Crusin' the California Coast

We've heard many times that the coast of California is beautiful.  With our time in San Francisco at an end, we rented a car and rode south.

Lots of places like this.  Nice driveway, eh?

Do you think the foreground beauty detracts from the background?

Just a small sample of the road.

America's answer to the Amalfi Coast.

I've always wanted to call some hills "verdant."

Old hippies have to make a living, too.  Even in Big Sur.

Out behind the Inn, wooden chairs dotted the stream.
Difficult to think of anything more relaxing.

Feet chillin' in the creek.
The empty chair was soon to be mine.

"Randy, watch the road, not the view!"

Somebody lives there.  

We emerged from the hills into the flatlands near San Simeon.  The Hearst Castle is visible from the highway, but we weren't halfway yet, so that awaits another visit.  The sign said something about "Elephant Seals," so we stopped.  I'd never heard of them, and never seen anything like them.

Not rocks.  And huge!

Don't miss the shakey video of the elephant seals!  

(Click on the link)

They used their flippers to throw sand up over themselves, and bashed each other in what looked like territorial or harem battles.  They were fascinating.  And they smelled really, really bad.  In fact, they smelled so bad I will be surprised if you are not nauseated by the aroma from these pictures.

Elephant seals up close, minimal smell...

(Yes, pardon me for making you do all this link-clicking work.)

Shortly after smelling the seals, we saw horses grazing in the fields on the other side of the road.

But they weren't usual run-of-the-mill horses.

These were California Psychedelic Horses!  A whole herd!

The bushes ran by the car window quickly.  The distant trees, less so.

Just love the rolling contours.

Enjoying San Francisco

Our son provided the perfect excuse for an extended visit.
We needed to see him graduate.

Lots of art in San Fran

Some just don't care about all the art.

The guy who parked on the right is in danger of getting a ticket
for not turning his wheels to the curb.

The fog spit out the city and returned to the bay.

More art.

Tourists packing the trolley at Fisherman's Wharf.
Occasionally, real people ride it too.

The bay can be windy after the fog lifts.

Seafood restaurant utensils.

More art.

Fog is all gone.  So are the prisoners at Alcatraz.

Even the sign is artsy.

There were many examples of  students displaying their art.
This was probably the most provocative.
These were latex coverings made from a cast of the artist's body.
They appeared as if her skin had been peeled off in one piece.

We didn't make it up...there was a graduation.

The celebratory dinner was not in the North Beach neighborhood,
but there is no beach there, and the Transamerica Building is always imposing.

The city is full of interesting restaurants.

Art and art shadows.

Natural Art

Gotta ride it.  Our son has lived there for 2 years and has never ridden the trolley.

Ding-Ding!  Great fun.

Lombard Street, clearly designed by a drunken civil engineer.

Nice view from the top of the crooked street.
It should be named Keuka, not Lombard.

We went to a fashion show at California College of the Arts.  Wearable art, designed by students.

Fashionistas awaiting the show.

Laser cut draping

I'm sure we'll all be wearing things like this soon.

Very nice

The views from the DeYoung tower are inspiring.  

To the north, one can just make out the top of the Golden Gate bridge.

To the southeast, some of Golden Gate park and the hills beyond.
The park is nowhere near the bridge.

Art in the park

Even the lampposts are art.

High above Union Square,
an enduring subject, artistically presented.