El Capitan, Landslides and Elephant Seals

We woke up in what felt like the wilderness. It was glorious!! Only it was Jamestown which is about an hour and 20 minutes from Yosemite. We though it best to get going asap, we filled up our 'gas hog' and made our way to Yosemite totally disregarding breakfast. We thought there would be something on the way there but there was absolutely nothing. Eventually we got to another gas station and tried to get something substantial there. It didn't look very promising at all. I went for two packets of cookies (only two in a packet) and James tried a corn dog. It looks terribly unappetising but I have to admit after having a bite it isn't as bad as it looks. It is basically a sausage on a stick baked inside a cocoon of corn bread.

Loaded up on junk food we made it to Yosemite National Park. It cost $20 to get in which gives you 7 days to visit the park. Unfortunately we didn't have 7 days. We are over the moon with what we did get to see. What is funny is when we drove up to the entrance the park ranger taking our entrance fee was wearing the exact same uniform that you see in the cartoons. Green trousers, khaki colour shirt and that hat - you know - that hat you see in the Yogi Bear cartoon. I know what I'm talking about. I think even Yogi Bear himself wears one at some point. Yosemite is amazing! I'm a little stuck on how to describe it now…

There are endless mountains, waterfalls, and rapids and then there is El Capitan and Half Dome. El Capitan is a huge rock face/cliff that towers over one side of the Yosemite Valley floor. Half Dome is a mountain which is a tiny bit smaller than El Capitan in the greater scheme of things. Apparently it looks different from each side you may be viewing it from. James and I could not believe how pristine and clean everything in the national park was. It all looked untouched. It started to distort my perception of a natural wonder just at how untouched it all looked. You would be really daft to litter in the national park, there were signs stating that littering resulted in a $1000 fine.

pic above and below: El Capitan is the right angled looking mountain on the left in the distance and the half dome is the dome looking mountain in the middle.

A wonderful thing to see in Yosemite National Park that I didn't think I would see was the Ansel Adams gallery. To be able to see so many of his photographs and to have seen most of the spots in Yosemite that he photographed was so fantastic. A dream come true! I love this quote and it describes Yosemite perfectly, "Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space." - Ansel Adams, photographer.

Whilst exploring Yosemite, not a moment passed when I didn't wish I was a bear.

After SO much glorious fresh air and feeling a little sun-kissed we made our way to our next stop which was Carmel-by-the-sea. This small town was founded as a seaside resort in the 1880s . Local bylaws forbid neon signs and billboards so we enjoyed a small town dotted with fairytale cottages, stone chimneys and pitched gable roofs. Somehow my charming James managed to get us a free upgrade at our booked accommodation. Instead of a motel room we got a small cottage with a fireplace, private garden, two TVs, a couch and a writing desk. It didn't look like much on the outside but once inside it was amazing! We didn't want to leave.

We were desperate for a hot shower after exploring the wilderness and craved a good meal after living off of junk food the past 2 days. The lovely lady who gave us a free upgrade also recommended "Rio Grill" and we scored a free starter. A glass of red, an exciting meal and the most divine dessert we have had in ages was just what the doctor ordered. Dessert was an ice-cream sandwich. It was made up of a home-made vanilla and almond biscuit wafer, filled with ice-cream and dressed with fresh strawberries, walnuts and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Out of this world!! This restaurant had caricatures all over their walls of people that have been regulars to the establishment. We spotted caricatures of Doris Day and John Travolta. Pretty cool.

James and I had a great chuckle at the translation below for "Do not Disturb".

The next day we went on a hunt for a laundromat. Bingo! The attendant was completely confused that James put all his colours and whites in the same wash and was not convinced of James' confidence in "Colour Catchers". Of course it all came out fine. Good and clean and fresh - colours bright and whites white. We have had enough laundry mishaps to believe in the wonder of colour catchers. For those back home - it is a small sheet that kind of looks like a tissue you place in your washing machine and everything is A-OK when it comes out. Every single man needs colour catchers 'cos who has time to do separate loads?

Laundry lesson over - our next big drive was along the coast to see Big Sur. Big Sur is not a specific place but a 130 mile stretch of Highway 1 which snakes along an unbelievably picturesque coast. This drive took us about four hours, the road is very narrow and in some places is only one lane at a time due to landslides. We also stopped loads to take photos trying to capture each moment in time and to try and capture the depth of the natural beauty of the coastline.

For four hours James and I couldn't believe how beautiful the drive was and how long it went on for. The water was crystal clear and gorgeous shades of blue with large rocks sticking out near the shore. Along this four hour drive not a moment passed when I didn't wish I was a pirate or a mermaid. I'll take either I don't mind.

After the cliffs and vast ocean disappeared for about 30 mins we came across a viewing point which looked like a private beach. After pulling into the parking area we saw it was a beach cordoned off for seals. OMG! We saw elephant seals in their natural habitat! There were dunes bordering the seals from the viewing point and all they do is lie there soaking up the rays, I'm sure it would be pretty rare for an elephant seal to charge up a dune and over rocks onto a platform to attack a human. We were also lucky enough to see two pairs of males fighting each other. The first pair were in shallow water biting at each other's neck and trying to outsize and shove the other. The next pair were doing the same on the sand. on the opposite side. These elephant seals didn't smell bad like the ones we saw in Oregon. It was really so exciting to see elephant seals and they are HUGE! Wow wow wow!!

Next stage of our trip is Los Angeles starting in Santa Monica.

PRIDE, Bob and a wine tour

We arrived in San Francisco at about 10pm. There were loads of road works just after the Golden Gate bridge and we missed our turn off. It was a little disorientating driving in a new city at night. There were so many flashing lights from the road works and the road signs flash too. I can't imagine what Vegas is going to feel like!

It took us two hours to get to our hotel because all the main roads we had to go down were closed off. Closed off roads mixed in with one way streets and Saturday night traffic was taking a toll on our patience. The night life was bustling and James and I thought the roads were closed off for street parties. That's how bustling it was! When we got to our hotel bloodshot-eyed and wired-looking we found out that the roads were closed off due to a shooting that had happened a few hours earlier, five people got shot in a gang related incident. Crazy! The shooting happened on Market street and our hotel was on Market and 4th. Eeeek!

That's enough of the scary stuff. Just painting the picture here. :)

We hit the hay HARD! It was a long day but well worth the miles! We woke up in San Francisco ready to hit the city sight-seeing but found out 'PRIDE' 2011 was taking place that day. Again the roads downtown were closed off but this time for a great reason! We heard that 'PRIDE' in San Francisco is the best in the world, I haven't seen any other 'PRIDE' but I can safely say I have seen it all! I have also never heard anything so loud! Its as if 'PRIDE' is to San Francisco what the Royal Wedding was to London. It really was so amazing. Amazing is an understatement. It was so fantastic or should I say 'fabulous' to see so many happy people being ecstatic about who they are. James and I weren't quite prepared mentally for SUCH a party!! We were the most uncool people in San Francisco being heterosexual and married but we're cool with that. We saw a sperm donation stand, a fenced off fetish area, breasts of all shapes and sizes, partners on leashes, a few naked men, well not completely naked - they were wearing shoes… okay I'm gonna stop now, lets keep it clean. Hopefully you get the idea.

'PRIDE' ended at about 3pm and we were able to make our way to Fisherman's Wharf. We saw the famous Pier 39 and Alcatraz.

After the sun beating down on the city all day it got really cold REALLY QUICK. James and I went for clam chowder at the Boudin Bakery after a good friend of ours highly recommended the experience. Boudin Bakery serves clam chowder in their world famous sour dough bread bowl. For those who grew up in South Africa - it's just like a bunny chow only round and filled with clam chowder. Clam chowder is pretty much just a thick clam soup. We enjoyed this experience with a view of Alcatraz and seals chilling out in-between the boats at the harbour. We took a walk around North Beach and caught a cab back to our hotel.

The following day we saw the remaining best bits of San Francisco. We saw Alamo Park and the Pink Ladies. This park is shown in the sitcom 'Full House' at the beginning during the theme tune. I felt like I was in the show even though that was too many years ago. Up next was a drive to Golden Gate Bridge. When reading about the bridge I wasn't particularly intrigued about it but once you are there looking at it, it really is a beautiful bridge. There was fog over the top of the bridge and the city and when looking out to Sausalito on the other side of the bridge the sun shines! Apparently that is the norm. I choose Sausalito with a view of San Francisco.

We were a little stressed we wouldn't have enough time for the wine country. Researching tours available it looked as if you needed 8 hours to see it all. After the Golden Gate Bridge we made our way to Sonoma Valley. Sonoma is California's first wine country. We stopped at a visitors centre completely winging it with no idea what to expect. The tour we wanted to go on was $450. WHAT! I'm so glad we just went into the unknown ourselves. Bob at the Corner Stone visitors centre was so helpful we couldn't have asked for more. We told him what we were looking to do and how much time we had and he suggested three different wineries and highlighted the route we could take. We drove through Sonoma Valley stopping at Ravenswood and Imagery Estate Winery.

James and I enjoyed Imagery the most down to how creative this winery get with their blends, I'm no connoisseur it was just interesting and enjoyable. We tasted a wine that was 77% red grape wine fermented with 23% blueberry wine. I have never tasted anything like it. Of course we bought a bottle!

What is really novel or really smart about this winery is they don't sell their wines anywhere else except the winery. Also, each label is a work of art and they never use the the same label for more than the harvested batch. A wine tasting costs about $10 in Sonoma Valley and you really do get your money's worth. No, not because you get to drink loads of wine but you learn quite a fair bit about the wine you are tasting. We also weren't made to feel inexperienced about wine or obligated to buy anything. It was such a great experience and I'm so glad James was designated driver that day.

We only stopped at two wineries because after 10 tastings (five per winery) anything would have tasted great to me! We made our way from Sonoma to Jamestown via Napa Valley. We didn't feel the need to stop at any more wineries, we just enjoyed the beautiful scenery and I fantasised about my next wine tour in Stellenbosch one day.

Next stop was Jamestown so we could get an early start to Yosemite National Park the next day.

Sonoma Valley pic from http://www.luxuo.com/wines-spirits/the-best-job-in-the-world-part-2.html