Doug and Kerry Hudson in Cayucas, California

World Trip >> USA >> California >> Cayucas

Cayucas is on the California coast, half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It's a quiet little beach town, with no noise, no crime, and no traffic. In fact, it was just perfect for some rest and relaxation after the frantic city experiences of Seattle and San Francisco. Maybe it was the peace and quiet, maybe it was the hot sunshine or maybe it was the lazy afternoons spent reading, drinking cold beer and strolling on the beach...

Our drive to Cayucas along Highway One was spectacular. The road itself was incredibly windy and twisty, and we felt a little car sick quite a bit of the time. The scenery was outstanding and very similar to Chapman's Peak Drive in Cape Town... Except of course that everything was much bigger like the waves and the rocks and the mountains and the spray of the waves against the rocks, etc. How very typical of the United States - everything has to be bigger...

While staying in Cayucas, we visited the San Luis Obispo farmer's market where the local farmers sell their fresh produce, and local musicians and entertainers perform to keep the crowds amused. The town dates back two hundred years, and you can see this in the architecture down the tree-lined streets. There were lots of intriguing little shops selling all kinds of interesting items and antiques. There was even a car salesroom specialising in British sports cars. They had several MGs, a Triumph TR6, and even a Jaguar E-type. Americans find these cars desirable, apparently. We have to admit that the chrome gleaming in the bright sunshine and the leather seats open to the sky did have a certain appeal.

We also went to Hearst Castle. This was the home of the 1920s newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. It is either magnificent or grotesque, depending on your point of view. The gardens were lovely, and the smells of citrus fruit and eucalyptus filled the air. The architectural style was based on ancient Greece and Rome. The Greek-style outdoor pool in particular was fantastic, with white pillars and statues lining the poolside. Unfortunately we were prohibited from plunging into the pool, however tempting it looked. This was a real shame, because you have never seen such a beautiful pool. Until, that is, the climax of our tour: the indoor Roman-style pool. This one even had gold tiles! Kerry still preferred the outdoor pool, though. You decide.

The interior of Hearst Castle was filled with antiques ripped out of old European churches from disparate architectural periods, making it a bit of a hotch-potch but still impressive nevertheless. Doug had the image of a newly rich fat American bullying the poor Spaniards and Italians into yielding up their cultural riches.

Whatever your opinion, we still found Hearst Castle to be very interesting to visit, and you should too if you ever get the chance. For one thing, it was inspirational for us that one man's dream led to this fantasy land being built, and he did so at an age when most people are slowing down. And he did all this after a life full of achievements, such as running for President and New York Mayor, and building a newspaper empire from nothing.

The only other place visited was Moonstone Beach, just south of Hearst Castle at the small town of Cambria. By the way, the streets here are named after English towns and countys - a nice reminder of home. We walked along the beautiful beach here, keeping an eye open for moonstones. These are white pebbles that turn blue in your hand when you hold them. Magic! We eventually stopped and sat on a rock, looking out to sea. After a few minutes, a couple of heads popped up about thirty metres out in the surf. Not sea-lions (too dark), not seals (too small), but sea otters! These delightful animals played and chased, lying on their backs and riding the swell as they opened shellfish with their paws. Oh for a telephoto lens! We didn't find a moonstone by the way, but we didn't mind - seeing a sea otter was precious enough!

We were sorry to leave Cayucas, and we know we said it already, but the tranquility and perfect climate had real appeal. Not to mention the barbecues each night, washed down by ice cold lager. Mmmm! We had another barbecue on our last evening there, and met some interesting people, including a woman who used to work as a chef for a billionaire. What a life! It got tedious for her however, because all they ever wanted was steak all the time!

We decided to skip Los Angeles, as we couldn't think of a reason why we wanted to go there! We set out from Cayucas for Johannesburg. Yes, you read that right! But this is the Johannesburg California, right in the Mojave desert...

World Trip >> USA >> California >> Cayucas

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006