Caliofrotnia Adventure P.4: The Many Realms of California

Nothing like getting snapshots of summer when the first day of winter is tomorrow.

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Day 3 of our Caliofrotnia Adventure: The humans started their day early again, having more pep than usual because of the time zones. She and her family were lucky enough to get this gorgeous view only a few miles' drive from their hotel. The sound of white, raging water crashing over a rocky ravine is probably the best alarm clock that I can imagine.

"Best. Views. Ever." -Nessarose, upon entering Yosemite National Park.

We took a tour around the park with a small crowd on an open-air tram, piloted by a guide with a microphone and a head full of facts. The last photo is of a famous climbing mountain called "El Capitan", and if you squint hard enough, you might be able to see some daredevils scaling the side. Apparently a climbing team, Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell, broke a record by climbing the nose of the mountain (the sloping part which resembles an elephant's trunk) in under two hours.

The tram came to rickety stop next to a clearing and the guide told the riders to get out and explore the land, pointing the way to the toilets if need be. Most humans started walking that way, but not She, and because we were still riding along in her purse, not us, either. She was jumping over fallen branches, darting down a scarily visible path, dodging butterflies and grinning to herself.

"Just look at this view," She giggled, holding us up discreetly to a line of evergreens, mountains, and cornflower blue sky. "Hey, should I touch the water?"

"Go for it!" Said Nessa.

"Okay," She knelt down, paused, and then brushed her fingers into the crystal-clear stream. "Oof, wow. It's cold. Probably came off that waterfall," She shook off her hand, exhilarated at the water's touch. "Isn't that exciting? We'd never get this experience back home."

"Moana should have been here." I muttered.

"Relax, Loki. Enjoy the time we have," She stroked under my chin with the curl of her finger. "You're here for a reason."

It was at that point that She's sister caught up with She, so it was back in the bag for us. We were shut in the dark, usually not a pleasant experience, but my jawline buzzed with energy.

The humans collected themselves back into the tram and cut through a pine-needle-riddled forest trail up the side of a hill, where we pulled into a cobblestone lot with a tunnel nearby. It was the perfect lookout space to see most, if not all, of the landmarks on the Yosemite property, and we got some stunning photos. She's favorite is the first one with the bird flying overhead.

 The tour lasted an hour, and then the humans had the idea to navigate the park on their own. There was a popular road laden with cairns that a lot of people took to get to the lookout point of one of falls. (Since I'm writing this now in December and not July when the events took place, I forget the name of it now.) But that wasn't enough for She.
"I'm going to climb up to the falls, where those people are." She told her mother, pointing.
"What people?" The mother asked, incredulous.
"I saw people climbing those rocks up to touch the falls. Who's with me?"
Apparently we weren't, as She slid off her purse and placed it in the waiting arms of her mother.
The father volunteered, as did the sister, and from the crack of light showing through her purse, we watched them scale the side of a settled avalanche, She always one step ahead of the others. She was focused, enamored, even, with the strategic process of amateur climbing. We watched her until the family was nothing but a speck in the distance, masked behind the misty curtain of the waterfall. I could imagine She standing there at the peak, laughing wholly and tasting the fresh water with her hands.
I would have never imagined a writer to have such a strong urge to adventure.

Day 4 of our Caliofrotnia Adventure: The humans left Yosemite park at the end of the day and retired to a hotel, sunburned and exhausted. The rest of the trip was not meant to be entirely scheduled, more sight-seeing than planning and meeting those plans. The first stop on day four was cannery row, another quaint harbor town with wax museums, candy shops, and the Monterey Bay aquarium.(Which was the same aquarium featured in the Pixar movie Finding Dory, as Nessa has told me.) 

It was strange the way California worked- one day you were between the shoulders of mountains- you drive a couple hours, and there is nothing but sand and saltwater.

A couple of people walked along the beach at Cannery Row, but unless you were in a full-body wetsuit and planned on surfing, we wouldn't recommend entering the waters in California this time of year.

After a quick lunch stop for "the biggest pizza ever", the humans went to the other half of Cannery Row, one a little closer to the sea.

Again, like Yosemite, these wild crows are everywhere. (Third picture.)

The rest of the day was meant to be spent at the next hotel, a lodge-like abode that was also by the sea. But before that, the humans made a pit stop at a 19th century lighthouse and almost crashed a wedding reception.

A seaside view was not the only aspect of the hotel the humans enjoyed, however. There were a couple of hot tubs and lawn games like giant chess or tic-tac-toe, but by far the best part was the fire pit. Whenever the sun set and the wind blew cold, the domed shaped of the pit emitted a delightful heat, and the chatter from good company kept everyone there until the late hours of the night.

The ocean tonight was a relentless roar, when earlier it had been Poseidon teasing the shoreline, the tide had finally come in and the sound of the sea became like Mother Nature's aggressive heartbeat. Wave after wave, never ceasing for a second to make another crashing noise upon the other which was retreating. The air was dense with chilly fog and sea salt, a smell that would mix in with the smoke and charcoal of the campfire, a unique smell that you couldn't get anywhere else.
"Nice night, isn't it?" She's father asked. Her mother and sister were back in their room, getting ready for bed. "How often do you get a fire on the beach?"
"Well, technically, it's not a beach. The beach is down there." She said, pointing.
"Picky, picky."
"You know me." She replied, her cool gaze a contrast to the fire. She raised a palm to the aura of heat that lay around the fire pit, an aura the three of us dolls were doing our best avoid.

"Has this been a good trip for you?" She's father asked. The question he asked was a sensitive one. After all, he had planned the entire week out from start to finish. It was essentially a project meant to make his family happy.

"Yeah, it has. Unlike anything else I've ever done in my life."

"So far it has been, yes. But Disney won't be. You've seen the Florida one before. And California's will be smaller, but not much different."

She's hand fell on her purse. "Right... Disney. I almost forgot that was our last day here." She suddenly stood and began to back away from the fire, navigating the gravel trails that lead back to the hotel.

"Where are you going?"

"There's something I forgot to do. I wish I would have remembered it earlier." She muttered vaguely. Her father shrugged at the strangers sitting beside him, strangers that had quickly become friends around that campfire. Only we knew what She was up to.

 

Day 5 of our Caliofrotnia Adventure: That night, She confronted Olaf with an affirmation to her promise. He would be able to call Idina on the sixth day of their vacation, the night before Disneyland, when all things would be more relaxed. She knew that her family could be distracted for long enough to find them some time to talk. He was contented with that, and now She had it off of her shoulders.

The morning started with watching the sea lions at Santa Barbara pier bathe in the sun.

Next, we took a bus ride up the plains and rocky hill of San Simeon to Hearst Castle, a 20th century mansion built by a successful man with an extravagant imagination and a little too much money to spend. Here is where he would host actors, singers, and sports heroes just for the fun and luxury of it.

There were plenty of gardens surrounding us, some flowers having been imported from Egypt and Mexico, but the roses were She's favorite. We found a baby pink one whose petals were drying along the edges, making it appear as though the rose was lined with gold. I wouldn't be surprised if it actually had been.

  

When we passed through the front gates of the castle (first picture), we were slapped in the face with even more displays of wealth. 

The dining hall was the most impressive part of it all.

Photography was discouraged anywhere else inside the castle, so we returned outdoors, where there was a sheltered Roman-style bathhouse that was by far the most exquisite thing we had seen all day.

The humans stopped for a quick peek at the Hollywood sign before it was time to move onto to their hotel.

She and her sister couldn't wait to try out the pool at their hotel.

The humans spent the evening out on the pier that was just a ten minute's walking distance from their hotel, and returned after the sun had set. They would have to rest up before the biggest day of the trip. Disneyland was tomorrow.

-Loki