Our California Adventure, a recaplet

I've gotten quite a few responses to my last post, hoping that my trip was at least fun in between the messes. This is so typical of me! On our last night there, Eric asked me if I had had fun. I have since apologized to him at least a half-dozen times, because of course I had a wonderful time! I just focus on the negative way too much.

What I was going to do was write a blog about the trip after blogging reviews for the bead shops and hotels, but first I just had to write down that stupid story about the airport. The bead shop reviews can be found at my jewelry business blog: Miao Miao by Mysie. I have yet to get around to reviewing the hotels. So here is a mini recap of our trip.

San Francisco's Chinatown was amazing, with plenty of great photo opportunities. Ate some amazing dumplings. Quested for a cartoon cow display sign for the Year of the Ox (I am an Ox/Rat "cusp"). The BART was so easy to use, but frighteningly loud - I think nobody reacted to the noise because they have all gone deaf.

Monterey was beautiful and fun. We had giant burgers for lunch, leaving no room for dinner. We poked into shops, took pictures, snacked, and went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I took hundreds of photos that day!

The drive to San Simeon via Highway 1 is something I shouldn't mention because I will get too negative. I'll just say that I hate mountain roads that are high up, with cliffs and sheer drops, blind curves and snaking routes. Now imagine me driving 60+ miles of that, half of it in the dark. It's hard to remember, but yes, the views were spectacular when I had the chance to actually look at them.

Hearst Castle was gorgeous, but despite the length of the tour, we didn't seem to see all that much. Moonstone Beach in Cambria provided the opportunity for lots of beachcombing!

The ride to Solvang was kind of boring, having given up on hugging the coast for my sanity and the sake of time. Solvang was a bit boring itself. I went to an antique shop very much unlike the kind I'm used to that buy up anything and everything from estate sales. The cheapest thing there was a $250 vase marked down to $75, and it was hideous.

The next day we stopped in Santa Barbara, which was a trip. A million trendy boutiques, and all of it in identical architecture. In fact, almost every store, business, apartment building, and home looked charming but identical.

All we saw of Anaheim was I-5, Del Taco, our hotel, the bus stop outside our hotel, and Disneyland. It was very hot, and the sun in California is somehow brighter than up here, so I was very uncomfortable that day. We did see lots of fun stuff and rode a bunch of rides and bought too many souvenirs. Oddly, the rides that Eric didn't think I would like were the best: Indiana Jones' Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and the Materhorn. I'm not a huge fan of roller coasters, but these were all great!

The next day we spent either at the airport or trying to get there. Stepping out of SeaTac airport and into naturally cool air was the perfect homecoming!