Tag Archives: carmel

Carmel Day Trip

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B11I6880.jpgCarmel is close enough to us to be a nice day trip.  We have been there a few times in the past.  Previous vacations have taken us there and it is an easy add-on when going to Monterey or enjoying 17 Mile Drive.  This was the first time in a while we went just to enjoy Carmel itself.  Most of the time we were wandering around the shops or finding something good to eat.  It was not a photo trip per se but I did have the camera with me so here are some shots of buildings that caught my interest while we were there.

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Cartmel

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C59F2549.jpgCartmel is a small town at the south end of the Lake District. There is a food shop there that specializes in something Nancy wanted to take home which was why we were there in the first place. Of course, we had to take a look around while we were there. Apart from the center of the town and the Priory (of which more in another post), the town is particularly well known for having a race course. We weren’t there during a meet but we did park in an area that involved driving over the end of the race course itself.

C59F2513.jpgAs you walk across the track, so can see up to the starting locations and the finishing straight with the grandstand. The grass was in excellent condition. It appeared to be a course that included flat racing and hurdles although I have never been there during a meet so don’t know which type of racing is most common. Looking up the straight, you could imagine a bunch of horse thundering towards you with the crowds cheering and hoping for a big win.

Jumping Sea Lions

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wpid11676-AU0E8917.jpgThere are more sea lions along the coast of 17 Mile Drive than you can shake a stick at. The rocks just offshore are covered in them and the water surrounding the rocks is also pretty full. One thing I hadn’t seen before was just how much the sea lions seemed to enjoy leaping from the water. I have no idea whether they do this for fun or it is practice for something more important – avoiding sharks perhaps? Either way, it was pretty neat.

wpid11680-AU0E9059.jpgUnfortunately, they don’t give you a warning about where and when they are going to jump. Consequently, getting a shot was tricky. I got plenty where they were in the frame somewhere but not when I had focus. Consequently, they are a blurry shape off to one side. However, a few times I was pointing in the right direction and managed to catch them while airborne. In the best traditions of fishermen’s tales, the ones I didn’t get were far more dramatic with them further out of the water. You will just have to take my word for it unless you want to go there yourself to see.

AU0E9015-Edit AU0E9005-EditI figured a bit of animation was probably worthwhile for some of these too so here is a GIF of one of the leaps.

17 Mile Drive

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wpid11668-C59F7620.jpgIt has been a while since I took a trip along 17 Mile Drive. The last time was when we still lived in Chicago and had a vacation in California with some of my family. Since moving to California, we haven’t done this part of the tourist trail around Monterey and Carmel. However, some great friends came to stay with us and that made for a good reason to head down that way.

wpid11672-AU0E9196.jpg17 Mile Drive is a lovely area but a bit prone to the weather. While we were there, the sun was out and shining on Monterey itself but a short drive away on this part of the coast and things were a lot more overcast. Such are the vagaries of the weather on the coast. Still, it wasn’t unpleasant and may have kept a few extra tourists away so we had the chance to run along at our own pace and always find somewhere to park when required.

wpid11660-C59F7583.jpgThe point for me of visiting the drive is the coastline. Some like to see the amazing houses that can be yours if you have a substantial chunk of change. They do look nice but it is the waves, the rocks and the wildlife that attract me the most. There will be more to come from this place.