Los Angeles
The visa process started in Melbourne with a visit to the American Embassy. We were given a 5 year Visa and told we would be given a 3 to 6 month entry permit at the border.
We arrived in LA at 6AM and after a long queue at Immigration we finally entered the USA. We requested and were granted a 9 months entry permit. Yahoo! Chris wants to see a white Christmas. Our permit will expire on 26th December so she may get her wish.
Our first priority was to hire a car. I had booked one online through Avis and was disappointed they charged me an extra "Service Fee" of $70 then lied when I questioned it calling it a "state tax", which had already been added. I thought Avis would be reputable to deal with. We will be on our toes from now on.
Our second priority was to buy a GPS. Now that was a good decision. The incredible freeway system in LA would have eaten us up in no time. I had enough trouble remembering how to drive on the LHS of the road without the near impossible task of navigating.
Today Chris found nirvana.
A very large factory outlet Mall called Citadel Outlets Mall
Camarillo
Here we find Camarillo Premium Outlets
This is a factory outlet facility that we need the car to go from one section to another. It is huge. 160 factory outlets. I have renamed Chris "Imelda Marcos". I had to restrain her from buying her sixth pair of shoes for the day. We bought a lot of Timberland gear and I think I pulled off the shopping coo for the day with a pair of leather Timberland boots for $13. (I hope this road trip doesn't turn out to be one big shopping spree.)
Pictures from http://connect.in.com/camarillo-outlets/
Santa Barbara
April 2nd. Back on Ventura Freeway (Where the sun shines) down to Santa Barbara. We nearly drove through as our number one priority is to set ourselves in an RV. We planned to put off touring until we do so.
What a contrast to LA. The city is beautiful. The streets are palm lined and the architecture reflect its Spanish heritage.
About 13,000 years ago Native Americans called the Chumash settled this area. By the time the Spanish Missionaries arrived, they were living all along the coast and on the Channel Islands. The Mission and El Presidio were settled at about the same time in the 1780s. They began an era of colonization and the Christianization of the native Chumash. The Spanish governed the area until 1822, when California became a Mexican territory until 1846 when Colonel John Fremont and his soldiers took Santa Barbara for the United States.
Extract from Santa Barbara website
OMG! Is that a VW combi welded on to the top of a school bus?
The main street of Santa Barbara.
One of the many interesting cafes and restaurants.
This old truck looks a little out of place here.
Old Mission and Museum
Link to: Old Mission
The Santa Barbara Mission was established on the Feast of Saint Barbara, December 4, 1786 and was the tenth of twenty-one California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans.
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The Church.
Magnificent artwork on the walls of the Church.
A popular place with the locals for dining fishing or just walking down on a sunny day.
Hats off to this guy.
He creates art with a magnifying glass burning an image into wood.
He also offers a game of "Throw the coin"
Santa Barbara from the Wharf.
We found it!
Seafood Nirvana.
A very popular "arty" seafood restaurant with a delicious and tasty variety of affordable seafood.
Please excuse my indulgence.
I was checking the area out on "Google Earth" and found a coastal strip that looked like it had an a line of RV's parked on the ocean foreshore so we decided to investigate.
Sure enough we found a featureless stretch of beach with an endless line of RV's grabbing a bit of sun and an ocean frontage vista. (Local council charges $27 per night to park there. No facilities)
Our first squirrel sighting. There must be thousands of them living in the rock crevasses. We saw them darting up and grabbing food from a table. There is not a tree in sight so I guess the cute little rodents steal and scrounge food from the campers.
We were driving along Highway 1 and were suddenly confronted by this unique resort. Needless to say we had to go back and take a closer look.
The Madonna Inn Resort (nothing to do with the singer) is an intricate structure of rock, lead light glass, shingle roofing, amazing timber work, fantasy suites and eccentric bars.
The Bar.
It may not be your taste but you have to admire the ostentatious design.
Cave Man Room
Sacramento
We visited the old Sacramento town to kill a few hours. The old buildings house interesting cafes, shops and bars. The main street is cobblestone and the wide shop awnings cover boardwalk paths.
As we are on a mission we did not have much time to take it all in. We will re-visit at a later date.
Tourists are offered buggy rides.
The Candy Barrel. This shop specialised in colourful boiled candy.
We had lunch at Fat City Bar & Restaurant. It has some fascinating features including this magnificent wooden bar. I suspect the owners have sourced demolition companies to put the restaurant together.
An outstanding lead light pendant. Note the bevelled glass wall behind.
Chris about to order.
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I found this stall in the middle of a shopping centre. Look closely and you will see Hermit Crabs in colourful painted shells for sale.
Leon and myself. Leon is Iolani's father, Chris's sister-in-law.
Santa Cruz
The wharf and beach at Capitola.
Joy, Iolani's sister invited us to Santa Cruz to meet the family and have a BBQ.
John, Joy and Granny.
Gran & Bonnie (Mum)
Joy's nephews and niece.
Gran took on chameleon like qualities on the sofa.
