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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2014 34 TRAVEL By the sea WHEN you visit California, chances are that San Francisco and Los An- geles are going to be on top of your list. But if you take a plane between the two cities, or charge down the Interstate, you will miss one of the best drives in the world. So head down to the Monterey Peninsula, just two hours south of San Fran- cisco, and then spend three or four days on a leisurely trip through some of the best scenery that America has to offer. First stop is the picture-book-pretty town of Carmel where you could be forgiven for thinking that you were on a set in a Disneyland film. Take a few hours discovering the little alleyways, shopping, relaxing at a coffee shop, sip- ping a cocktail, or having a meal at an Italian restaurant. One thing that you will notice is that there are no chain restaurants, no Starbucks and no fast food outlets. They're banned here by City ordinance. It's not very big, so half a day will suffice, and then you can get down to exploring the other wonders that surround you. Next on your list should be a visit to the gated community of Pebble Beach. You can pay ten dollars to get your car in, and it will be some of the best money you have ever spent. Two of the most famous and beautiful golf courses in the world are here, but you'll need to reserve months in advance to tee-off. And you will see many of the most stunning houses on the planet. This is the playground of the super- rich, where a little shack is worth mil- lions, and the sky's the limit. In fact, it's amazing that they allow the likes of us into their Garden of Eden. But hey, in America the motto is, 'if you've got it, flaunt it baby!' At this point, your ten bucks would be well spent, but the best is yet to come… Get yourself a picnic before you take your trip to the land of the Gods, as the best part is the Seventeen Mile Drive. The drive will not only show you dream residences and golf courses, but when it turns to follow the coast, will simply blow you away. The umbrella pines clinging to the cliffs, interspersed with sandy creeks and off road parking, will enchant you. And that's why you will want to stop, eat, and enjoy. Go down to a rocky inlet, and watch the Sea Otters as they dive down, get themselves a clam, mussel, or scallop, break the shell on a rock, and float on their back while nibbling the tasty flesh. They are amongst the most delightful and happy animals you will come across. Next, go to Monterey where you should visit the harbour and walk along the pier, which now purely ca- ters for tourists. There you will find an array of restaurants tempting you with seafood and drink, and some of it may even be tasty. Don't bother with a tour of the harbour in a glass-bottomed boat, but if the season is right consider taking a boat to go whale watching. Huge schools of whales migrate along this coast, and you can sometimes see them from afar. But nothing beats seeing them up close. When you have done this, go to Cannery Row, where the local catch was canned and sent to less fortunate places in the past. This area is known to all Americans as the place where the celebrated American author John Steinbeck got his inspira- tion. But today, lined with shops wait- ing to suck up your tourist dollars, the only place of real interest is the fantas- tic Monterey Aquarium. Next stop is the Big Sur National Park, about an hour's drive south. Thick forests of redwoods, conifers, oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods, ma- ples, alders and willows, plus open meadows, tumble from the mountains down to the sea. Wildlife is abun- dant, so you will see black-tail deer, gray squirrels, raccoons, skunks, and a wide variety of birds. If you want to be at one with nature, hike the numer- ous trails, and breathe in the diverse odours of plants, trees, and animals. From here, a leisurely but breath- takingly beautiful two hour drive will take you to Hearst Castle, situated in the hills above the tiny hamlet of San Simeon. Randolph Hearst cre- ated a media empire in the first half of the twentieth century comparable to Rupert Murdoch in modern times. In 1919 he started the construction of his dream home which would never be finished to his satisfaction before his death in 1951. But during the twen- ties and thirties this was absolutely the place to be invited to for a week- end or a week. It was the playground of film stars, poets, theologists, and presidents. The castle is an inglorious mix of architecture, many of the huge rooms made expressly to accommodate the interiors of stripped-out Spanish Cas- tillos. It sits on a hill four hundred me- tres above sea level, with magnificent gardens, swimming pools, and distant sea views. In Europe it would be con- sidered the pinnacle of nouveau riche bad taste, but in California, it's a must see! Six miles before you reach San Sime- on, and the turnoff for Hearst Castle, you will see a large parking lot next to the sea, full of cars and people star- ing at the beach. Ignore it, drive to the Hearst Castle visitor centre, buy your tickets – which will probably be for a tour in two or three hours – then head back to the parking lot in front of the beach. You will be in for a rare treat. Elephant Seals. These monsters look like giant seals, most of them weigh- ing in at over two tons. They come here to give birth to their young, and the colony is thriving. Facing extinc- tion a hundred years ago due to use of their blubber for oil, they number in their thousands today. They just hang around on the beach, sunning them- selves. Occasionally a couple of rival males will have a little nibble at each other, but generally it's too much ef- fort, and they go back to sleep after a couple of minutes. From Hearst Castle to Los Angeles would be another few hours' drive, but there are other wonderful places to visit on the way, such as Morro Bay and Santa Barbara. Unfortunately we don't have the space to talk about them today. Suffice to say, that the trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles can take you a day. Or a week. TOBY ROSS takes you on a drive down California's Pacific Coast Highway Hearst Castle Indoor pool at Hearst Castle Elephant seals Typical pebble beach house Part of the 17-mile drive...