Natural Bridges State Beach

What do you do when you catch a sunny break from the cold winter? You head to the beach, of course! That's what we did last Saturday. I had heard about the Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz from a colleague and so I decided to check it out.

Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz

An hour's drive took us to the beach. It being a beautiful day, the beach was buzzing with activity. The weather was just perfect-no annoying cold wind or fog to take away from the views. It is a small sandy beach compared to the main one near the boardwalk. Quite close to the shore is a massive rock which forms an arch giving it an appearance of a bridge. Apparently, there were three such bridges but erosion took a toll on them and now only one survives. You can see about hundreds of birds perched on top of the bridge. We also saw quite a few surfers having a fun time and enjoying the water.

Right next to the beach, there are some tide pools. These are rocks with small depressions in them. During low tide, when there is no water covering these rocks, you can see a lot of different sea life forms. There were snails, anemones, sea-weeds, mussels and many colorful forms. It was a treat to watch them. We reached there at the fag end of the low tide and so could catch only a glimpse of what actually is out there. The best time to visit the tide pools is an hour before or an hour after low tide.

Anemones

Mussels and sea weed

The park next to the beach is home to the migrating Monarch Butterflies. There is a separate trail with eucalyptus trees where you can see hundreds of Monarch Butterflies during the migratory season (October to mid February). It is a quiet and shaded trail and if you look up, you can see the butterflies fluttering about. Since we went there around sunset, the weather was not warm enough and so there were fewer butterflies than one can see during the afternoon. It was difficult to capture them on camera as it was getting dark.

Monarch Butterflies Trail

 It was a perfect day out at the beach with gorgeous views to refresh the mind and soul.

What: Natural Bridges State Beach
Where: 2531 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz CA 95060
When: 8.00am to sunset
Fee: Free (parking is $10 which you can avoid by parking on the street)

An Evening At Shoreline Park

My first post in the new year! I have been to Shoreline Park a number of times since I moved here. I was introduced to this wonderful place by my friend Anne. The park is located in Mountain View quite close to the downtown. It is a vast expanse of land with a lake, hiking and biking trails, golf course and a beautiful picnic area. It has something for everyone.

The trails are mostly flat and unshaded. The open space with many different types of birds and the green grass make for a very pleasant walk. I usually go there when I want to be outdoors but don't feel up to a strenuous hike. Of course, you can bring a nice little picnic basket and soak in the sun or play frisbee or board games. They also have bicycles for rent too. One of these days, I intend to rent one to learn how to ride a bike!

Shoreline Lake with birds

My favorite part is of course the small man-made lake which has lots of birds. You can rent kayaks, row boats, peddle-boats or bring your own to enjoy a few hours on the water. We recently went kayaking on the lake. It was a fun experience. We rented a two-person kayak for an hour. Strapping on the life vests and armed with paddles, we entered the lake and started paddling around the lake. The sight of the setting sun, the birds flying all around us and the gorgeous pink of the earth shadow on the sky made the evening simply perfect. The lake is quite small so you can easily kayak around the entire lake in an hour without rushing. I even stopped mid way to click some pictures!

If you want to enjoy being on the water without having to leave the city, Shoreline is the best place for you. They also have two cafes-Michael's and Lakeside cafe where you can grab a quick snack after your activity. The website mentions you can order a picnic lunch from the cafe to carry on the boat but I personally don't think it is such a good idea.

There is no entry fee for the park which makes it even more appealing. Right outside the park, there is a dog-park and an area to fly kites and remote controlled aeroplanes although I have not been to that side.
There are tons of things you can do here: run, jog, stroll, wind surf, row, canoe, sail, picnic, relax, admire nature, click pictures and have a superb time!

What: Shoreline Park
Where: 3070 North Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View CA 94043
When: Sunrise to Sunset all year round
Fee: Free 

Lake Tahoe Winter Trip

Squaw Valley Resort

I recently took a day trip to Tahoe on Christmas Day along with family. Since it snows in Tahoe, we were not too keen on driving so instead we took a bus tour that picked us up at 4am from Sunnyvale and brought us back the same day at 9pm.

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the US and is located along the border  between California and Nevada. During summer, it is a popular tourist spot for people interested in water sports. Skiing and snowboarding are significant activities in winter. 

We took the trip with Bayareaskibus.com. The bus dropped us at the Squaw Valley resort at 9am and we had until 3.30pm to go ski, snow board or just hang out at the resort. Since none of us were keen on skiing, we decided to take the aerial tram up to the High Camp. The tram ride was fun and I could see a jaw dropping aerial view of Squaw valley. At High Camp, there is a restaurant, a bar, the Olympic Museum and an ice skating rink. 

At High Camp, Squaw Valley

The temperature was below zero and too much for us to handle so we spent most of the time at the restaurant which gave us a wonderful view of the snow outside without having to brave the cold. The Olympic Museum would be interesting for sports enthusiasts but I did not spend too much time there. I simply enjoyed watching the snow and hearing the wind roar. After a light snack, we took the tram back down to the resort. 

Olympic Rings at High Camp

View from the aerial tram

I had already bought tickets for snow tubing in the morning. So after the tram, we took the free Squaw valley shuttle to 'SnoVentures' which is an area for snow tubing and skiing for beginners as well as kids. Snow tubing is a fun activity wherein you sit in an inflated tube and are pushed down a gradual slope of ice and the tube slides down. It is a lot of fun and is perfect for those who want to experience the snow without the training or skill required for skiing.  After a few rounds of tubing, we were too tired and cold so we walked around the gift stores before heading back to the bus which promptly started at 4.30pm. 

Posing in the snow

It was an exciting day as it was the first time I saw snowfall. The tiny snowflakes were beautiful. Of course, I wished I was better prepared for the harsh weather. The next time around, I plan to go to another resort, probably Heavenly and try snow mobiling and perhaps skiing if I feel brave enough.

Snow Tubing

Snow Tubing

Christmas Lights in San Francisco

Christmas is the time for lights, decorations and above all celebration. This year, thanks to a friend,  I spent a day in San Francisco taking in the spirit of the holiday season. 

We took the caltrain at mid day and headed up to the city. Union Square was our first stop. The giant christmas tree with the beautiful and colorful decorations was a sight to behold. Union Square also has an ice-skating rink where people had a fun time.

In Union Square, the 'Heart Sculpture' is a very popular tourist spot. Each year, new heart sculptures are installed after the old ones are auctioned off for charity. 

Union Square Heats of San Francisco Sculpture 

After a uphill walk, we then reached the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill. The hotel lobby had a spectacular decorations. A giant tree, lights, gingerbread cookie house and an area for kids to write letters to Santa. I was impressed by the fact that it was open to public. 

A short bus ride took us to Ghirardelli square where we grabbed some chocolate-y drinks and walked across the street to the marina to enjoy the view of the ocean. 

As we walked along the pier, we made the terrible mistake of trying out the 'SF Dungeon'. This is a rip off in the name of entertainment. Stay away from this place. I do not want to go into the details of how horrible the place was. 

The big tree near Fisherman's Wharf was gorgeous. Have a look.

Pier 39 Christmas Tree

My favorite decoration however was the one in Hyatt Regency near Union Square. The 300,000 cascading lights were stunning. And so was the christmas village set up. It was so detailed and well made. Unfortunately, I do not have a very good picture for this. 

The christmas music on the streets and stores along with all the decorations lifted my spirits and I was so glad I got to spend a fun day in SF.

Ceramic Painting

I have done ceramic painting once many years ago. So this time when a friend asked me to join her and others for a morning of ceramic painting, I wanted to give it a try. 

Cranberry Hill Mercantile in Sunnyvale is a craft supplies store. They have a ceramic painting room which was reserved for our group of ten girls. They charge $4.50 per person which covers the cost of paints, brushes and glazing of the piece that we paint. The ceramic room has a huge collection of ceramic items of different shapes and sizes-animal figurines, plates, bowls, napkin holders, salt and pepper shaker, vases etc. We were asked to pick an item that we wished to paint and once we paid for the item along with the sitting fee, we were good to go. 

Paint Supplies

There is no instruction and you basically start painting whatever you want. There are a few stencils that you can use for creating designs. I chose a star shaped plate which would be perfect to hold tea light candles. I googled to get an inspiration for designs and then started painting. There is no time limit so you can paint for as long as you want. I wrapped up in about two hours as I had a lunch appointment with friends after that.

The original plate

It was a fun and creative experience. I enjoyed the process of converting a plain white plate into a colorful piece of art. I was quite happy with the final outcome. The store then took about a week to glaze the plate and here is the completed plate. 

Plate Before Glazing

Plate After Glazing

It is a perfect activity to do with your girlfriends, kids and I think even by yourself. I was totally absorbed in my artistic pursuit and at the same time happy to have the company of friends to experience it with. 

Me absorbed in painting

What: Ceramic Painting

Where: 1014 W El Camino Real Sunnyvale CA

When: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri and Sat: 10a-6pm, Thur: 10a-8p, Sun: 10a-5p

Fee: $4.50+cost of the ceramic piece

Death Valley National Park

Thanksgiving is time for our travel. This year we headed to the Death Valley National Park which is around 500 miles from Sunnyvale. We started the day before Thanksgiving, encountered heavy traffic, stopped overnight at Bakersfield and continued the next day until we finally reached the park.

Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel

It is the largest national park in the US and is also the hottest and driest place in North America. The park is located in the valley between several mountains. Winter is the best time to visit as the temperatures are bearable and not too harsh. The hottest month is July where temperatures can rise up to a sizzling 47 degrees Celsius! During the day the sun heats up the land and the air and at night, the mountains recirculate the hot air as a result, temperatures do not drop much at night unlike most deserts. 

Death Valley is the size of Connecticut so you can imagine how many points of interest there must be. A lot of the sites do require a vehicle with 4 wheel drive and high clearance as they are accessed only by unpaved roads. This meant that our sports car will not be able to take it so we stuck to the sites with easy access. Over three days, we covered quite a few places. Here is is list of places we visited:

Badwater Basin: This is the lowest place in North America-about 500 ft below sea level. The basin is in the valley between the Black Mountains and the Panamint Mountain ranges. Erosion from the mountains causes minerals to be deposited in the basin as a result there is a crust of salt crystals on the basin. There is a small pool of undrinkable water in the basin but it doesn't last long due to the high rate of evaporation due to the extreme heat. It is said that the mountains continue to rise at the same rate as the basin continues to sink each year. However, the erosion of soil from the mountains into the basin offsets this change.

Badwater Basin

Salt from Badwater Basin

Devil's Golf course: These badlands have such a rugged topography that only the devil could play golf on it :)

Devil's Golf Course

Artists Drive and Palette: This is a wonderful loop through which you can drive to see some really beautiful vistas. The rocks on the mountains are colored due to the presence of minerals in them. It actually looks like someone has sprinkled color powder on them-like an artist's palette.

Artist's Palette

Golden Canyon: This is one of the many canyons in the park. A short hike through it leads to the views of the Red Cathedral rocks. Water once flowed through this canyon and into the valley. Observing the rocks provides indication of this. Now, it is barren, hot and dry.

Inside the Golden canyon

Dante's view: This was my favorite place in the park simply because of the breath-taking view. It is located about 5485 ft above sea level and gives you a view of the valley. It was very windy, cold as well as closer to sunset which meant no proper pictures. If I were to pick one place to visit in Death Valley, this would be it.

Dante's View

Zabriskie Point: One of the most popular spots of the park, this has some stunning view of erosional landscape. It is composed of sediments from an ancient lake which dried up millions of years ago. We visited it at both sunrise and sunset-both absolutely gorgeous.

Zabriskie Point

Ubehebe Crater: This crater is relatively newer (that is a few thousand years old as opposed to millions of years old) and was formed due to volcanic eruption. It is half a mile wide and about 500 ft deep. One can see black soil and rocks all around the crater which is proof of the eruption. One of the Native American tribal legend has it that this was the place where humanity crawled out of the earth and spread in all four directions. Best time to visit this crater is when the sun is directly overhead so as to get the best lighting for photographs.

Ubehebe Crater

Mesquite Sand dunes: These were located about a mile away from our hotel and are quite popular (read crowded) due to the proximity. These are pretty to look at but was difficult on my injured knee. So I did not walk all the way. Both sunset and sunrise are good times for some beautiful pictures.

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Owen's Lake: On the way out of the park, we saw this lake which was dried up but gave the illusion of having water due to the high quantity of salt accumulation. The area is extremely windy and we had difficulty even open the car door due to the wind. The view was gorgeous.

Owen's lake

It was a very hectic trip mainly due to the long driving distance but I would say it was worth all the effort as the vistas and the landscape stole my heart. 

Escape To Alcatraz

Alcatraz-one of the most popular tourist spots in San Francisco. I have visited the island during one of my previous trips to the Bay Area. However, it has been a while so I decided to plan a trip there. It was supposed to be a group visit but one by one everyone dropped out and in the end it was just the two of us.

Pier 33

Alcatraz is an island about a mile and quarter away from San Francisco. It was built as a fort to protect the SF port during the gold rush period. After which it was converted into a high security prison. Some of the most dangerous and notorious criminals of those days were housed in the prison. There are quite a few very interesting stories about escape plans from the prison but none of them are believed to be successful. Although, the island is so close to the SF coast, the cold water made it impossible for any one to survive while escaping.

Prison cell block

Individual cell

Tickets get sold out months in advance so one has to plan well in advance. We gathered at Pier 33 from where a twelve minute ferry ride took us to the island. Luckily for us, we did not expect the fog and cold breeze that is so often associated with SF weather. Once on the island, the tour guide took us to the Cell blocks and have us a brief history of the place. We were then given audio tours which we could listen to at our own pace. This is the best part of the tour. The narration is superb and engaging. It gives you an idea of how life was in the prison and also about the famous criminals and their escape attempts.

Showers

An art exhibition by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was being showcased in the prison. It was political art work and so had a very strong message against oppression and supporting freedom. Due to the exhibition, some parts of the prison which are generally not open to the public were accessible. We got to tour the hospital wing with the x-ray room, hydrotherapy room and operation theatre.

Room where inmates were handed out clothes

We spent about two hours exploring the place through the audio tour as well as the short lectures by the guides. It is a fun outing at the same time makes you appreciate freedom.

What: Alcatraz Island
Where: Ferry from Pier 33
When: Throughout the year
Fee: $30 for day tour, $37 for night tour