15 reasons to love California – part 2

By AnDreea
In Escapes
Jul 14th, 2013
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Sequoia Park

 

 

 

Once you’ve seen it, you’ll never get over it. And always want to return….

 

 

4. Astonishing Golden Bridge view from the sky

San Francisco greeted me with an astonishing sky view of what is known to be one of the most beautiful bridges in the world: Golden Bridge. Here it stood, right below me, emerging from the fog, this man made wonder, once taller than any building in the city. If the bridge could speak, it would tell some stories. About the three babies whom it witnessed coming into this world, all of them boys. The 70 miles winds that caused its closure only three times since its opening in 1937 or how it lost 7.500 tons in weight during its lifespan. About the visits it received from Franklin D Roosevelt and Charles de Gaulle. About “Interview With A Vampire”, “The Pursuit of Happiness”, “Superman”, “Milk” or “Basic Instinct”, to name only a few of the movies that feature the orange painted giant.

Tip: when booking your airplane, chose a window seat. You wouldn’t want to miss this wonderful view.

Golden Bridge Sky View

Golden Bridge Sky View

 

5.  Funny mailboxes

During my twelve days California holiday, I drove over 900 miles. Despite being in the same state as the state-of-art Silicon Valley, it seems that people are still getting the old fashioned letters here! All rural houses and residential areas have private postal boxes, and, on top of that, they are all unique. Sometimes the owners are very creative therefore if you’re in the passenger seat, make sure to keep an eye open for such an ordinary yet surprising thing as a mailbox.

 

6. Monet’s – the French restaurant in the small town of Exeter

Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of my favorite American poets, once wrote: “do not go where the path may lead, go instead where is no path and make a trail”. Had we followed the common path and camped in the Sequoia National Park, like most of the Americans do, we had never discovered one of California dine & wine hidden treasures. Because at the very heart of Exeter, a small town of 10.000 inhabitants, lies “Monet’s”, a little-bitty restaurant but French to its tiniest details. The name, the atmosphere, the decorations of the high – ceiling room made me figure that the waitresses – very kind and prompt, would address to us in Voltaire’s language. They spoke plain English instead but still, there was something in their attitude and attire that made me believe that either they were born in France, either they were initiated into French language and culture.

 

Surprising Monet's

Surprising Monet’s

 

7. Gigantic Sequoia Trees

Immortal giants stand guard over southern Sierra Nevada. Unreally tall, proud, and silent, they wait for that special traveler who will know to unlock the gates carved in their bodies and enter a fantastic world. The moment I set foot in the National Sequoia Park, I felt as an awaited guest of honor in an enchanted realm. The magic started with the Tunnel Rock, went on with the first glimpse of the Sequoias embracing the roadway like a castle gate, and was complete by the time I entered the trunk of a fallen Sequoia at Crescent Meadow. Although it was hot and the place packed with tourists, I couldn’t leave before paying a visit to venerable General Sherman Tree and thank him for being such a wonderful host.

Welcome to giant's land!

Welcome to giant’s land!

 

The giant sequoia is Earth’s largest living tree. The General Sherman Tree is estimated to be 2.200 years old and every year still grows enough wood to produce a 60-foot-tall tree of usual proportions. Although they seem indestructible, there is an Achilles’ heel about them as there is for every single creature on Earth: their shallow root system, with no taproot. When a tree decides it had enough sun and wind and rain and it’s time to pass away, it simply topples to the ground.

 

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