Happy Bearday

Turned 43 today but missed about 8 hours of it due to the time difference.

A lazy slow start with a hearty breakfast, Angie's first ever on US soil and my first proper one. The last "breakfast" had been in a corner coffee shop in Times Square on 21st September 1965. A bagel and coffee. So we did the whole American fried breakfast bit, trying to remember if it was sunny-side up or down. I probably went for scrambled eggs.


Fortified we set off to drive around the southern Bay area. We had a few days to kill before the ENT Congress and the hotel and meetings were in central San Francisco itself. And then we would have ample time for the cable cars, the Wharf etc.


The morning spent in Monterey around the marina and a trip to the rather nice aquarium with all its hands-on or better hands-in, displays. In my youth I had read John Steinbeck's Cannery Wharf, I think even at school as part of Modern Literature.


Then a slow cruise around the headland from Monterey through the villas in Pebble Beach to Carmel, officially its rather English sounding name, "Carmel-by-the-Sea"


Carmel was a lovely "village" to stroll through with lots of handicraft type shops and a lovely beach to kick off the shoes and simply enjoy the atmosphere. No chance of seeing some of the old residents - Ernst Hemingway or John Steinbeck but did keep an eye out for the ex-Mayor, Clint Eastwood.


The collage is mainly at Carmel but the bear is at Monterey, outside a shop. As an extra, a collage of scenes at Monterey.


Then headed down the Pacific coast road. Hours on end with the aim of getting as close to LA as possible. By nightfall, we were somewhere near San Simeon but didn't get to see the Hurst Castle. Another memory of films from the past and the wonderful Orson Welles.


Somewhere we found a hotel. Exhausted after seeing so much and doing about 250 miles driving.