We drove for a little over 2 hours, through Los Banos, San Juan Bautista, and Castroville, where there are artichokes growing as far as the eye can see. We entered the coastal summer fog and high temperatures in the mid-60s which were a welcome change from the 105 expected in Merced. We checked into the Victorian Inn, our hotel within walking distance of Cannery Row and headed to lunch outside at the Trailside Cafe where they welcome pets with water and treats and have heaters hanging from the arbors. Then it was off to introduce Kodi and Ili to the Pacific Ocean (well, Monterey Bay, anyway).
A stop at the Ghirardelli shop brought hot chocolate and 3 bags of delicious chocolate squares. Pierce Ranch Vineyards has a tasting room in Monterey, so we stopped in for a liesurely tasting of their wines made from Argentinian grapes. So delicious that we bought a mixed case. We had a terrific dinner at the Duck Club Grill with a lovely view of the water from our table. Sunday brought breakfast at The Monterey Crepe Company followed by a 4 mile walk on the trail along the coast from Monterey, past Pacific Grove. We saw beautiful views, seals, and sea otters and the huskies smelled more smells than they have in a very long time.
Sunday evening we enjoyed a good dinner and great drinks at Hula's Island Grill and Tiki Room. Sean was so happy to see Painkillers on the menu, not just because he has been experiencing back pain, but because he first tried them in the US Virgin Islands and they became his favorite drink. Monday we were up early for a breakfast of hot chocolate, yogurt with fruit & granola, and beignets at the Trailside Cafe with the dogs. Then we headed a few miles south to Carmel-by-the-Sea, most commonly known as Carmel. We took a walk along a beautiful trail in the Mission Trail Nature Preserve near the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo which was founded in 1771.
There were lovely shops all over downtown Carmel, but we focused on tasting and selecting some delicious cheeses, bread and olives at The Cheese Shop. Then we headed to Carmel Beach for one last look at the ocean before heading back to the San Joaquin Valley. We even let the huskies dip their feet in the Pacific.
On the way home we stopped at the Casa de Fruta in Santa Clara County. It is a pretty tacky place, with a miniature train for rides through the grounds, but they had some delicious local fruits and nuts that paired nicely with our bread and cheese from Carmel. It was a tasty picnic lunch and a good end to our trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment