{"id":1143,"date":"2018-11-18T23:56:26","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T06:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marvista.com\/Yukiko\/?p=1143"},"modified":"2018-11-19T16:34:08","modified_gmt":"2018-11-19T23:34:08","slug":"road-trip-to-california-central-coast-part-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marvista.com\/Yukiko\/en\/archives\/1143","title":{"rendered":"Road trip to the California Central Coast : Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
<\/a>2+<\/span>\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t

A road trip after not traveling for a few months<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, my husband suddenly said,” Let’s go to Monterey this weekend!”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

My husband will suddenly plan\u00a0a trip, and it’s a kind of a surprise gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So we went on a road trip to Monterey, where we had gone 3 years ago!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We drove about 320 miles each way during 3 days, as shown on the map:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wine tasting at a w<\/strong><\/span>inery\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The route on the first day is<\/span><\/p>\n

Home\u00a0\u00a0➡\u00a0 \u00a0Winery\u00a0\u00a0➡\u00a0 Morro Bay\u00a0 ➡\u00a0 Moonstone Beach\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The distance is about 220 miles.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When we got off the freeway, I could see huge vineyards\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The view of vineyards.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We saw a sign for a winery and wine tasting and so we suddenly stopped and went to their<\/span><\/p>\n

tasting room.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This area is called, “Califonia Central Coast” and it is also known for its several wine districts.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Most Japanese people think that California wine \uff1d Napa or Sonoma, which are both north of <\/span><\/p>\n

San Francisco.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, many wineries are concentrated in this area which is south of San Francisco but north<\/span><\/p>\n

of Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As you can see on the following map, the areas with colors are\u00a0<\/span>all wine districts with numerous <\/span><\/p>\n

wineries in each district.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When we checked this map, we could see\u00a0<\/span>that there are many wineries to visit!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
LAETITIA Winery which we visited is in Arroyo Grande district. (Blue circle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The winery which we stopped at this time is called “LAETITIA Winery”<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The entrance of LAETITIA Winery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
There are vineyards as far as the eye could see.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The tasting room in this building.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We can taste five kinds of wine from the tasting menu. It costs just $10!<\/span><\/p>\n

The tasting room is open from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The tasting room has a high ceiling and is a bright room. Also, the staff is very nice and friendly!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We could choose five different kinds, for example sparkling, white, red and\u00a0<\/span>dessert<\/span>\u00a0wine <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

from the menu.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
There are many kinds of wine on the menu. I couldn’t make up my mind!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

I chose sparkling wine, Rose wine, two different kinds of white wine and red wine, and then <\/span><\/p>\n

shared<\/span> with\u00a0<\/span>my husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The staff was friendly and they suggested some matches for each customer’s taste.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The person in charge was a middle-aged man who used to work for as\u00a0a firefighter in the city <\/span><\/p>\n

of Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He was so nice person and he was born in Orange County which is the city as same as <\/span><\/p>\n

my husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They talked and talked. Haha\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Anyway, American people tend to talk\u00a0to so if they hit it off, they talk on and on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I could not jump into that conversation so just I was smiling\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This is Chardonnay. The taste was light and dry. Actually, we bought a bottle of this wine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This is Pinot Noir. Medium body and the taste was nice as well.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About “LAETITIA Winery”\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193<\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.laetitiawine.com\/tasting-room\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25c6We encountered some wild animals in Morro Bay\uff01<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We left the winery then drove to the next place, Morro Bay<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Morro Bay is a small port town with an iconic geographic feature, Morro rock.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It’s known an ancient volcanic mound.\u00a0 There is a chain of nine volcanic mountains<\/span><\/p>\n

which run between\u00a0<\/span>Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They called the Nine Sisters <\/span><\/strong>or the<\/strong> Morros<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Morro Rock is the first mountain in the nine sisters. It used to be a sacred place for\u00a0native <\/span><\/p>\n

Indians\u00a0before the Spanish came<\/span> to America.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This place changed over time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During World War \u2161, this area was used for training for the military.\u00a0 \u00a0Also, Morro rock was used<\/span><\/p>\n

as an\u00a0<\/span>observation point for seacoast defense by the American Navy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, in recent years, the government changed the rules and then this Morro rock becomes\u00a0<\/span>a <\/span><\/p>\n

sacred place again<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is now prohibited by law\u00a0<\/span>to climb up the mountain on the footpath used by the Navy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The first mountain of the Nine Sisters, Morro Rock, and the Morro Bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

This town is a small port town and this atmosphere was reminiscent of the port town<\/span><\/p>\n

in Izu, Japan\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I felt comfortable and the time went by so slowly in this town.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We completely forgot to eat lunch so we tried to find a restaurant at the port.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When we were walking on the boardwalk, suddenly we found some wild sea otters!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I’ve never seen wild sea otters like this! (Just in an Aquarium)<\/span><\/p>\n

I was so excited to see them<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Wild sea otters were floating in the bay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The video of cute sea otters!\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193<\/span><\/p>\n