Napa Valley, San Jose, Big Sur

Napa Valley
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After climbing out of the 1300 year-old redwood trees, Arina and Seumas drilled the locals of Calistoga for where they could find REAL, straight-out-of-the-mountain style hot springs. None of those spa hotels where elderlies dressed in golf shorts wade in heated water from the town's natural trickle. While gurgling various grape juices at our free Calistoga Cellars wine tasting, we happened upon the name of Harbin, a retreat out and up in the woods above town, where clothing is optional and moonlight guides your way to the resthouse (WC, toilet, washroom, what have you).

Wine tasting
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Mmm....so for the price of an average dinner for two, your dear longcats treated themselves to 24 hours in the nude, under the stars, the hot sun, in pools of untreated, oxygen filtered water, flowing directly from the earth's belly, dishes full of organic produce and an early yoga class between the curious, onlooking deer, before a warm farewell to Napa Valley.

...24 hours in the nude, under the stars, the hot sun, in pools of untreated, oxygen filtered water, flowing directly from the earth's belly

Visiting Mouse & the family
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A quick drop into San Jose to get lost in streets that have been named twice, and a hug to old friends, Mouse, Marilyn, and Laura, from S' days as a blonde California bum. Then off to Monterey, where we'd envisioned a quaint Cannery Row and the sea's wildlife sprawled before us on gorgeous beaches. A couple breaking up (yelling) in a pick-up truck, cigarette butts littered on the pier, and some slightly-criminal eyed cats lingering on the sideways. Monterey? Are you here for us? We watched some tourists jam their faces with candied apples, then slipped into a seafood joint for a couple of happy hour Margaritas. Found parking behind a local inn, where the inn-keeper woke us up the next morning with a full omelette for two and a fresh baked muffins. His kindness was overwhelming to the point of sadness, that we could not reciprocate with even a modest tip. LEARNING TO RECEIVE!! The next day to Monterey Bay Aquarium for a two hour dose of sharks, sturgeons, giant octopus, TUNA!, and a display with wondrous, inexplicable jellyfish.

Aquarium in Monterey
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BIG SUR. If you can make it to one place in California, let it be here. Traces of the Paleolithic, from a thousand feet above, at the cliff's edge looking out on the Pacific Ocean. And if you can make it out, a little further south, you'll see the golden backs of elephant seals, beached by the hundreds, to doze off in the sand (adults are around 15 feet long, weighing in at 5000 pounds...for our euro friends, get out your conversion charts. They're BIG).

Right now? Bumming a wireless signal off the Pita Pit in a San Luis Obispo parking lot. Cloud cover is burning off. Must wash up and GO. Our love to all the cats out there ;-) .