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| The public library in the next block. |
I’m spending almost a week out in Berkeley visiting my big boy. He’s a graduate student, spending just a semester here, so I jumped at the opportunity to see more of the exotic (to me) west coast and visit him at the same time. I’m staying in a converted garage behind an old Arts and Crafts house with an intensely planted urban farm in the backyard, complete with bee hives. There is a lemon tree, fruit bushes, four raised beds with happy looking vegetables well secured from whatever raiding varmints are around, and roses and geraniums and tall flowering sages as well.
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| Jellyfish are the photogenic stars of any aquarium |
I spend my days (while he is at work) exploring Berkeley neighborhoods on foot. The architecture and gardens are exquisite! While maybe not sounding exciting, this is one of the things I most like to do when on vacation: settle down somewhere pleasant, and then explore nooks and crannies on foot. Serendipitously, there is a copy of “Berkeley Walks” in my studio, so I’m not totally relying on luck to find the good places. There is a very nice little commercial district along the next block, so plenty of food choices available. I haven’t had a bad meal yet!
We had a grand day out Saturday, driving down to the coast south of San Francisco. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium, ate fish seated outside at a nearby perfectly adequate tourist trap restaurant, and strolled along Cannery Row, where we paid homage to John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts, former residents and current local icons. (I’ve read the relevant Steinbeck novels, and his non-fiction account of a marine biological-focused voyage the two took to Baja California.) Then we drove along the coast down to Big Sur. It’s a dramatic drive, one I’ve read about and seen featured in movies - how exciting to be there for real. We stopped in a state park and took a hike through a redwood forest to a little waterfall. There was a lot of vertical travel in our otherwise easy hike - my fitbit said I did 49 floors worth of upward steps! I can go places, but my boy was surprised by how slow I was - though of course, perfectly considerate once he realized how it was going to be.
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| Lunch in Monterey |
We’re going on a more local hike this afternoon, as the weather remains lovely - 60s and sunny. (My boy says it’s only rained four times in four months!) I’ve got another weekday to amuse myself during the day, dinner with his friends, and then home. So far so good!
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| Bixby Bridge near Big Sur |
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| Stellar’s Jay - the bird of the day! |
3 comments:
Thanks for this report. So happy you are out there. That coastal route 1 drive down from san Francisco is breathtaking. One of my favorite lifetime memories. (I did it twice, one with my girlfriends when we were about 24? and once a few years ago when I was there alone for a work trip.)
Your boy is so handsome.
I love the photos, too. Especially the jellyfish. Photogenic indeed.
So grateful still for you in DC, waiting while we tried to find out what color X’s sweatshirt was so we could find them on that crazy-busy corner by the Washington Monument. #IloveDC
Soak in the beauty on the rest of your trip, Nan. Safe travels,
What a perfectly perfect trip! Your boy, little solo explores, good food and gorgeous California! Fabulous!
The teal of that bird is incredible. Bixby Bridge, who would have thunk?,.
And ooof to the realization of beloved younglings that we are aging. I guess the surprise is flattering, but would prefer it not be obvious… but the trip sounds just great, I am thrilled for you.
Liz
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