Keeping it Fresh:Carmel
Tuesday, May 15-The Road to Carmel
Two very different places, clearly and two very different experiences.
I left Cambria Tuesday morning for a tour of Hearst Castle. It was..'interesting.' I'm amazed at the wealth of the time but more interested in the life of WRH. The tour told me where he lived and kind of how he lived, but really nothing about him. That I need to get from a book. Sorry, but not alot to post on the tour. I still savored the solitude and the lack of a planned schedule. something I surrendered to only days before.
My next stop would be Carmel.
With US1 being closed, I was left with taking 101 north to Carmel but not before I passed through Pasa Robles to the east, on a mission.
The night before, at the Organic Roastery bar, where the aforementioned stitches were removed, I had a vodka made from apples. The brand is Azeo. Not apple infused or the other kinds of flavored vodkas where they add syrup: no..this was vodka distilled and apples (or grapes) boiled and cured in the vodka. I had to find the place that makes it. I took the address off the bottle. Leaving Cambria, I set out East to PR. After twists and turns, I ended up on a dirt road with alot of warehouse type buildings. I drove in, amidst the barrels, yelling 'Hello.' A young guy came out, I told him the story of tasting their vodka and asked him if he sold it in liquor stores. He did but invited me to have a seat on a crate and taste some of their blends, He didn't have to twist my arm. After some samples, I asked if he could sell me some. He could, he did and I continued my journey.
I took a long mountain road, San Marco Pass to get back to 101, but it afforded me the chance of more small towns. I made a left in to Solvang which is as close to Denmark as you can get without getting on a plane. It's become a touristy place of course but with the mountains surrounding you, you do feel you are out of the country, if just for a few minutes. I stopped and had a Danish, of course, but a Danish is not..well..Danish. It is a multilayered sweet pastry that was brought to Denmark by the Austrians. A little history.
I said 'farvel' to Solvang (Danish for goodbye) and continued my trek.
Eventually back on 101, but Not as bad as Interstate 5 or 405 with some scenery along the way,
My next stop would be Carmel-By-The-Sea. Fancy name for a town..well..by the sea!
It was my first time since Santa Barbara that I encountered tourist traffic. Not sure what I expected but found my way into town, to The Getaway.
I checked in about 3PM and decided to take a walk through town and down to the 'sea.'
The evening would be memorable as evidenced by a letter I received the next day. More about this, in my next blog.
Two very different places, clearly and two very different experiences.
I left Cambria Tuesday morning for a tour of Hearst Castle. It was..'interesting.' I'm amazed at the wealth of the time but more interested in the life of WRH. The tour told me where he lived and kind of how he lived, but really nothing about him. That I need to get from a book. Sorry, but not alot to post on the tour. I still savored the solitude and the lack of a planned schedule. something I surrendered to only days before.
My next stop would be Carmel.
With US1 being closed, I was left with taking 101 north to Carmel but not before I passed through Pasa Robles to the east, on a mission.
The night before, at the Organic Roastery bar, where the aforementioned stitches were removed, I had a vodka made from apples. The brand is Azeo. Not apple infused or the other kinds of flavored vodkas where they add syrup: no..this was vodka distilled and apples (or grapes) boiled and cured in the vodka. I had to find the place that makes it. I took the address off the bottle. Leaving Cambria, I set out East to PR. After twists and turns, I ended up on a dirt road with alot of warehouse type buildings. I drove in, amidst the barrels, yelling 'Hello.' A young guy came out, I told him the story of tasting their vodka and asked him if he sold it in liquor stores. He did but invited me to have a seat on a crate and taste some of their blends, He didn't have to twist my arm. After some samples, I asked if he could sell me some. He could, he did and I continued my journey.
I took a long mountain road, San Marco Pass to get back to 101, but it afforded me the chance of more small towns. I made a left in to Solvang which is as close to Denmark as you can get without getting on a plane. It's become a touristy place of course but with the mountains surrounding you, you do feel you are out of the country, if just for a few minutes. I stopped and had a Danish, of course, but a Danish is not..well..Danish. It is a multilayered sweet pastry that was brought to Denmark by the Austrians. A little history.
I said 'farvel' to Solvang (Danish for goodbye) and continued my trek.
Eventually back on 101, but Not as bad as Interstate 5 or 405 with some scenery along the way,
My next stop would be Carmel-By-The-Sea. Fancy name for a town..well..by the sea!
It was my first time since Santa Barbara that I encountered tourist traffic. Not sure what I expected but found my way into town, to The Getaway.
I checked in about 3PM and decided to take a walk through town and down to the 'sea.'
The evening would be memorable as evidenced by a letter I received the next day. More about this, in my next blog.
My Dear Sir,
You may or may not remember us as The interracial couple that day next to you at the bar in Carmel. But I just wanted...no. Needed to tell you that your wisdom and conversation was so Divinely inspired to us, at this point in our lives. There is NO way I can explain in this short email how profoundly you touched our lives. Suffice it to say that your wisdom is and will always be something that We feel was God Sent. Thank You!
If you are ever in the Monterey area or in the Colorado Springs area again, please contact us. We would love to get to know you and your incredible wife better! I have to say, I am in awe of your wife, she is everything I admire! Be safe! Go with God!
Erik and Donna
THE SO-CALLED PURPOSE OF MY TRIP WAS COMING INTO FOCUS...
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