 |
| This was the view from our patio. Another couple on the trip mentioned that they had visited a family member who worked at Space X, which was launching a rocket while we were in California. The morning of the launch, we watched the countdown on TV and then stepped onto the patio and watched the actual rocket launch into space. A thrill, for sure! |
 |
| Another morning, we set off on a catamaran with Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari. Despite its rave reviews online, there was not a dolphin or whale (it was the correct season) in sight on that excursion into the Pacific. My husband ended up getting violently seasick (has never happened to him before) and most others were looking green, due to the waves. This was the only thing I saw on the 3 hour tour. |
 |
| Back in the harbor at Dana Point, all was calm. We enjoyed a lovely seafood lunch overlooking the harbor. |
 |
| Back at the resort, we decided to explore nearby Crystal Cove Beach. We took a shuttle across Pacific Coast Highway and then walked down to the beach. The cottages, built between 1935-1955, are part of the historical district. There is a conservancy behind the restoration of the area. |
 |
| One evening, we attended an event at the Lyon Air Museum located next to the John Wayne Airport. Dinner, music and dancing. |
 |
| It featured a lot of WW2 memorabilia. Here is Hitler's car from 1939. Creepy! |
 |
| Speaking of creepy . . . one day we visited some wineries. This was on display at the Newport Beach Winery at the end of the fall out shelter that serves as a wine cave. |
 |
| The owner gave us a tour of the property. He was very disengaging and unfriendly. There were all sorts of strange things about this place. His home is next door to the fall out shelter/wine cave. Through the glass windows of his home, you could see this Lamborghini mounted on the wall. I had never heard of the guy, so we googled his name and he was considered a playboy in the 80's, hosting a famous party called the "Pimps, Hookers, Drug Dealers and Lawyers Ball." His family made its money by selling their lima bean farm land to developers. You can't make this stuff up, can you? |
 |
| Next stop was the charming town of San Juan Capistrano, with its historic mission. The town reminded me of the time I spent in New Mexico with my aunt and uncle as a kid. |
 |
| The day concluded with a wine tasting and meal at the Rancho Capistrano Winery. This guy was looking over my shoulder the whole time. It was a great ending to our trip, with temps finally reaching the low 70's. I'm all about sitting out on a patio with a nice glass of vino. Cheers to the holiday weekend! |
That one place sounds weird and so does the owner but it sure looks like you all had a good time from the pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt was really bizarre, but the wine was good.
DeleteGetting seasick sounds like the only downer...for a three hour tour at least you didn't end up on Gilligan's Island.
ReplyDeleteLots of wine, sounds like fun.
He got off that boat and wondered how in the world everyone didn't have their heads in the garbage cans. It didn't bother me at all!
DeleteThe owner sure sounds like one to stray away from. The weirdest things some plaster to the wall. Why would anyone want Hitler's car?
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't want to attend a pimp and hooker ball?
DeleteI think the Hitlermobile was in the museum for historical value.
Wow - I don't think I've seen skies so blue since we lived in California, lol.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I find it funny that they lump lawyers in with pimps, hookers, and drug dealers. Ha - probably not far from the truth!
My husband didn't find it funny. As he always says, 'Everyone hates a lawyer, until they need one!'
DeleteGood point! I blame it on negative media stereotypes (though I will admit, I was a huge LA Law fan).
DeleteWhat GREAT photographs! I especially love the first one of the vineyard, what a beautiful view!
ReplyDelete" we watched the countdown on TV and then stepped onto the patio and watched the actual rocket launch into space. A thrill, for sure!"
Oh, how faaaaabulous!
I also love the fourth photo down, the one of Crystal Cove Beach. The house that is far right in the photograph looks exactly like the home in the movie, Beaches, with Bette Midler. It was the house that Barbara Hershey's character lived in before she died.
Great shots of the cars. That one of Hitler's car is sooooooo creepy, you're right.
Love the story of the guy with the Lamborghini on the wall.
"The day concluded with a wine tasting and meal at the Rancho Capistrano Winery."
BEST way to end the day! As a matter of fact, I'm sipping a glass of a delicious red this very minute.
Cheers!
Happy Holiday weekend, my friend!
Actually, the first photo is just the resort's landscaping. Isn't it delightful?
DeleteAnd OMG, Mr. Ron! Good eye! I completely forgot that we were told Beaches was filmed there! That's amazing that you recognized it! I think somewhere near there, parts of Gilligan's Island were filmed as well. Very fun stuff! I'm sure being so close to LA, a lot of beaches in SoCal have been in movies and TV shows.
Hope you're having a fun weekend!
We took Captain's Dave's tour one summer (I'm thinking it was 2005) when we were visiting the area from Montana before we eventually moved down there. We saw tons of dolphins (go figure) and a whale that came so close to the catamaran I thought it was going to bump it but it didn't. Of course the seas were relatively calm that day. Sorry your experience wasn't quite like that.
ReplyDeleteHubby and me had one of our first dates at a restaurant in San Juan Capistrano; I want to say it was called the El Adobe; Mexican place, delicious food.
That whole area (Temecula especially) has grown so much since we first started visiting now close to 40 years ago. So many wineries now compared to then.
Seemed like your adventures helped you make memories you'll think about in the years to come!
betty
It's so nice to hear from you, Betty, and your experiences in that area! I was disappointed by not seeing wildlife that day, but understand they can't control that sort of thing. Maybe I will get to see a dolphin on another trip somewhere.
DeleteHow neat that your first date was in SJC. Such a nice town! I would have enjoyed exploring that area more. We are definitely going to try to get to San Diego and La Jolla one of these days.
Heh. . . Hitler's car. Somehow, I love it. . .
ReplyDeleteI think I mentioned before that Capistrano is not too awfully far from where my mom lives, north of SD. Your husband's seasick experience reminds me all too well of a sail we took with my mom and her husband, years ago. I was actually doing pretty well, but when they broke out fried chicken for lunch, my stomach rebelled, and the rest of the trip was an attempt to stave off misery. Fed the fish a couple times. But we did see dolphins!
Yes, I didn't think Hitler's car was something I'd ever see. Strange!
DeleteIt would have been worth it for my husband to have seen something other than the inside of a trash can. I have a feeling he won't be stepping on another boat again!
I can see how your husband doesn't want to step on a boat again - I got motion sickness once from a ride at an amusement part, and that horrible queasy feeling stuck with me all day long.
ReplyDeleteToo disappointing about not seeing any dolphins!
It was a big disappointment! The catamaran had an underwater viewing pod so you could watch them close up . . . If they were around!
DeleteA shame about the disappointing whale/dolphin tour. Surely if you didn't see anything at all, he should at least have given you a partial refund or a voucher for another trip?
ReplyDeleteLooks like the winery owner didn't benefit much from his playboy years and the land sale. He just ended grumpy and misanthropic.
Yes, Captain Dave's offers another trip if you see nothing. Unfortunately, we don't live close enough to take advantage of that!
DeleteReading over this post and the last, I had to google Newport, to see where it was. I'm sure I passed through it as a kid when we lived outside San Francisco and drove done a few times to San Diego.
ReplyDeleteI love Bird of Paradise flowers. My dad had them growing outside his house in Hawaii.
Sounds like a good trip - and you can never go wrong with a winery tour.
Yes, you would have passed through Orange County to get to San Diego. If you took Highway 1 it must have been beautiful, though I know I wouldn't have appreciated that as a kid.
DeleteAnd yes, we love our wine!
These are such beautiful photos. Bijoux, I want to pack my bags and take off for California right now!
ReplyDeleteA rocket launch, San Juan Capistrano, and Hitler's car! What a blast! Too bad about the dolphin watch, but it looks like you had a great time!
It would be neat to see the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano. Such a lovely town! Smart birds!
DeleteI love the view you had. Your poor husband! That's so miserable to be seasick.
ReplyDeleteTruth is stranger than fiction isn't it?
It was such a fabulous view! And I'm always amazed by some of the stories people I know tell me! Lol
DeleteLots of good sites!
ReplyDelete