Another Very Special Walk in Point Lobos State Park

After yesterday mornings fantastic walk I did not think it could get any better, but it did. At 8.00am this morning  just an hour before high tide I went to the same spot I had seen the Dolphins or Whales yesterday and thought there were a load of seals in the water but as I got closer I could see they were not Seals but Sea Otters. A family of 2 adults and at least 4 young. They were playing like mad just beyond the surf and then one of the adults started hitting a clam with a stone while on its back. You can see them in this photo but as its my I Phone its not very clear. If only Tootlepedal had been with me.

I should have realised there were Sea Otters as this was one of the seats I watched them from.

After breakfast we all went for another walk along the shoreline

High Tide and a spectacular cove

This walk was just lovely and there was nobody about.

After leaving our rented home we headed for Point Lobos State Park before we went home to San Jose. This was the picnic park we had our lunch. They say this is the best place in California where the Ocean meets the Land and I am not going to disagree as it was fantastic.

The photos can speak for themselves in the above 5 photos

Almost the end of theBird Island trail but one more beach to see as per the photo below

The end of our 3 days in Carmel and we are now back in San Jose. Our next adventure is Tuesday when Gaye and I head for Fishermans Quay in San Francisco for a couple of nights in a nice hotel.

Visit to Carmel Mission

After my lovely walk this morning we visited the Mission which was just up the road from our holiday house.

This Mission was founded by Padre Junipero Serra in 1769. Over 4000 Indians were baptised at Carmel in the following 60 years but by 1823 the Indian population had dwindled to 381 due to the lack of natural immunity to European diseases.

This pair almost fell into the wishing well

This tree is over 200 years old

Inside the Mission it is simple but very beautiful.

After lunch we headed to the beach and despite it being overcast it was reasonably warm. Gaye and I walked the full length of the beach.

Thomas was fascinated by this wooden Pelican outside the Fish shop where we bought some very expensive Halibut for our evening meal. It was delicious.

And to finish today's blog Gaye and Elliot enjoying some time together.

Best Morning Walk Ever

High tide was due at 8.00am so I decided to have an early morning walk along the shore. It was the best decision I have made about a walk. Our holiday house is about quarter of a mile from the shore so I headed downhill.

The path along the shore was teaming with rabbits and most of them were not bothered about walkers disturbing them.

This was where I was heading. A lovely beach at the end of the bay.

Out in the bay a couple of seals were feeding among the kelp beds and being curious creatures they soon moved closer to me to see who I was.

Not the best of photos because I only had my I Phone camera and they kept diving and surfacing somewhere else.

I headed back along the shore and had a seat just here when I saw a fin in the water and then out of the blue a pod of 3 Whales or Dolphins surfaced. They also were feeding among the Kelp. No photograph as the camera was in my pocket but it was an amazing experience.

Also out at sea an Eagret was walking on the seaweed and catching fish while rabbits run about in the dunes.

I have always said that Kippford to Rockliffe was the best walk in Scotland but for seeing wildlife this is better. The last time seals followed me along a shoreline was in Shetland.

These flowers had not opened yet but when the sun shines this will be a fantastic display.

Birthday Party and a Game of Bowls

Today we were invited to Fraser & Leslie's neighbours daughter Emily's first birthday party. Like all the other birthday parties we have attended in the USA they have been held in a park. We attended Eleanor's 2nd and 3rd birthday party in Salt Lake City. The weather was beautiful and we arrived at the park at 11.00am and the picnic area was all laid out with tables of food for both adults and children. There was even a nice supply of Bucks Fizz. Plenty of things for the kids to do and at 12 noon we sang Happy Birthday to Emily and ate birthday Cup Cakes. A nice time was had by all. This is birthday girl Emily with her parents, brother William and sister Mallory.

Some of the food on display

A Cup Cake with one candle and Eleanor next to the birthday girl so she can get first choice of cakes. 

Plenty of cakes and they were very nice

After the party I headed to Santa Clara Lawn Bowls Club and joined the locals for an afternoon of bowls. It is without doubt the worst green I have ever played on and makes a mockery of the bowls bias. I did however play well against the clubs best 2 players and got narrowly beaten by 2 shots. Tomorrow we head for Carmel and 2 nights in a lovely cottage next to the ocean.

Valentines Day on the Beach

It was decided that we should spend Valentines Day on the beach at Capitola which is on Monterey Bay. It meant an early start as this is a USA holiday weekend and it would be very busy. We were there by 10.00am and had a nice position on the beach. Parking was a bit of a problem and Fraser had to park about 10 minutes walk away. Elliot is all geared up for his day on the beach.

Gaye all set for her day on the beach with everybody looking after her.

Some of the very colourful holiday chalets near the beach

Gaye and I had a walk along the pier and this guy seems to be lord of all he surveys

Thomas and his friend William playing in the sand

Leslie with he neighbour Kelly who were also there for the day

Eleanor and Mallory flying their kites

They soon became experts at kite flying

When we got home Fraser & Leslie were going out for a Valentines Day dinner so Gaye and I were left to babysit. It involved Tommy watching a movie, Eleanor at a friends, and Elliot just being a very good wee baby.

Lands End and Golden Gate Bridge

Today was a very busy day with the morning spent in running children to school and pre school. It also had me driving in California on my own for the first time. An interesting experience and quite easy as I had been on the route a couple of times with Leslie. In the afternoon we headed to San Francisco and an area called Lands End which overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge.

Fantastic view of the Golden Gate Bridge

Gaye enjoying the February warm sunshine

On our way back we stopped off to feed baby Elliot while Eleanor and I had a paddle in the Pacific on Ocean Beach

She loves the beach

The breakers were huge but we kept clear of them.

But it was good to dangle your toes in the Pacific

A Visit to the Hakone Japanese Gardens in Saratoga

Thomas & Eleanor love playing among the Bamboo

Gaye singing an extract from the Mikado in the garden and Thomas finds this fascinating.

The Bamboo gets taller and taller

And in the pond there are small Turtles

We actually visited a wee bit too early in the year as in another 2 or 3 weeks there will be a lot of blossom on the trees and shrubs.

Every Japanese garden has to have a bridge

She nearly fell in

Another week and this bush will be a mass of red flowers

San Jose valley in the distance

These also will be a spectacular display in a few days time