Great week-end out
Big Basin Redwood park
It theoretically takes 2h30 from SF to get there...because I was reading the map it took us 4h... We arrived too late to have a long walk in the park, but we still managed to stroll around and enjoy our first sight of these mythical trees. It is an amazing feeling to look at the these superb giants and not be able to see their tops! The ones we saw are called the Coast Redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) and are the tallest on Earth (the highest reaches up to 379 ft or 115m).
Point Bonita Lighthouse
Following the very good advices of one of my colleague ("Always ask to a local where to go" is my motto) we went to a lovely Lighthouse situated just 25 mn from home - Celine had checked the map carefully before leaving, so we did arrive at the right place at the right time...The drive to get there is so far one of the best we had, spectacular and breathtaking views of the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and SF! Be prepared to go there when you come visiting. The bridge crossing was a bit impressive for someone who's got vertigo like Ce but she kept her cool, after forbiding me to make the bridge bounce as I was tempted to do. It didn't help that for safety issues you're only allowed to be 2 people on this bridge at any time... not exactly reassuring! And well...the sea didn't seem neither quiet nor warm below ;-)
We had a yummy picnic at the bottom of the Lighthouse while sunbathing, enjoying the view, watching the birds, the sea-lions and the always playful dolphins poping out from the sea! The experience was highly enhanced thanks to our binoculars.
Early Spring...sorry! Ce insisted to display these pictures but I think that is slighty mean considering that some of you are still pelting the snow from your driveways... So, for future visits you can consider that Springtime starts on the 30th of January in California (these pictures have all been taken outside, not in a botanical garden glasshouse!). Of course we well.... mainly Celine, I am not much of a botanist- were the first ones surprised to even see lilly of the valley there whilst it blooms on the first of May in France! Forget your February ski holidays, come and sunbath in California instead!
Have a good one, as they say here!
It theoretically takes 2h30 from SF to get there...because I was reading the map it took us 4h... We arrived too late to have a long walk in the park, but we still managed to stroll around and enjoy our first sight of these mythical trees. It is an amazing feeling to look at the these superb giants and not be able to see their tops! The ones we saw are called the Coast Redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) and are the tallest on Earth (the highest reaches up to 379 ft or 115m).
The average Redwood tree size is 200 to 240 ft (60m-76m). The diameter will reach 10 to 15 ft (3-4m).
But as noted earlier, some variants reach heights of over 350 ft (106m). Those over 350 ft will have a diameter of over 20 ft (7m). These trees can live for over 2,000 years. One of the 'young trees' - young since it had a diameter of only 2m - was dated as 'being born' in the 6th century, when counting the yearly circles of its section.
And they are REALLY red as you can see from the pictures below. Point Bonita Lighthouse
Following the very good advices of one of my colleague ("Always ask to a local where to go" is my motto) we went to a lovely Lighthouse situated just 25 mn from home - Celine had checked the map carefully before leaving, so we did arrive at the right place at the right time...The drive to get there is so far one of the best we had, spectacular and breathtaking views of the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and SF! Be prepared to go there when you come visiting. The bridge crossing was a bit impressive for someone who's got vertigo like Ce but she kept her cool, after forbiding me to make the bridge bounce as I was tempted to do. It didn't help that for safety issues you're only allowed to be 2 people on this bridge at any time... not exactly reassuring! And well...the sea didn't seem neither quiet nor warm below ;-)
We had a yummy picnic at the bottom of the Lighthouse while sunbathing, enjoying the view, watching the birds, the sea-lions and the always playful dolphins poping out from the sea! The experience was highly enhanced thanks to our binoculars.
Early Spring...sorry! Ce insisted to display these pictures but I think that is slighty mean considering that some of you are still pelting the snow from your driveways... So, for future visits you can consider that Springtime starts on the 30th of January in California (these pictures have all been taken outside, not in a botanical garden glasshouse!). Of course we well.... mainly Celine, I am not much of a botanist- were the first ones surprised to even see lilly of the valley there whilst it blooms on the first of May in France! Forget your February ski holidays, come and sunbath in California instead!
Have a good one, as they say here!