Return to Raleigh

Hey Everyone!

We are back home in Raleigh after a stress free day of flights from Baku, Azerbaijan to Istanbul to Boston to Raleigh.

The blog is about a month behind. Look for posts from the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan) in the coming weeks. Not to mention we still owe you reports on our visit to Italy last Fall.

It's good to be home. Thanks for reading!

-john and sun-ling

SLO, Pismo, and Pinnacles in California

On our way down to Los Angeles to visit Sun-Ling's niece Nicole we stopped for a day of hiking in Pinnacles National Park which is home to 30 California Condors. Pinnacles is about 80 miles south-east of Saratoga and with a somewhat early start we were walking on the Condor Gulch Trail by 10:15 am. Yes it's called the "Condor Gulch Trail, but is it more than a name? [Regular readers will remember how excited we were in 2019 when we spotted a few Andean Condors in Peru.] Yes! We saw three condors (see pics below). Many thanks to the park ranger we met on the trail who explained how to distinguish a turkey vulture from a condor.

After completing the High Peaks Trail, we drove 2 hours south to SLO (San Luis Obispo) where we spent the night. SLO is more than a college town - Cal Poly. It has a functional, compact, downtown, complete with a county courthouse, art deco cinema, Spanish Mission, and a doctor's office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Not to mention a Costco with a gas station on the way out of town.

Twenty minutes south of SLO is Pismo Beach and the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Park. SL's sister recommended we stop here and check out the butterflies. After seeing only a few monarchs in Santa Cruz we were mesmerized by the thousands of butterflies at Pismo Beach. Wow!

At the trailhead parking at Pinncles we first saw several acorn woodpeckers...

... and then the acorns they stash in holes they dig out in pine trees. Sun-Ling and I walk up into the Pinnacles (crazy rock spires) on the Condor Gulch Trail.



Ridgewalking on the High Peaks Trail.

Condor!

Condors!

A couple of "strenuous" sections of the High Peaks Trail.

Sun-Ling is in fine form!

What a view as we begin to head down to Bear Gulch Cave.

The rock formations are golden in the late afternoon sun.

Walking under boulders in Bear Gulch Cave.

The Kundert Medical Clinic in San Luis Obispo was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The very cool Art Deco Fremont Theater is across the street from the SLO County Courthouse.

We strolled by the Mission but did not go in.

The Monarch Butterfly Grove atPismo State Beach was amazing with 22445+ monarchs in the grove that day.

A short video of the monarchs flying around.

And if that video does not play, click here.

North to Calistoga and Davis, California

The day after the wedding we flew from Cancun to Los Angeles (LAX), overnighted, and took an early flight the next day to San Jose. After a few days of recovery at Sun-Ling's sister's in Saratoga, we headed NORTH to the Napa Valley to visit my old friend Mike who with his wife Laura own and operate Laura Michael Wines in Calistoga. Mike is known as the Pope of Calistoga and we had a fun time tasting Michael Laura wines, eating, and strolling around Calistoga. Rainy weather canceled our planned hike near Mount Saint Helena, so we made an early start of the drive over the hills to Davis where SL's niece is a junior at UC Davis.

Our time in Davis was pleasant. We stayed at the house of old friends. They were out-of-town so we were hosted by their daughter Zora, a top notch host and conversationalist. On Saturday we picked up Sun-Ling's niece Cameron and drove west past Winters to Stebbins Cold Canyon for an awesome hike and picnic. To sum up: the kids are alright! And not to mention that we ate some tasty Burmese, Nepali, and Indian food in Davis.

Traveler's Tip:The American Airlines Verifly app allowed us to quickly get through check-in and to the gate at the Cancun airport for our international flight to LAX.

Sun-Ling heads to our gate at LAX.

The view on takeoff south to Redondo Beach.

Sunset from the balcony of SL's sister's house in Saratoga.

Mike and I with Laure Michael vineyards in the background.

Gas prices in Calistoga.

Downtown Calistoga.

Mike and I.





We stopped to hike the lower section of the Stebbins Cold Canyon Loop before continuing to Davis. Pretty cool "entrance" to the trailhead, no? There was a bit of low clouds on the rocky, green hills.

The next day was sunny and beautiful and we had a great hike on the Stebbins Cold Canyon Upper Trail with Sun-Ling's niece Cameron.

...with awesome views to the east of Davis, Sacramento, and the High Sierra.

Tasty Nepali dinner at Kathmandu Kitchen. And lunch at Yeti.

On the drive back to Saratoga, we stopped for a long walk at Tilden Regional Park in the hills above Berkeley, and had lunch with this view to downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Our outbound route was on the ridge top, and the return in the canyon.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

From Aguascalientes, there is a very convenient direct flight to Cancun.  Since the wedding is at a private beach south of Playa del Carmen, we chose to stay in town, not that any of it is our cup of tea, so we were a little surprised that we enjoyed our evening strolls on the pedestrian La Quinta (Fifth Avenue).  Nearly none of the internationals wear masks, while almost all the nationals wear them.  Per Danny's advice, we had our very first COVID test at Salud Digna 260 pesos each.   

The wedding was a truly a picture perfect occasion.  I cannot compete with pictures, so won't try here.  What a joyous occasion!

We made a quick getaway the day after the wedding.  The Cancun airport was so busy, John said we are never flying there, no matter how cheap the flights are, haha.

So long Aguascalientes, we'll miss you!

View from the rooftop of Hotel Meliora By Bunik.

The Beach.

Our hotel room had a kitchenette and was conviently located next to a Walmart that was getting ready for Christmas.

Dinner on our balcony = Radler + Guacamole and Chips.

La Quinta (Fifth Avenue) was busy every night.

Wish we had bins of Jamaica leaves in the supermarkets in Raleigh.

Beautiful setting at Punto Venado for Maritza and Jake's wedding.