Jan. 19th

It was already Tuesday and we were off again early to Monterey. The weather started to clear up and we were able to get in about 3 or 4 hours of blue skies. The aquarium was full of obnoxious screaming second graders but after breaking into smaller groups we were able to escape their chaos and experience the amazing sea life the aquarium had to offer. I got to hold a starfish and ouch a bunch of other small sized sea animals. The Monterey Aquarium is considered one of the best in the world and after only a few minutes it was easy to see why. They had incredible tanks that allowed the different creatures to interact in ways identical to actual ocean life. We watched a tuna feeding and also a sea lion training session. The jellyfish exhibit was by far my favorite. There were about 8 different kinds of jellyfish all that appeared distinctly different and beautiful. Our visit at the aquarium was great but I was anxious to walk around Cannery Row, not only so I could compare it to my experience with the John Steinbeck’s novel but also just to be outside during the nice weather. About a dozen of us indulged in a giant slice of pizza for lunch as we strolled the streets passing by shops very similar to the ones referenced in Cannery Row.
After lunch we headed to the bus to drive toward Point Lobos. I had heard it was beautiful but little did I know how stunned I would actually be. As quickly as I could climb out of the bus I was amazed at the scenery! It was breathtaking and I had never seen anything like it before. We hiked parts of the Point Lobos State Reserve for about an hour and a half and I will never forget the sight that surrounded us. This part of California where the land meets the water is considered the best of the best within all of California’s natural parks system. We watched barking baby seals float on their backs with their little noses poking through the surface of the water only about 30 feet from the shore where we were standing. We were able to climb some small rocks to get a better view of the massive waves rolling in. The weather was perfect, sunny and not too chilly either! Point Lobos was absolutely breathtaking and our walk was a great way to relax before dinner.
Tonight’s dinner was at a little tavern called Duartes. It was a bit nerve-racking getting there, the winding roads through the mountainside and the broken down building didn’t feel so promising, but once we got inside the place felt cozy and smelled wonderful. At Duartes they buy all their food from local farms in the surrounding area, so I was excited to see if I tasted the same difference that I had remembered from the Marine Market. I had a fresh garden salad, chicken cordon bleu with chard and potatoes, and a couple of us shared the oliaberry pie, I can’t remember exactly but I think the berry is a mix between a raspberry and boysenberry. My salad delicious, and surprisingly I liked the swiss chard, which wasn’t exactly a favorite of the group. The berry pie was a little sour but still good for an after dinner sweet. I wasn’t so fond of the chicken wrapped in ham, a little too much meat for my liking. Nevertheless we had a great time laughing silently so that Wes wouldn’t get mad at us.
Today was wonderful! The sea life at Monterey was outstanding and the exhibits were designed so close to the real oceanic life that I almost felt like I was scuba diving off the cost of California. The sunny warm weather made Point Lobos even more beautiful and dinner was enjoyable even though Wes was a little grumpy!