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San Fran, Mt. Tam, Santa Cruz and Monterey
I'm having a great time in the U.S. Home is in Greenbrae, Marin County - an amazing blend of waterways and mountain vistas. It's a 20 minute walk to Larkspur ferry wharf for a pleasant 30 minute trip to Pier One - City Central. And it's a 20 minute jog to the base of Mt. Tamalpais for some of the most enjoyable hiking, jogging and riding that I've done. I hear there's heaps to do in San Francisco proper but I'm happy just people-watching and happy-snapping at this stage. I'll hit the tourist sites later this week.
We spent Saturday riding up 785 metre-high Mt. Tamalpais. On a clear day you can see the Farallon Islands 40 km's out to sea, the Marin headlands, San Francisco and the bay, hills and cities of the East Bay, and Mount Diablo. I'm told that on very rare occasions, the Sierra Nevada's snow-covered mountains can be seen 240 km's away.
We spent most of Sunday at the beach resort town of Santa Cruz. which is an hour and a half drive south of San Francisco.
Santa Cruz is well known for sailing, diving, swimming and paddling but is most famous for its surfing. She has 11 world-class surf breaks including Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point. It is the home of O'Neill Wetsuits, Santa Cruz Surfboards, Santa Cruz Skateboards and Santa Cruz Bicycles.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is California's oldest amusement park with a 1911 Charles Looff carousel and 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster in its arsenal. It's like a massive version of Sydney's Luna Park - but at Glenelg beach in Adelaide - with free entry for all passers-by.
The Santa Cruz Wharf is the best part of 150 metres long with car parking for more than 200 cars. There are seafood restaurants and ice cream stands at wharf's end to keep the locals and visitors fed. There are resident sea lions under the wharf and seagulls the size of small dogs flying around everywhere.
We headed to Carmel in the afternoon and stayed overnight. She's a flash old town built for the well-to-do - kind of like Double Bay but relocated to Nelson Bay or Victor Harbor. I had my first squirrel encounter in Carmel. These guys are adorable.
Sarah took Monday off work so that we could spend the day at Monterey Aquarium. I drove from Carmel to Monterey (continuing my wrong-side-of-the-road driving lessons) and managed to tear the boom gate off a car parking machine with our roof-mounted bikes on the way in. Needless to say it was easy to blame the dumb Ozzie. I think the dribble running down my chin and the window-licking sold it best!
I've added some photo albums to show what I've been up to.
Hope you're well. Chat soon.
- comments
Cheryl and Tony Hey Robbie - It's great to know you are alive. Seems like you are having a good time. Weather doesn't look too bad either. Are you coming back to Sydney for Rod's wedding? Mum and Dad