Global retreats and journeys that
enrich the mind, heal the body, and inspire the spirit.
From Castles to Kayaks (Cambria 2005)
The October Habitravels Cambria California Getaway
was a blast! This sleepy Central California coast
community is an ideal base camp if you want a variety
packed holiday. A review of our agenda illustrates
this.
Friday
evening's Hearst Castle tour transported us back to
a time when Hollywood's stars and the dignitaries
of the 1930s and 40s hobnobbed at William Randolph
Hearst and Marion Davies 90 thousand plus estate.
Originally known by the Hearst family as "La Cuesta
Encantada" or "The Enchanted Hill" this spectacular
show place, which Hearst called "The Ranch" has drawn
millions of visitors from all over the world. In 1919
Hearst hired Julia Morgan, one of the first women
to graduate from University of California at Berkeley
with a degree in civil engineering, and for the next
28 years, she supervised nearly every aspect of design
and construction on the hill. Here are a few mind
boggling stats on this so-called "ranch."
Square Footage
Casa Grande: 60,645
Casa del Mar: 5,875
Casa del Monte: 2,291
Casa del Sol: 2,604
Roman Pool: 1,665
Total: 90,080 Square Feet
Fireplaces
Estate Total: 41
Bathrooms
Estate Total: 61
Casa Grande: 41
Sitting Rooms
Estate Total: 19
Bedrooms
Casa Grande: 38
Casa del Mar: 6
Casa del Monte: 4
Casa del Sol: 8
Medieval ceilings and antiques brought from European
abbeys and estates abound. Period costumed docents
bring to life an evening at the Castle on these night
time Living History" tours. The estates' two swimming
pools are astounding. Neptune's pool is 104 feet long,
58 to 95 feet wide, and holds 345,000 gallons of water,
but most memorable is the indoor Roman Pool, inspired
by famous ancient Roman baths. It wasn't that popular
with guests because the ten foot depths scared them.
One shallow off-shoot nick-named "the sissy pool"
became a favorite "lovers' lane." Decorated from top
to bottom with mosaic tiles, many of them infused
with gold, it glitters at night. In 1947, Hearst left
the Castle for the last time with some building plans
not complete, but his "unfinished symphony" in architecture
is an opulent treasure trove and a must see if you
are in the vicinity. Find out more about the castle
and available tours at www.hearstcastle.com.
Saturday we left luxury behind and took to nearby
Morro Bay's waters in kayaks. Five minutes out we
met up with an otter savoring an abalone breakfast;
fine dining with an ocean view. The ancient landmark
of 576 foot high Morro Rock dominates the skyline.
The last in a chain of long-extinct volcanoes, Morro
Rock became a landfall in the 1500s for Spanish galleons
and the village of Morro Bay grew as a result. In
1968 Morro Rock was declared a State Historical Landmark,
and has been called the "Gibralter of the Pacific."
Wild life thrives in the bay, making it an ideal spot
for nature lovers to paddle. It is home to a wide
range of water fowl and sea creatures, and deer roam
the sand bar beaches. If you've never kayaked this
is a great place to get your feet wet, because the
estuary is protected and there's plenty to see while
you perfect your paddling style. There are several
reputable kayak tour operators. We enjoyed our guided
excursion with Kayak Horizons, www.kayakhorizons.com.
Sunday we headed to the Indian summer warmth of Paso
Robles Wine country with The Wine Wrangler, www.winewrangler.com.
We toured five wineries, from mom and pop to ultra-chic
establishments. We enjoyed a taste of "Liquid Love"
as we bellied up to the bar at Old West themed Tobin
James Wine Tasting Room. Story goes that Tobin James
is descended from the notorious Wild Wild West James
brothers, and the infamous outlaws hid out in Paso
Robles, and maybe, just maybe, bellied up to the very
same bar. Our next stop was architecturally chic Bianchi.
By now the wine sampling was already "relaxing" me
and our stops were blending together. A highlight
was the visit to Eiber Winery, where we learned a
bit about wine production and toured extensive underground
cool wine caves. If possible schedule your wine tour
for Sunday to the Saturday crowds.
As with all Health Habitravels programs there was
daily Pilates/yoga. Our "studio" in Cambria was the
gazebo at Shamel Park, and the steadfast beat of the
nearby Pacific tides our accompaniment. The focused
practice and gentle stretches were very welcome after
climbing Hearst Castle's hundreds of stairs and getting
a great workout paddling into the wind in Morro Bay.
Once again we had a homey stayed at The Pickford House
Inn, www.thepickfordhouse.com,
a great choice if you prefer B&Bs to your standard
motor inn. Sunday evening we did what you just have
to do when you're in Cambria, and that's watch the
seals play as the sun sets on Moonstone beach. Locals
are out for the twilight show. But as usual, the best
part of the getaway for me was sharing these experiences
with wonderful people, and making new friends. The
group finished off the weekend by toasting a lovely
couple from Chicago who had come on the weekend to
celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
What an honor to be included in such a happy occasion.
I hope to have many more such honors as my Health
Habitravels Retreats and Journeys continue.
