Farewell California: Jan 29th

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

We had such a wonderful, wonderful time driving down the west coast. I never realised how much it had to offer.

Wonderful, open and friendly people, incredible and diverse landscapes, great wines, amazing sunsets.

The coastal drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea to Santa Barbara, seems untouched by civilisation. In fact, on seeing the lights of Santa Barbara as we entered the city almost broke the spell off being 'out bush'. It's a beautiful town with a lovely mission and is definately worth a visit. Such a lovely arty feel and nothing like the soap opera!

Two places that deserve a mention are Gaviota and Solvang. If only for the opposite emotions they envoked. Imagine a stretch of beach snagged between a rusty, old, working railroad bridge and oil rigs. Dotted with sea gulls with mangled /broken feet (poor things) and skanky squirrels. We've never eaten lunch so quickly. As we left our picnic table (that obviously gets moved around by the tide), we realised we'd been eating beside 2 dead seagull bodies. Just the cherry on top that we needed to high tail it outta there.

Solvang on the other hand is simply divine. Settled by Danish families, the town has been completely constructed with a Danish architectural feel. They have such a Danish tradition running through the town and the people that even Crown Prince Frederick visited them for their centenery celebrations last year. Fabulous danishes too.

Driving into LA was even more of a shock than Santa Barbara. Neither Ale nor I had any urge to sightsee. It was just too big, too many traffic lights, people, roads. Blerk. I've come to realise that I'm more of a town girl :).

Dick Turpin country: Jan 24th

The whispy rain and fog cloaked the craggy coastline and road from Carmel to San Simeon giving it an eerie and mysterious feel. The cliffs aren't enormously tall but when they are peeking through the fog, they could be 1000ft high. The crashing, foaming waves just added to the whole sensorial experience. I so expected to see a hooded figure on his horse galloping along the edge of the cliffs. As we drove through the redwooded area of Big Sur, the little bit of light simply disappeared. There is literally nothing along this coastline except for a couple of camping grounds and apparently some working monasteries up in the mountains.

We arrived in San Simeon at sunset which was quite simply magnificent. I'm guessing it was due to the fog (or maybe a little Hearst magic?) but the whole sky was painted in hues of dusty pink smudged with a touch of gold. Wow. The ocean seemed to have been lit with teal lights from underneath and although the sun was setting, the water remained untouched. I think Ale stayed outside on the small cliff for about 20 minutes just soaking it all in. It really was one of those moments that you'll always remember.

GRRRR......

I've never seen bigger 'trucks' (utes)  than the beauties they have in the US. Super huge tires, massive trays and cabs, basically monsters. At times it felt like we were driving a Lego car as these beasts zoomed past us. Even more interesting was what they did to 'personalise' their babies - unusual bumper stickers, skulls, double sets of wheels....what a way to get from A to B!

PS: I threw in a piccie of Sofia in Mickey Mouse's car parked outside his house in 'Toon Town', Disneyland. So cute!

Top 10 California's experiences

Dove c'era una orange forest ora ci sono le case di Topolino, Minnie e Pippo (Goofy fuori dall'Italia) e motel, hotel e ristornati per i loro seguaci (noi compresi con la scusa di Sofia) in pellegrinaggio. Almeno una paio di alberi si possono scambiare per vedere Sofia che incontra Minnie (il suo pupazzo preferito da quando ha ricevuto per Natale la cucina di Minnie) e per volare sopra la California con la Sorin actraction ripensando alle tue best experiences non necessariamente in ordine di imortanza:
- Un pomeriggio peace and love al Red Victoria cafè di San Francisco
- Su e giù per Sonoma Valley con biglietti omaggio di wine tasting + estensione Lava wine in Napa.
- Posare lo zaino porta Sofia dopo che per tre ore avete scalato la Muir wood forest, e mangiarsi due crisps salt e vinagrette.
- Mezza giornata di sport (corsa lungo oceano, nuotata in piscina e recupero in spa) mentre Charlie con Sofia visitano un castello americano (?!)
-  Tre balene a 30 metri da te, proprio quando stai perderdendo ogni speranza di avvistamento e ti consoli fotografando un gabbiano triste che segue la barca (29.01 Newport beach - LA)
- Una colonia di leoni marini svaccati tra la sabbia e la nebbia a San Simeon
- Prima volta che incroci la Road n 1 e ti affacci sull' oceano sotto Fort Brag
- Prima giornata di primavera e primo tramonto sulla costa tra Mendocino e Carmel
-  Entrare in una missione del Cammino Real, in particolare Santa Ines dove Sofia urla per due volte "oh my God" destando una certo imbarazzo.
- Degustare un nebbiolo prodotto da un Croato in un villaggio Danese vicino a Santa Barbara.

Sofia, American ID

Nome: Sofia, Fia, ma da una paio di settimane preferisce farsi chiamare Fifi.
Occhi: in transizione dall'azzurro al verde.
Altezza: tra 30 e 40 cm stimati in base alle due altezze minime per accedere alle attrazioni di Disneyland
Amici: inseparable Harry + Minny (new entry) + amicizie consumate in fretta al ritmo del nostro viaggio. Ultimo incontro: Cristofer, 3 anni, ecuadorenio con cui ha ballato all' aeroporto di Lima
Segni di ribellione: nelle due modalità lancio di Henry per terra e braccia conserte o tuffo sul cuscino battendo i pugni
Parole preferite: No (prima parola quando si sveglia), light (accendendo e spegnendo le luci), Dinner (che più che cena significant ristorante), no car,  walky  (dopo 14 gg di strada californiana), coccole (dolci, preferibilmente al cioccolato).
Frasi celebri: Orca whale, dai! (mentre incita la comparsa dei cetacei durante la spedizione di avvistamento) Oh my god! (entrando nella missione di Santa Ines)
Manualità e tecnologie moderne: sta prendendo possesso del tablet passando agilmente da un gioco all'altro (fruit ninja il suo preferito) va solo in crisi quando finisce su Office.

Motel California

Li trovi tutti schierati uni dopo l'altro come soldati sotto la bandiera americana. Hanno tutti lo stesso surname: Motel inn, Surf Inn, Travel Inn, Lodge Inn etc. Ci arrivi verso le 5 pm e alla reception Miguel ti aspetta con un sorridente welcome, un po' genuino e un po' dettato dal rating di Trip Advisor. Carta d'identità e carta di credito per due carte magnetiche che spesso si smagnetizzano e lo scambio con Miguel è fatto. Sono i tuoi motel  California e ti aspettano ad ogni nuovo angolo delo stato come delle roulotte a cui agganci ogni volta la tua Toyota Corolla per una notte gipsy e avventurosa. Al primo passo l'odore è sempre un pò stagionato, ci passi sopra parcheggiando il cibo e il vino nel mini frigo immancabilmente sormontato da una utilissimo microonde. Heating on nelle modalità fan coil o gas (quando ti capita il secondo dormi con la finestra aperta perchè non sai quanto sono restricted le discipline di security nelle room della California) e bagno pronto per Sofia. Segue cenetta take away con Charlie e serata cinema HBO o in alternativa aggiornamento blog  Wi-Fi permettendo. Ti svegli con caffettone filtrato da mezzo litro, sganci la tua Corolla, qualche campioncino inutilizzato tipo 2in1 shampoo conditionnaire e via verso nuove avventure. Se sei fortunato riesci anche a farti un bagno in piscina prima di partire. Tutto alla più che onesta cifra di 50 usd incluse tasse locali. Adoro i motel, unica cosa che inquieta è la moquette. Devono avere tutti una unico fornitore con una sola proposta in catalogo: arcobaleno di marroni intrecciati.

Contaminations (26.01)

Solvang (20 miles from Santa Barbara), Toccato Winery. I'm tasting a nebbiolo (cheery, quite complex, long finishing) produced by a Croatian man that fell in love with Italian wines and decided to grow them near this Danish village in the heart of California. Contaminations.

Gaviota beach. Last stop for humanity 26.01

You find it because it is 1pm and Sofia needs to eat so you have to take the first exit from highway 1 without too much to think about. 20 miles west of Santa Barbara, a slice of beach with clear marks of tar enclosed between the rusted railway bridge and the oil platforms. Californians with long hair and flowers feed the last survived seagulls. We are waiting for the 1.30 pm local train to cross the bridge above our heads so that Sofia can happily shout "tuu tuu".  A Seagull with a broken leg is beging for food, Charlie is offering him the last piece of Sofia's sandwich, the meal is over we can leave. A board says: "we hope you enjoied Gaviota beach and we hope to see you again".

Un inglese perfetto, senza accento 25.01

Avila Beach, ci siamo arrivati per caso uscendo dalla Coast Road alla ricerca di un wine tasting. Un piccolo villaggio chiuso tra la spiaggia e il lento scorrere del San Luis Obispo Creek. Joseph, dietro il banco della Pelaton Cellar mi sta proponendo una viaggio in 5 tappe tra i  vini della Edna Valley per 7 dollari. Joseph ama l'Italia per le machine, le moto e i vini per cui quando iniziamo a parlare di Ducati, Ferrari e Barbera lui mi raddoppia la dose e mi aggiunge due tape. "People friendly and welcome here, because the Central Coast from Paso Roble to Santa Barbara is all about to chill out" mi confessa mentre mi rabbocca un robusto Shiraz del 2007 da 16,1° con intensa amarena, anche se questa è  terra di Pinot Nero e Zinfandel (sempre meno oak). Tutti in California mi sembrano molto friendly e sociable. Un pò più in la lungo il bancone Charlie sta coversando con un altro turista americano che si è appassionato alla nostra avventura. Il nostro amico, che si è evidentemente perso un pezzo dei convenevoli, conclude facendo i complimenti a Charlie per il suo inglese: "I see you have traveled a lot, your English is perfect, no accent".

California Sunset 24.01

Sei nel cerchio magico dove la terra si è capovolta, fiamme sopra, cielo sotto i piedi. Te lo sei guadagnato questo momento dopo 2 ore e mezzo giù da Monterey seguendo la Road n 1, per l'occasione un serpente scivoloso arrampicato sulla costa che devi percorrere con lo strapiombo alla tua destra. Speravi in una giornata di sole e blu scintillante su panorami mozzafiato e invece nebbia e pioggia con oceano visible a intermittenza. A farti compagnia Sofia che reinterpreta i suggerimenti del Tom Tom: nistra, estra, alanti e il tratatà di ogni volta che passi sopra alla linea gialla di centro strada, perchè alla tua destra anche se il mare non lo vedi sai che è molto in basso. Charlie prova a confortarti:"in fondo cosí è anche più wild e vera la coast road". Ma adesso che tutto si è alzato sei qui davanti a questo sunset californiano e ti vuoi godere ogni pantone. Rosso rubino, rosso granato, un'ultima fiammata rosso aranciato.

Henry è ancora con noi. 25.01

La domanda di Charlie denuncia subito tutta la gravità della situazione: "Sofia dove hai messo Henry?" Monterey, San Carlo Cathedral, la prima cattedrale della California fondata il 3 giugno 1770 da Padre Jupinero Serra e completata nel 1794. Di solito vai in chiesa per trovare qualcosa, pace, ispirazione, fede, conoscenza del posto e delle personse che ci vivono; noi stiamo rischiando di perdere qualcosa di molto importante. Da alcuni minuti non si sono perse le tracce di Henry. La perdita di Henry, considerato fratello naturale da Sofia e comunque riconosciuto come membro della famiglia da Charlie, potrebbe seriamente compromettere il nostro equilibrio. Si libererebbero forse alcuni preziosi grammi dalle nostre superconcentrate valigie ma le conseguenze sul piano di viaggio sarebbero nefaste. Ci aggiriamo per i banchi della cattedrale, per fortuna vuota, alla ricerca di una musetto bianco con una chiazza marrone. La logica ci rassicura: non può essersene andato da solo, deve per forza essere qui da qualche parte. E alla fine eccolo li,  sdraito sull'ultimo banco, a porsi chissà quali domande con quei neuroni di gommapiuma.

Californian sealife: Jan 29

From sea otters in Monterey, elephant seals in San Simeon to humpback whales, dolphins and sea lions off Newport Beach, LA. We've seen such amazing sea life and all in the beauty of the wild. No pens, no pets....just pure 100% wild and free animals. Sofia is still convinced that the model Ora whales she saw at the Monterey aquarium were real. She even tried to share her almonds with them - so we can add them to the list too :).

There has been no one highlight as they were all amazing. The sea otters were so sweet, sticking their paws out of the water to keep them warm. They even wrap their babies up in the kelp to keep them safe when they go hunting. It was birthing time for the elephant seals so every mum was nursing a baby. They were all covered in sand from flicking it onto themseves and rolling around, so I have no doubt the milk was a little gritty. The babies were gorgeous. The papas less so, but what they lacked in looks, they made up for in bulk. They are enormous but man, they can move when they want too.

And today, the last day in LA, was spent out on the water on a whale watching boat and we were not left disappointed (although after about 40 mins, we did think the only wildlife we'd see were 2 hungry seagulls). We saw 3 humpbacks including a baby, a pod of around 100 dolphins and some lovely lazy sea lions loafing on a buoy. Sofia thought they were all orca whales but she did manage to say 'humpback whales' too.

What a wonderful end to our stay in California. Perfect, unrushed and chilled.

Carmel-by-the-Sea: Jan 22nd

We were warned how enchanting Carmel was, and everyone was right. Carmel-by-the-Sea has to be my favourite town so far. For its beauty and charm, its doesn't seem to have sold out to tourism. Its still populated by locals, all parking on the streets is free, there are few footpaths and people are genuinely nice. Sofia and I walked into town and one woman stopped her car to tell me how cute Sofia was, another came out out her gallery to do the same thing! Yes - stacks of galleries, jewellery shops and restuarants but all with a local flavour.

We spent a lovely mid morning on the beach. Sofia - already in love with all things water - fountains, creeks ... was in heaven when she saw the ocean.Freezing cold ocean, I might add. Its true that children don't develop the 'holy crap this water is cold!' gene until adolescence. No matter how red our feet became in the water, Sofia didn't seem to realise. She had discovered that as the tide disappeared, so did the sand under her feet creating little holes under them. She then learnt how to flick the wet sand with her toes :). Hee hee.

I managed to eventually avert her attention to playing Frisbee with Papa. Yay!

Muir Woods: Jan 21st

At the turn of the last century, one couple had the foresight to buy up a redwood forested area on the coast, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Although this area was to be dammed, the couple fought and won. Now we today have the incredible opportunity to still walk among 1000 year old redwoods. My love of redwoods has only increased since being in California. The sweetest fact is that sometimes, we can see them growing in a 'family circle'. Even if the parent tree dies, its massive root system survives and new trees will spring up around the parent stump. We spent about 3 hours walking through the forest which was absolutely magnificant. Good positive vibes and its not every day you get to hug the world's largest living organism.

Every now and then, these trees fall due to storms, fires earthquakes etc. When they do, they can be heard over half a mile away.

The most recent tree to fall was 21.12.12. Weird, huh?

The Silverado Trail: Jan 15th

The next time you visit Napa Valley, spend your time on The Silverado Trail and forget about the main road including the wine train. The Silverado Trail is just so pretty and more fun! We started at Lava Vineyard run by two super cool guys - Adam and Pete and their flock of chickens and a goose. The best Chenin Blanc I've ever had. And ended the next day at sunset with glasses of bubbly on the 'Mumm' terrace. A moment of pure bliss.

The really nice thing about Napa and Sonoma is that many of the vineyards are still privately owned and many simply distribute their wines via wine clubs or the internet. Many of them have little picnic areas where you can bring your lunch and enjoy their wines. It makes the wine tasting so much more intimate and personal ...and the wine is good. Zinfindel, Cab Savs, Merlots, Sauvignons, Chardonays. Delicious.