{"id":1221,"date":"2018-11-21T23:48:33","date_gmt":"2018-11-22T06:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/marvista.com\/Yukiko\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2018-11-22T23:44:37","modified_gmt":"2018-11-23T06:44:37","slug":"road-trip-to-california-central-coast-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marvista.com\/Yukiko\/en\/archives\/1221","title":{"rendered":"Road trip to the California Central Coast : Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
<\/a>3+<\/span>\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t

Natural mineral stones spread over “Moonstone Beach”\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On the morning of the second day, after we had breakfast at the motel, we took a walk to the beach<\/span>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

This is a motel which we stayed one night called “PELICAN Inn”<\/p>\n

This Moonstone Beach is in the northern part of the town of\u00a0Cambria<\/strong><\/span> and also is a part\u00a0of<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

“Hearst San Simeon State Park”.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
There is a boardwalk (footpath) in front of the beach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

This beach has 1.5 miles wooden boardwalk which is a scenic path.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many residents and tourists\u00a0were taking a walk in the early <\/span><\/p>\n

morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We could see the wavy and rough coast from the boardwalk.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We saw some sea lions and many wild birds as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This place is rich in nature.\u00a0 \u00a0Sometimes people can see whales from here, depending on <\/span><\/p>\n

the whale migration season.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Also, there are several tide pools on the beach.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

They are filled with ocean life like sea urchins, crabs, and tiny fishes and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So kids can enjoy <\/span>this beach as well!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As I walked the beach,\u00a0<\/span>I found that the upper half of the beach has sand but closer to the waves<\/span><\/p>\n

there were many\u00a0colorful\u00a0<\/span>small round stones.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Colorful stones at “Moonstone Beach”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why so many stones at Moonstone Beach?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I am always curious about many things and want to try to understand what I am seeing. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So after I returned home then I researched the geology of the area\u00a0<\/span>on various websites.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Starting with Google, I figured out these interesting facts.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The town of Cambria sits on the Cambria Slab, a 5,000\u00a0foot-thick geological plate.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This place used to<\/span> be\u00a0<\/span>under the sea, and then the seafloor was raised up in the Jurassic period<\/span><\/p>\n

about 145 million years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So we could see stratum, which is layers of rock, and could easily find some fossil shells!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This geologic stratum has red-green sometimes has dark blue minerals in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The geologic forces made a varied stratum which is twisted and folded over a very long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Cambria slab layers include sandstone, which has fine particles and mineral from the earth.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During storms, these mineral stones are swept out of underground caves and down\u00a0<\/span>the streams<\/span> into\u00a0<\/span>the <\/span><\/p>\n

ocean.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0Then they are patiently tumbled and polished by the turbulent Pacific<\/span> along\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>rocky coast.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That is the reason that we can see many colorful and round small stones.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Wavy ocean beach with kelp seaweed and stones.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wow! Finally, I got it. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why so many colorful stones are here!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And also while I was searching the Internet about this beach, I found that early settlers<\/span><\/p>\n

named it “Moonstone Beach”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Actually, Moonstone is one of the gems and it is said that the ancient Greeks used it <\/span><\/p>\n

as a talisman<\/span> for<\/span> lovers. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To wear these stones were thought to arouse the most tender of passions and true love. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was also believed that wearing\u00a0<\/span>the stone conveyed knowledge of future events and <\/span><\/p>\n

could guide a person in making important decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, what is historically known as \u201cmoonstone\u201d is not actually what Moonstone Beach<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>moonstones are.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cambria\u2019s Moonstones possess the mineral \u201cchalcedony.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Chalcedony is a microcrystalline <\/span><\/p>\n

quartz in which the crystals are so small they can only be seen\u00a0<\/span>under a microscope.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is funny that I found many people posted on their blog or Youtube about how they could find\u00a0<\/span>Moonstones(Chalcedony) easily.\u00a0 Low tide is best.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So it is important to check<\/span> the\u00a0<\/span>tide schedule<\/span> before going to the beach for rock hunting<\/span>.\u00a0 Haha\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without knowing all this, I just picked up some just colorful stones.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
These are stones from Moonstone Beach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

I want to go back there to pick up Moonstone after checking the tide schedule!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We joined a tour of a hilltop castle<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After we took a walk on the beach then we drove to a famous place called\u00a0“Hearst Castle”.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The entrance to “Hearst Castle”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

This castle was built by the very successful newspaper businessman named<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0William Randolph Hearst<\/strong> in 1919.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He hired San Francisco architect Julia Morgan<\/span><\/strong> to build a hilltop house on what he called <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

his “ranch at San Simeon”.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This castle built is on a huge tract of land with outdoor pool, indoor pool, tennis courts, and zoo! <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Unbelievable house!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The zoo does not exist now. All animals have been donated to the San Diego Zoo and other places.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, some zebras were at the ranch, grazing on grass amongst the cows. Haha<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We got on a shuttle bus from the visitor center to join a tour which we booked in advance.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u25c6It is better to book for a tour in advance from the website.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
We got on this shuttle bus.
Packed at that time because of the holiday.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The blue circle is the castle. It is all way up on the hill, about three miles from the visitor center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The specific information about “Hearst Castle” from here\u00a0<\/span> \u2193\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193\u00a0 \u00a0\u2193<\/p>\n

http:\/\/hearstcastle.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
She is a tour guide. She was friendly and knew a lot about the castle and answered any questions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This building has a huge dining room and some sitting rooms. The outside resembles a European church.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The castle has 150 rooms including 56-bedrooms and 61 bathrooms!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I wondered why Mr. Hearst built this huge house amidst this ranch and farms fields.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Basically, his father bought and owned this huge tract of land.\u00a0So Mr. Hearst would go there for <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

camping when<\/span><\/span> he was a child.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After he became an adult, he started to think about building something on this land which he as<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

very familiar with.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So he imported many expensive things from Europe such as paintings, tapestries, wooden ceiling<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Honestly, I felt that this huge house is too complicated, and not the same theme from room to room.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many of the decorations were<\/span>\u00a0expensive and famous artistic things, I think.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

One of the fountains is from an Egyptian structure and one ceiling of the sitting rooms<\/span> is decorated<\/span><\/p>\n

with a Mexican design.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Such an uncomfortable huge house for me!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mr. Hearst loved to invite guests from Hollywood and politicians.\u00a0 He held fabulous parties frequently.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A big dining room just like a\u00a0 European church. Mr. Hearst liked ketchup and mustard. So those are set on the table at all times.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Hollywood\u00a0and political elite often visited, usually flying into the estate’s private airfield or taking a<\/span><\/p>\n

private Hearst-owned\u00a0<\/span>train car\u00a0from Los Angeles along the coastal railroad route.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is amazing things to do!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

His guests included Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Whinston Churchill, and Franklin Roosevelt,<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0a famous politician.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The huge and famous Neptune outdoor poor. It is 104 feet (length), 96 feet (wide), and 10 feet\uff08depth), with 345,000 gallons of water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mr.Hearst desired to share his hilltop house with the citizens of his native state someday.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After he died in 1951, the Hearst Corporation started to discuss with the State of California <\/span><\/p>\n

to transfer this huge piece of land and its castle to the State.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After completing this deal, the castle was officially opened to the public on June 2nd, 1958.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now, this place is part of a\u00a0California State Park.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you have a chance to visit Monterey, why don’t you join the tour to see this interesting castle?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thank you for reading my blog today as well!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I would be glad if you pressed the button <\/span>\u00a0 and send me some message<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\n
<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n \n