San Francisco, Day Three: Saturday, November 12, 2016

This morning we had to wake by an alarm, as we were scheduled to take a day tour down the coast. I'm not typically a bus tour kinda gal, but in some cases they just make sense, and this trip was one of those times. Neither Mom nor I felt any kind of burning desire to drive in San Francisco or even around the surrounding areas, so renting a car was not our best option. We wound up booking two well-thought-out bus tours, and this day was our first. I also have to admit that I let myself very much play the role of the child in the planning for this trip. While I do love trip planning generally, I've had more opportunities of late to do so, and I rather welcomed the chance to sit back a bit more and follow Mom's lead. While I'd been planning for my retreat in October and for a get-away to come soon with H, my Mom put her energies into our San Francisco trip, and I am ever so grateful for that.

After checking in and boarding the bus, we headed down the coast towards Monterey, enjoying the gorgeous coastal scenery as we drove and stopped at several lookouts. The deep blue of the Pacific Ocean and sky stretched out before us like an endless quilt that looked as if it could envelope the world, its cotton batting seemingly coming loose at the shoreline as the waves rolled up onto the sand and crashed into the rocky cliffs.

We reached Monterey in time for lunch, which we enjoyed at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant & Market while sitting on a patio overlooking the ocean. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was, and our waitress was so much fun, quizzing us on 'Forrest Gump' trivia whenever she stopped at our table. Strolling along Cannery Row for a bit both before and after eating, we stretched our legs before reboarding the bus to continue on down the coast.

Cannery Row in Monterey.

Our drive now took us along some of the most beautiful coastal views I've ever seen. The fog played some interesting tricks on us, rolling out in full force as we left Monterey and leaving us shrouded in grey mists, and then retreating just as quickly to once again show off the incredible California coastline a few minutes's drive later. Mother nature can be fickle, indeed! We were treated to a ride along 17-Mile Drive, and soaked up the beauty of Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz mountains, Spanish Bay, Point Joe, and prestigious golf courses including Poppy Hills, Spyglass Hill, and Pebble Beach. One of my favourite spots was The Lone Cypress, a solitary cypress tree which has, according to a brochure we picked up, "prevailed on its rocky perch for more than 250 years." The indomitable spirit of both nature and man - who have installed fences and cables to add protection - when working well together, seem embodied by this staunch tree that stands alone in the sunshine, wind, rain, and fog, surviving Pacific storms year after year.

The Lone Cypress

The eighteenth hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Our tour's final destination was Carmel-by-the-Sea, and we arrived in the quaint town in the late afternoon. Strolling through the town at dusk, silhouettes and shadows were our guides, and a magical quality infused the experience as we explored into twilight before heading back to the bus by the light of the moon.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Carmel!

 

Numerous shops featured enticing indoor/outdoor alleyways and corridors, some leading to secret courtyards and gardens, others to the next street. These were, as most of you will know about me, right up my alley (pun fully intended!).

A quaint patio in Carmel-by-the-Sea by twilight.  

The bus ride back to San Francisco in the dark was made fun as Mom and I played games together on her i-Pad and watched the on-board movie, "Mrs. Doubtfire", which was filmed in San Francisco. We were certainly ready to sleep fitfully after this full day of touring, but of course, we were also set for further explorations the next day. Stay tuned for more from San Fran!

My wonders: Have you ever been to Monterey, 17-Mile Drive and/or Carmel-by-the-Sea? What were your impressions? What are some of your favourite coastal views?