Monterey Aquarium

After sighting the Pacific, we visited Monterey, CA and the Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Pacific

The ocean was sighted by Europeans early in the 16th century, first by the Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa who crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1513 and named it as Mar del Sur (South Sea), and then by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who sailed the Pacific during his circumnavigation from 1519 to 1522. 

In June of 2010 the ocean was sighted by the American traveler Ralph Klingbeil who crossed from the island of Cannonicut in the Narragansett Bay north of the Atlantic Ocean.  Mr. Klingbeil had traveled some 3700 miles in a rented Toyota Yarus.

Paris in Palo Alto

After all that technology, we went to Stanford and spent some pleasant time in the Rodin Sculpture Garden at the Cantor Arts Center.

As we walked around, Ralph and I remembered our 2008 New Year’s visit to Paris with Barbara and Jonathan.

Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 2

We made another stop on the “Scientific Traveler Tour” this afternoon at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA.  Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 2 was demonstrated for us four relics from before the personal computer age.

There were a few other relics in the museum…

A Gold Star for the first daughter or son-in-law to guess what is hanging from this man’s belt!

Dinner with the Stusnicks and Checks

We celebrated arriving in San Jose by having dinner with Eric and Maddy and their son and daughter-in-law Harold and Jenny…

From Yosemite to San Jose

Driving from the Wawona Hotel to San Jose is to pass thru more than a century and some beautiful country.

A Walk to the Ahwahnee

On our last day in Yosemite, we walked from the shuttle stop at the Yosemite Lodge to the Ahwahnee.

View A walk in a larger map

Only later did we find out that we missed an opportunity to add another wildlife to our life list … we were in mountain lion country!  We had lunch at the Ahwahnee, a 1927 grand lodge, in what looked like to me. like Frank Lloyd Wright style.

Walking with John Muir

We spent a day in the Yosemite Valley.  Although 2010 is a far cry from the 1870’s, you can almost imagine that you are walking with John Muir himself.

We took an “easy” walk from the Yosemite Lodge (where Barbara and I stayed a few years ago in March or April – can’t remember which month – it was much emptier then) to the Yosemite Lower Falls.  There has been a lot of snow this past winter and spring melt off has been rapid, so the Falls are very full…

We then took a shuttle bus to the Mirror Lake Trail (also “easy”, but longer).  Because of all the snow and runoff and recent warm weather, the lake isn’t much of a mirror, but the walk was wonderful nevertheless.

Even with crowds, the shuttle buses, and souvenir shops – it’s still easy to imagine you are walking with John Muir…

Yosemite

We are staying at Yosemite for three nights at the Wanona Hotel.  The hotel is from the Victorian era – a main building, 1879…

and several smaller cottages and annexes.  we are staying at the 1918 Modern Annex with private baths.

  this is our front porch and this is the view from the porch…

It is on the National Register of Historic Buildings…so no telephone, TV or internet.  Even my Verizon mobile card does not work here, so these blog entries are delayed.

Back in time…

We just spent 3 nights at Wawona Hotel in Yosemite NP.

It’s a little bit of the nineteenth century inside of Yosemite.  No TV, internet, or cell telephone.  So blog entries have been delayed.  Will coming soon…

For the next three days we will spending some catch-up time with dear friends Eric and Maddy Stusnick in San Jose, CA.

Bears!

As we were finishing our visit to Sequoia we came across Mom….

   Her cubs were nearby,

   and then -- this photographer decided it was time to move quickly…..

Land of Giants

When John Muir visited what is now Sequoia National Park he called it “land of giants”.

We spent a wonderful day here today.

Folks from all across this country (and world) come to have their picture taken in front of “General Sherman” – the most massive tree in the world…