our journey and after a reasonable period at last, we find a coffee shop, come oasis on the top of a wonderful hill with conference centre as well as restaurant and small gift shops.
The coffee was appreciated as well as a hot cup of tea for those that prefer, combined with a pastry, yummo.
On we move the wind getting no less but at least we were sheltered at the coffee shop.
Looking Down at the Roman Pool
We arrived at Hearst Castle at around 11:10am and turn in.We booked tickets for the 11:40 tour and managed to climb onto an earlier tour.
Well to understand the history of the whole ranch and the building that was one of 7 huge places Hearst built during his prime empire building days, has to be absorbed slowly. His parents originally bought 250,000 acres on this site for 40cents per acre at the time the USA bought the land from Mexico. What foresight is that? And overlooking the ocean as well as building a town to assist with the ranch maintenance.
Then the son taking over in around 1925 after his mother died, the Hearst castle builder began at the age of 56, (who by this stage was financially rich in his own right) began to grow his vision on the hill top.
Words alone do not describe wandering through (with a very knowledgeable tour guide) the experience and ability to absorb the endeavour, and cost of building such a place
From the first stairways leading up to the Roman Pool area complete with imported and original pillars and sculptures in marble, some from as early as 900 ad. from Greece or Rome.
Then we head into a quick intro into the 35 room guest lodge with the bedrooms and bathrooms for the rich and famous guests that had spent time here. The names mentioned included anyone on any who's who list.
Into the Casa Grande that had 65 rooms (from memory, mind you there were a lot of facts and figures given during this tour) with huge wall tapestries (being original works naturally to seats from churches, Candelabras, tables and fireplaces that took huge logs and were imported from France.
The Coast Road
This guy collected carved ceilings and anything he chose he liked to complete his themes in his houses.His private theatre where he would show movies after the evening meal was grand as well. To top it off his indoor 10ft deep pool with tiles that were inlaid with gold was just surreal.
I guess anyone with accumulated wealth of that proportion could choose whatever he wanted to have, including his own private zoo containing many and varied grazing animals as well as some bears, including a polar bear. (Some of the grazing animal's descendant from the original are still remaining).
All in all, a sight and place to absorb over time. There are three or four different tours of the place, we managed the first one and I am sure we couldn't absorb any more information.
We left there to drive a few miles to a small village atmosphere place called Cambria. (you will notice on our map it indicates we stayed at this place, Not entirely correct unless you call stopping for a late lunch of hamburger and pizza, but I have included it as a stop to show the distances and places on the growing route map we are creating) no prizes for guessing who had the pizza!) The wind did not let up its onslaught so it made a wandering around this quaint place a little difficult after lunch.
Although Karon ducked into a small shop and Rick popped into a small healing centre while Earnie sheltered out of the wind for a few minutes in the car.
From there we headed to the turn to the left off highway 1 to connect with highway 101 and back home.
Rick is considering returning to this area with a few people that might consider a wine tasting tour, simply because along this road were a number of FREE wine tastings available, at one point there were four vineyard entrances within 300 yds of each other. I guess he will have to ask for other like minded volunteers to recapture this part of the journey?
The journey back to the Castle was straightforward and uneventful, we settled in for another night of a DVD (the television selection is no better than at home!)
