Our stay in Monterey...

It had been raining heavily when we arrived in Monterey but luckily on the next day the weather was much better with sunshine for most of the day and just a few showers. We started the day by going down to the Fisherman’s Wharf area and having a look around and taking photos. Before it started to rain, we had seen some seals ‘near the wharf and when they became aware of human presence, they started up a cacophony of ‘barking’, but they got no fish treats from us as we raced back to shelter!

These beautiful echiums at Fisherman's Wharf

We then drove to the Cannery Row district and because of the rain, got our wet weather gear out and I togged up with a rain poncho. Would you believe that within 5 minutes of all that effort, the rain stopped! So in perfect conditions we explored the Cannery Row area. Monterey Bay had always been a fishing community but during the depression canning sardines became ‘big business’ as it was a cheap nutritional food. The canning factories are gone but the buildings have been re-purposed into a variety of businesses and it is a charming area to stroll through. I found the gardens there delightful as well as the restored buildings and the wooden boardwalks.

A view of a number of -re-purposed buildings

Little workers cottages

The back of some of the buildings; the first building is a hotel

A statue/bust of John Steinbeck the author

A view of Cannery Row, not far from the carpark

The view out to sea from the boardwalk

The author, John Steinbeck was a resident of this area and where he got a lot of inspiration for his characters and plots. He is immortalised in this area, including in plaques, statues and building names. DH and I had lunch in an old building which is now called the ‘Brewhouse’. I decided to have cider with my lunch, but it soon became obvious that it was alcoholic cider...I had quite ‘heavy legs’ and a tired feeling for the rest of the afternoon. Lol

After that DH and I drove to the nearby town of Pacific Grove which is also full of gracious homes and public buildings. If you glanced down the side streets you caught a glimpse of the bay...just beautiful!

One of the beautiful buildings in Pacific Grove

A glimpse of the sea at Pacific Grove

We then embarked on the ’17 mile Coast drive’, which takes you along the coast and also at times, through forest. This area of the coast is home to 8 golf courses including the famous Pebble Beach Resort course which has hosted the US Open...Nirvana to DH! We saw some pretty wild seas on the coast that day. Then, on the same drive, we went past a Veterans’ Cemetery and saw a group of small deer grazing on the grass in the lawns! We stopped and took photos of that!

In this area are also some very impressive homes and I can imagine they would have impressive selling prices too!

Part of the coastline on the 17 mile drive which shows the wild seas of that day

Hard to see...but there is a row of golf buggies parked while the golfers take their shots. The course is so large that buggies are a necessity

We finished that outing with DH going into ‘The Lodge’ Resort Hotel and then going out to the links where his hero Tiger Woods ( L )had won a US Open and several tournaments as well. DH also bought a shirt and some presents for some of his golfing mates at the shops there.

The next day we went to Carmel, but alas it was raining quite heavily there that day. We walked around but only saw a very small part of the pretty little town. Still there is a good side to that...I didn’t spend very much money at all! I did hope to run into the former Mayor, Clint Eastwood’ but it wasn’t to be apparently! We warmed our chilled bodies at a lovely little coffee shop which was down a little alley and very popular. Unfortunately, because of the heavy rain, most of my photos weren't very good but I have a few.

A mosaic in a shop at Carmel

A beautiful sculpture at Carmel; she is holding a heart so maybe it's a valentine!

Outside the cafe where we had coffee, 2 dogs in raincoats waited patiently!

One of the beautiful homes of Carmel

Another view of outside the coffee shop!