C is for California.

This month i am doing the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

When i was 10, after my parents divorced, my dad got a job with United Airlines, working out of their San Francisco terminal. Every summer after that, my brothers and i would fly from Virginia to California and spend at least a month out there. i fell in love immediately.

Our first trip there, my dad took us straight from the airport to downtown San Francisco. We were amazed, to say the least, having only travelled before to places like Florida or Ohio. He took us to Chinatown, and we looked through gift shops and marveled at the carcasses hanging in the restaurant windows. i got my first real taste of Chinese food in the back of a little restaurant there, and it was divine. But nothing could prepare us for the magic of the Pacific.

i love the ocean, but the Pacific really has a hold on my heart. Rather than just miles of sand and hotels like you see at the Atlantic, you'll find cliff faces, succulents by the millions, beaches covered in tiny pebbles, wind and water-eroded caves, seals...and when the fog rolls in, wow... No matter how many times i've stepped out onto the Pacific's shores, it has felt magical. If i close my eyes, i can smell it, and feel the chill wind blow in my hair.

There's so much to California, specifically Northern California, that i love. The redwood forests, Highway 1, San francisco and Marin County, Big Sur, Mount Shasta, Mono Lake, Death Valley, the food, like strawberries that taste like they should and just-picked brussel sprouts, bought at a stand right by the ocean. i have lived there on and off a few times over the years, the last time being in 2003. We left because of the high cost of living, but rarely does a day go by that i don't think of it, and miss it like hell. It will always be a part of me, another home.

Vacation photos...

We arrived home from Myrtle Beach on Thursday afternoon, which was a couple of days ahead of schedule. We came home early mostly because, as much as we love to camp, we were getting burnt on sleeping in a tent and dealing with frequent thunderstorms. We had a wonderful 8 days there, though, and i think it was a great experience for Z. He's been to the ocean many times, but most of that was during our time living in Northern California, and the water is too cold there to allow much swimming. He took to the water like a fish and even got over his shyness, walking up to every child he met and making friends right away.


i'm not a fan of all the tourist-type stuff that goes on at MB, but i enjoy the state park and was happy for a long-overdue getaway. Here's a few photos from our time there:


Sunrise on the pier.


A beached jellyfish, Myrtle Beach State Park.
While there, we discovered Huntington Beach State Park which contains Atalaya Castle, the former winter home of philanthropist Archer Huntington and his wife Anna Hyatt Huntington, a famous sculptor. The home has not been occupied by a family since 1951, and there's no furniture inside, only a few fixtures like a sink and bathtub. It's a stunning place and wonderful for taking pictures.

Z., looking through a window at Atalaya Castle.

 

We had several little adventures during our stay, like visiting Ripley's Aquarium, seeing an alligator cross the road in front of our vehicle along the causeway at Huntington Beach State Park and meeting many interesting people. Z. had a fantastic time, that's for sure. i may post some more photos in the coming days.

Hope you're all well! Have a great day!

i'm back home...

...after an unexpected vacation to Myrtle Beach, paid for by one of Paul's close friends. We only had a few days to plan and pack before heading out on Saturday to Tennessee to meet up with our friends. Sunday morning we hit the road and arrived at MB State Park that afternoon. As expected, the place was packed due to the Labor Day holiday, and our tent campsite sat smack in the middle of a ton of other campers, mostly RV'ers. By Monday evening, the bulk of the crowd had cleared out and we had the place pretty much to ourselves.
We had not had a real vacation in years, and our last major road trip was back in 2003 when we drove here from California. Being a traveler, i've had the itch for so long now to explore, and this trip was just what i needed. We had a wonderful time and even avoided any rain. i spent most of my time down on the beach, ofcourse, swimming by day, going out at sunrise for picture-taking oppurtunities, and on the pier late at night. i breathed in as much of that ocean as i could, because i don't know when i'll return again. The Atlantic has it's charms, but for me the Pacific is just magical. Regardless, just being near the ocean is intoxicating.
These are a few of the pictures i took while there. They were all taken at sunrise when the light is ideal for good ocean shots. i have nothing new in the way of paper-crafts to show as i haven't had a chance to create something new in maybe 2 weeks. Hopefully, that will change today!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope everyone has a lovely day!