Greencaviar Travel

Drivin' or Surfin' USA I've been experiencing the four seasons in a day here in Northern California.  It was chilly and raining when I woke up this morning. Driving to my appointment, I noticed that my windshield wiper was broken. So, I went to the car dealer/repair to get the wiper replaced.  The weather changed drastically as I left the dealership.  It felt like early summer.  So, I decided to go for a scenic drive to Santa Cruz. The fog rolled in and started to rain as I approached Pacifica. I decided to stop downtown for coffee, but I missed the exit and took the next exit to Starbucks.  Across the coffee shop was Taco Bell. This place is noteworthy because it's the only Taco Bell situated in the middle of the beach.  The Taco Bell parking lot and the Pacifica State Beach parking lot were full. I noticed a few people changing in the parking lot. I went down the beach and saw a few surfers walking on the beach with surfboards in tow. I was struck by larg...

My approach to travel during this pandemic is that of rediscovering what my home state has to offer.   Driving the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California is ideal for someone like me who is passionate about travel and photography. Even if the popular sights are closed,  I can always stop to  photograph the landscape and enjoy the view.       Point Reyes National Seashore The Point Reyes National Seashore offers some of the best scenery in California. The highlight  is the  Point Reyes Lighthouse  which is located at the western-most end of the Point Reyes Headlands and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. I must admit the drive here is not easy due to winding roads, high winds and fog. But the spectacular views are worth the drive. From the parking lot we hike about half a mile uphill to the visitor center. And in this short walk, we see varying landscapes from rolling hills covered with wild plants, wildlife (tule elk) roaming around the hills, and...

Yosemite had always been on my list of “10,000 Places to See Before I Die”, but I always thought that I would save visiting it for last. One would think that as a member of the Yosemite Park Conservancy, who receives newsletters and invitations to Yosemite events, I should already have visited Yosemite on many occasions. Perhaps it was that kind of familiarity and the proximity to home (3 ½ - 4 hours’ drive away) that kept me from visiting sooner.     This past week, however, I found myself marveling at the grandeur of Yosemite. The Drive to Yosemite National Park A visiting relative from Alaska wanted to experience driving in California, so I left the driving to him. We drove through the undulating hills of California’s central valley, the ugly landscape, due to the harsh effect of drought, and the beautiful landscape *(pictured below). The drive to Yosemite was definitely a challenge, especially the drive through the narrow Highway 120 Priest Grade. The steep and...

Twenty-one missions were established between the period 1769-1833, near the California coast along the El Camino Real (King’s Highway) extending 650 miles. I joined our local church in visiting six of the 21 mission churches last weekend. Not only a religious tour, but I also learned so much about California history – the Old World (Spain) attempts at colonization, the Pacific connection between Central America, Philippines and Mexico and Alta California. Common to the mission church ground is the statue of Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest who led the way (founded nine missions) including his headquarters, the Mission San Carlos Borromeo at Carmel. We heard stories about this soon to be sainted Blessed Junipero Serra: Apostle of California.  Another common feature of the mission churches is the architecture that includes adobe walls, tile roofs, long and curved corridors, patio and gardens. Exposed wood beams, and flowers and the river of life motif painting in pastel colors ...

On a tour of mission churches in California, we stopped to eat and shop at a tiny village called Solvang (Danish for 'sunny field').  It is a beautiful little city nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley of California.  We went back the following day to explore the city. The village retains its authentic Danish look with horse drawn wagons, windmills, Danish and Northern European style architecture and Hans Christian Andersen Park, Danish pastry shops and bakeries, and quaint shops.  Okay, I was disappointed with the food and the pastries, but I enjoyed photographing this beautiful town. And of course, nature added to the fairy-tale look and feel of the village. Photo Gallery:      NOTE:  All photos by the author

The sign, “Serious Drought Help Save Water” displayed on the electronic highway board, opened up an interesting conversation about the California drought. We were heading to Half Moon Bay for an outing at the beach and hiking the coastal trail. The drought continued to be the topic of conversation as we passed the I-280 and Highway 92 interchange where a portion of Highway 92 bisects the Crystal Springs Reservoir. The effect of the drought is nowhere more evident than the reservoir low water level. We reached Half Moon Bay just as the fog lifted. We first walked the Coastside Trail that ran along the beaches and the ocean bluff. The stretch of coastal trail provided a stunning landscape of jagged promontory, cliffs, windswept trees, dramatic dunes, and ocean views that I found more intoxicating than the famous Half Moon Bay microbrew. However, the effect of the California drought on insects and birds was evident while we walked the trail. I did not see any butterflies or as many ...