California, Sep. 2006

A work meeting brought me to California for two days and a friend of mine, Arun, had the kindness to welcome me in his San Francisco home. I wandered on foot in some parts of San Francisco. A few days later, and after my meeting, Arun took me on a road trip to Big Sur. That was fantastic! The whole stay was amazing.

I liked that in between the sand, the mountains and the clouds, there is a strip of blue sky.

Stinson Beach

 The sun slightly hidden behind clouds at Stinson Beach and birds flying in the sky

Birds and the sun

 View from Twin Peaks. The only landmark I recognise is the Bay Bridge. The dash in the sky is a plane. The whole scene made me think of lava spilling from a volcano.

Night lights

 The rainbow flag in Castro, which is huge.

The flag

 Street car in Castro.

Street car

 Bamboo

Bamboo
California Republic flag

California Republic flag

 Close-up of a white flower against dark background.

White flower

 Close-up of droplets on a cactus.

Droplets

 Today the Sutro Tower is not enshrouded in the familiar fog.

Sutro Tower

 I'm walking to Twin Peaks for the view. I'm not yet there but the view is everywhere!

Framed

 Wild flowers growing among weeds. I'm on my way up to Twin Peaks for the panorama.

Wild flowers
I love sun beams, I really do.

Sun beams

 The sun is about to set and is casting lovely sunbeams in the valley.

Big Sur sunset

 I liked Arun's dreamy and serene expression.

Meditation

 The sun is setting.

Big Sur sunset

 The colours were gorgeous as the sun sank behind the clouds.

Incandescent

 On the way to the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We *had* to stop at every turnout. I liked the contrast between the deep green and blue.

Coastline along Highway 1
On the way to the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We *had* to stop at every turnout.

Coastline along Highway 1

 From the Overlook Trail. McWay Waterfall is a 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean. The beach is not accessible other than those who kayak there.

McWay waterfall

 Behind me is McWay waterfall. On the other side of the trail, we have a view of beaches along the coastline.

Beaches

 Reflections of the ocean and trees in Arun's sunglasses.

Reflections

 This bird behaved as though it was posing. And I'm glad it was a patient model, because I needed a few attempts.

Pausing to pose

 The same bird, now showing off the view on the McWay Waterfall.

Let's admire the waterfall
McWay Waterfall is a 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean. The beach is not accessible other than those who kayak there.

McWay waterfall

 This is another waterfall, this time in the forest of the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. I liked the white on the green.

Cascading in slo mo

 Here's what I thought when I was on top of the hill, looking down at the ocean, with tree branches framing this photo and hiding the sun: "This is like being in an aircraft. Above the clouds. Except for the trees."

Above the clouds

 Vegetal fireworks

Vegetal fireworks

 At dusk, from the terrace of the Nepenthe Caf\216, the moon reveals itself.

At dusk

 Close-up of the moon

Moon
In the park (garden, really) in front of the Henry Miller Library.

Shiny dangling things

 Or rather, the reflection of myself in a poster of Henry Miller. I was wearing my barbie-pink jumper and I liked the contrast with the yellow-ey/green-ey hue.

Henry Miller and me

 In the park (garden, really) in front of the Henry Miller Library.

Pretty light and flare

 Purple sand was visible among the regular white sand on this beach

Purple sand

 You'll have to trust me that it was *windy* as it just doesn't show on the photo. I could have titled it "pretty beach". Or "ah, it was worth walking several miles to get there because the parking lot was so full that a ranger told us to park on the main road and walk down there".

Windy beach

 It's a garden gnome. I liked the whole setting; lush green, catchy red and the light and shadows.

Gnome fisher
koalie, 2007