San Simeon Weekend

An on-line work conversation led to an offer to comp me a campsite and Hearst Castle tickets.  It’s great working for State Parks for many reasons!

I managed to get a little lost on the way Thursday and arrived at camp tired, discouraged and a little grumpy with poor Benjamin and Anna as my prisoners.  Fortunately, David and Teresa in their car already knew the way and got there an hour ahead of us.  They checked in and the ranger gave us a great site!  in probably the best site in San Simeon State Park – best for us at least.  

 Roasting hot dogs over a campfire helped restore my spirits, although there was more of a nip in the air than I had anticipated.  We had family prayer, scriptures, and reading club by phone with Joseph.

Anna enjoyed camping, but she thinks she would have enjoyed it more if I had let her run out to explore the interesting things she heard and smelled.  She spent much of Thursday night bouncing around the tent.  Around 2am, she actually managed to get out the back.  Benjamin and I scrambled for our shoes calling her name, but by the time I opened the front flap, she was there and we got her back in.  Smelling funny.  as in not good and not the way she smelled when she left.  Not full on skunk, thank goodness!  I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely something.  Later in the night we heard coyotes yipping.  She whined to join them, not believing me when I told her they would most likely eat her.  Friday night was less rowdy except for barking at other dogs barking in other camps and a little whining for the wild life.

Friday morning we took the Hearst Castle Tour 1. What an amazing place!  A bit much for my personal taste, but breathtaking.  There are several tours which each show different parts of the castle (although I think they all begin and end at the same places).  I strongly suspect that even if you took all the tours, you would not see all the castle.

Here you see the Enchanted Hill from the Visitor's Center.

It's a 5 mile bus ride from the Visitor's Center to the castle along the same road the Hearst and his guests used.   People would train in to San Luis Obispo or fly to Hearst's own landing strip not far from the Visitor's Center and be driven up by limo.

Oh, great.  I am out of storage space for photos.  I didn't even know I had Picsasa, but apparently that is where my photos go when I put them on the blog. ?  must learn more .  kater ,   when I have time.  (ha)

Meanwhile you can see more and better pictures of Hearst Castle here:  http://www.hearstcastle.org/  Hearst enjoyed collecting art, building this place to showcase it, and sharing the art, the place, and good times. 

Julia Morgan was architect for both Asilomar and Hearst Castle. Each has its own style and beauty.  My personal preference runs towards Asilomar.

We spent most of the day at Hearst Castle and Visitor's Center - tour in the morning, movie and visitor's center in the afternoon. 

Later, I made a post office run with a missionary Christmas package, followed by a visit to the Elephant Seal Boardwalk.  Then Benjamin, Anna and I enjoyed the beach at sunset. 

Saturday morning we all, David, Teresa, Benjamin, Anna and I, spent some time on the beach again.  Then lunch and a game of  Phase 10 before heading home.  

We had a lovely weekend.  Joseph enjoyed quiet time having the house to himself and working on cleaning and organizing his room - trying to refind Andrew's space which he had taken over.  (Before Benjamin finds the space for him!)