Ms. Razvi

I really enjoyed my trip in California and am excited that I got to see and do so much in three weeks.  It was a nice relaxing trip even though I was on the move quite a bit.  I am ready to come home though!  Three weeks is a long time to be away from home, my cat Leo, and my responsibilities at school.  My mind is on setting up my classroom and preparing for the first day of school!  I am excited for school, but also nervous (as I am sure you are too!).

I got to do many of the things that I enjoy doing while traveling.  I saw and experienced the ocean, I hiked and relaxed in the mountains, I enjoyed a short stay in the city, and I wandered.  I also learned so much!  I think the things I learn about history, other people and myself while traveling makes the effort so much more valuable.  I can’t wait for my next adventure!  But where will it be…

Can you guess what this picture is of?  It kind of looks like seaweed doesn’t it?  If you click on the picture it will bring you to an awesome exhibit that I saw at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and you can learn what it is.  I was so amazed by these creatures, especially the one in the picture!

I got to see many sea creatures at the aquarium including otters, sharks, octopus, jellyfish, penguins, seahorses and so many more!  I think this is the best aquarium…crowded, but visually stunning.  The colors of the coral, water, and fish were so vibrant and bright.  I was in awe much of the time walking through this enormous place that sits right on the ocean.  They actually make the bay part of the aquarium by showcasing kelp beds, going inside a wave, and viewing ocean life from outside on the deck.

I haven’t been to many aquariums, but I don’t think this one can be topped!  The seahorse exhibit was very rare to see as well.

As I get closer to Santa Barbara, my stops at places are getting shorter and shorter.  The drive is just as much a part of the fun of this vacation as the sites are.  On the road again, I will soon be back where I started.

A visit to California wouldn’t be complete without a coastal ride.  From San Francisco, I made my way down Highway 1 back towards Santa Barbara (where I began my three week adventure).  I was a little scared beginning this journey because I heard that a few days before a driver had just driven over the cliffs.  I guess he walked away from the accident just fine (not the car though) but I didn’t want any mistakes like that!  The ride was great because the ocean water was bright blue in some places, rocks jutted out of the waters, surfers enjoyed the waves, and the cliffs dropped dramatically.

At one point I noticed that several people had stopped and were looking at some animal on the beach.  I decided to pull over and glance myself, especially since the people seemed to be so lose to the animals.  When I got closer, I noticed they were seals.  But not just any seals, most of them were elephant seals.  They are very large and they have long noses the sort of curve under (like the top of an elephant’s nose).  I spent quite a bit of time just looking at these creatures sunbathe.  They seem to be so lazy too.  Some would get the urge to move and sort of flop towards the water for two seconds and then just flop down as though they were tired from exerting so much energy.  Another funny thing they would do is throw sand on themselves.  They use the sand to cover their bodies and protect their skin from the sun.  I saw some fighting (which I read is common), some swimming, and some just rolling over.

I’m glad I got to witness this part of nature!

Lassen Volcanic National Park was lots of fun, but it was time to head back near the coast.  The next stop was San Francisco.  Upon arriving in the city I had to go over the famous Golden Gate Bridge, which is a symbol for the city.  I pulled over into a parking lot before driving over so I could walk on the bridge.  Unfortunately, summer is not the best season to see San Francisco.  It stays nearly covered in fog and the sun just doesn’t show through.  I was lucky to see as much of the bridge as I did because the clouds covered only the top of it.

The first day in the city I did some of the more tourist type things.  I walked around the hilly streets (and boy were there some steep climbs), ate dinner on Fisherman’s Wharf, and rode the cable car back up the hill in the evening.

I’m not a huge fan of cities because I don’t like how they are crowded with people, cars, and too much activity.  So the second day I tried to stay away from the crowds and find quieter places.  One place I enjoyed was the Golden Gate Park.  It is kind of like New York City’s Central Park – a large green space with gardens, fields, and walking trails.  In the park I found the Japanese Tea Garden where I had tea and cookies.  It was a struggle to keep the birds away from the food!  Since the city on the ocean, I found my way to the beach.  Of course, it wasn’t a beach day because of the fog and oh yeah…it was cold!  I had to wear a sweatshirt the entire time in the city because it was so chilly.  Anyway, I took a nice walk on the beach and watched the surfers.  I ate lunch at a place called the Cliff House, which has an interesting history.  There have been three Cliff Houses because the previous ones all burned down.  It used to be a fun hang out because they had something called the Sutro Baths.  They were 6 large swimming pools with most of them filled with salt water.  In 1966 they burned and were never replaced.  You can still see the ruins of the baths from the Cliff House.

That evening, I had dinner in Chinatown.  Most major cities have a Chinatown and San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in the country.  Going to San Francisco was a nice change of pace from the remote mountains I had been exploring.

My trip is nearing its end!

My greatest adventure in Lassen was going to a place called Bumpass Hell.  Here you can see boiling waters, gurgling mud pots, and steam vents that hiss.  I have some interesting video showing all of that, but I’m not sure how to put it in my blog yet.  Stay tuned for videos!  Anyway, you  walk out on a platform that brings you as close as you can get to seeing steam and the bubbling mud.  You are not allowed to walk on the ground because you could fall through and burn yourself badly.  The one thing you have to deal with is the smell!  There is a pretty bad sulfur smell (like rotten eggs).  I heard a lot of the children complaining about it, but I didn’t think it was too awful.  The awesome sites kept my mind away from the odor.

I’m really glad at the last minute I decided to check out this park.  It was truly amazing!

See how these trees are bent at the base? I thought it was so neat to see this and I kept seeing it while traveling in the Sierra Nevadas.  The trees that were bending were found on the hills.  I finally found out why they do this.  Can you guess why?

I spent one day exploring the mountains and climbing Mt. Judah.  I enjoy hiking sometimes (I have to be in the mood), but I really enjoyed this hike.  It was pretty easy going and I never felt like I was going straight uphill.  It was a gradual climb that zigzagged.  There were some parts that were very rocky, but I enjoyed the challenge of dodging loose rocks and quickly but carefully planting your feet hoping not to fall.  Once getting to the top I actually found snow!  Can you believe I came to California and found snow?  The picture is of me throwing a snowball.  If you want to check out a trail map go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/documents/rec/mtjudahloop.pdf (I did the Mt. Judah loop).

The second day I went out on a canoe on a lake close to where I was staying.  It was a small shallow lake.  It is always fun to be out on the water!  I spent the rest of the day relaxing on a rocky beach at Lake Tahoe.  This lake is very large, deep, and contains 30 trillion gallons of water (that’s a lot!).  It is also very clear and the water is a brilliant blue-green color.  I was hoping to see a nice sunset in the evening, but I never got to.

On this trip I became interested in learning more about the tragedy of the Donner Party who made their way to California in 1846-1847.  I find that as I travel to places I get very interested in the history of the area and the people that are important to that area.  Normally I would not pick up a book about the Donner party, but being in the place where they actually struggled made me want to know more about them and that part of history.  So f or my adult audience, if you think you might be interested in knowing more (although I have to say that experiencing the land gives a totally different perspective on what happened) I suggest reading Ordeal by Hunger by George Stewart.

Thank you for reading about my experiences!

I know it is tiny, but see if you can find Lassen Volcanic National Park on this map.  After Lake Tahoe, I will be heading there and it is only labeled in this map.

Hope this visual helps!