Good morning. It's dark, still, dry and chilly. I'm going for a ride at 9.00am, probably the last chance for a few days as the temperatures are hovering around -1 to +1C for the week. Too dodgy for an old codger on wheels. It's forecast dry so I can do allotment stuff. So that's it really. What can I tell you? Ah, I know. The holiday........................briefly.
We had four great weeks in California, focused on my goddaughter's wedding, a lovely affair. Their best friend from childhood married them, it was very moving. Apparently in California anyone can perform a wedding so long as the paperwork gets "filed." A beautiful idea. We based our stay in Sacramento with our oldest friend of 45 years now. We have other friends in the city and everyone hosted us on 2,3,4 day trips to touristy spots which worked well as we saw places not covered by guide books. So...........Cambria to visit Hearst Castle built as a retreat by the newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, interesting and learned a lot about a very different man from that I'd have expected. On to Morro Bay for sea otters, elephant seals and WHALES! - Never see a whale before. Very emotional. Up to Santa Cruz for a few days, Monarch butterflies were the highlight. The Coastal redwoods, Napa Valley, Yosemite - deer, black deer, very beautiful, coyotes - Hetch Hetchy a beautiful now dammed valley. I loved the drive to this place - for 40+ years I've felt a rather silly emotional attachment to giant Sequoias but only seen them in touristy spots. Along this road they grow everywhere , it was like my own private trees. Wonderful. Lake Tahoe, where we had snow, proper snow! From there back to San Francisco and a couple of great days wandering through Golden Gate Park and Haight Ashbury and its wonderful architecture. Saw the Jefferson Airplane house, go ask Alice! 😄
Owt unusual was the question? Unusual? Probably not. Unexpected? Yes.
@12boy these are my impressions and I hope I don't cause offence. The widespread use of recreational drugs, mainly dope, even amongst folk of my age. We didn't partake, that was part of my youth and not for today. Homelessness levels are astonishing. California has an estimated 30% of the US homeless population - climate and liberal social laws. Encampments of 10-20 people, in underpasses, side streets, train stations, just everywhere. The downtown area near the SF Capitol is estimated to be home to 10,000 homeless people, think the Westminster area or central Manchester. Many of these folk were out of their heads on drugs or severe mental health issues. Areas of some cities seemed to have been abandoned by people with money. We know America has a huge ethnic diversity but we hardly saw any black or African Americans, every other ethnicity is widespread.........I'm not sure what that says but I don't like the obvious conclusion. The cost of living is off the scale, very, very expensive to live on a day to day basis. I don't mean tourist prices, just living stuff. How low income families cope I do not know. The area from Santa Cruz to the north of the bay is just one huge expanse of concrete and tarmac, I found that disturbing. I left feeling American society is teetering on the edge and that's a very scary thought.
And Aviation gin. WOW!