Cold beach, warm hearts

After having spent a very hot 4th of July sweating and not wanting to do anything, except taste Elijah's out-of-this-world ice-cream, we decided to take off on the 5th and enjoy some of the scenery and the cool air that Carmel and Pebble Beach have to offer.  Elijah accompanied us, and that made our excursion even better. Unfortunately, the sky looked overcast, and we felt a bit chilly when we got there.  You can never know with this California weather.

My intention was to take the family down to Carmel and follow the route that the 17-mile drive along Pebble Beach, with its various points of interest, suggests.  The scenery was truly stunning and the combination of ocean waves, rocks, trees, bushes, and wind was breathtaking.  My favorite aspect of this whole touristy drive was the affect that the salty wind had on the environment.  There was a beautiful contrast between green Cypress trees with their often white barks, and black and white rocks mingling with each other, and even more stunning the white foam of the constant waves pushing its way through irregularly shaped rocks and opaque sand.  I understood why these parts of the Pacific coast with their dramatic fall and treasured landmarks were thought of as some of the most beautiful scenes in the world.

Pescadero Point

Stillwater Point

The Ghost Tree

 

The Lone Cypress

(This California Cypress has resisted wind and waves alone for more than 250 years.)

Cypress Point Lookout

Fanshell Overlook

(The seals come here in spring to bear their young.  There were black, grey and white harbor seals, bathing on the rocks or swimming in the water, undisturbed by waves or wind.  They looked like they were having a relaxing time.)

Spyglass Hill Golf Course

(Pebble Beach is known for its world-class golf courses, which have been used for various U.S Golf Championships)

Bird Rock

(Myriads of shorebirds, harbor seals and sea lions all hanging out together.)

 During the whole trip, in every stop, the kids had fun playing in the beach, getting wet in the water, finding shells, climbing rocks, and pointing at the vibrant mix of birds and marina.

We ended the 17-mile drive at the Pacific Grove exit, from where we drove along Monterey Bay.  We stopped at Lover's Point, to let the kids swim, play, run and eat.  The weather was cool and absolutely not suited for swimming, but the kids didn't care.  The wind might have been blowing, and the water might have been cold, but we were together and our hearts knitted together kept us warm.