POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE

 Our next stop was Point Reyes National Seashore, to see the elephant seals.  But first, a stop at the park headquarters and a look at our state bird, the California quail, munching on the lawn out front.

Directions in hand, we were off to see the seals.  They were located in the crook of this beach.  As the ranger promised, we could hear them from the parking area. 

It was bitterly cold, so we did not stay very long.  We made our way back to the parking area, getting another view on the way. 

We decided to keep going to see the lighthouse.  It was retired in 1975, but is now a museum.  The lighthouse itself was closed, but we wanted to see the view from the cliffs above. 

Again, the bitter cold.  The sun was on its way down and the fog was enveloping us, so we headed for the car and the drive back home.  

The next morning we had our breakfast, and drove to the airport, saying goodbye to Jeanne and feeling sad at the end of a wonderful visit. 

MUIR WOODS

 Monday we returned from chez Marge to our house, and recovered a bit from the weekend, taking a long walk in the neighborhood in the late afternoon.  Tuesday we set off for a whole day of touring Marin County.

We started with Muir Woods. 

CARMEL

The next morning started cold and gray.  That did not stop intrepid surfers from enjoying the waves. 

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the B&B.  Marge decided to read the paper in the salon while Tom, Jeanne and I took a brisk walk along the beach.   

After our walk we checked out of the B&B and headed off to the famed 17 Mile Drive through Pacific Grove and Carmel.  

We ended our drive in Carmel, where we stopped to take in the famous beach, and then took a walk through the town.  We voted to return straightaway to Saratoga so the Tom and Marge could watch the Super Bowl (Go 'Niners!) (well, better luck next near!), while Jeanne and I took a walk through the neighborhood.  

An excellent weekend!  (Except for the Super Bowl.)

MONTEREY

The next day we drove to Monterey, about an hour and a half south.  We stopped for lunch at the Fishwife in Pacific Grove before checking in at the Seven Gables B&B in Pacific Grove across the street from the beach. 

We did not linger at the B&B, but went directly to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Our favorites, the sea otters, are no longer on display, since they destroyed their exhibit.  Instead, the aquarium now has telescopes set up outside to watch the otters in the bay. 

The aquarium is famous for it's jelly fish exhibits.  It was the first aquarium to figure out how to raise and maintain jelly fish in captivity.  At our last visit six or seven years ago it had only one kind of jelly fish on display.  This time is had many.  Here are some of our favorites. 

They were hypnotizing. 

At our last visit the emphasis of the aquarium was on local sea life.  Now they have exhibits of many exotic species, including an extensive exhibits of seahorses.  

There are not as many pictures as I would like.  The ones shown here move slowly.  The others move surprisingly quickly, leaving me with blurry photos.  So these elegant varieties will have to do. 

After the aquarium we rested for an hour at the B&B, then went off to the Carmel Mission Basilica for Saturday evening mass, followed by dinner of fish and chips at the Crown and Anchor in Monterey.  We were very tired by the time we got to the B&B, but took time for cookies and tea in the parlor before saying goodnight.