Memorial Day with Pam, Jennifer, Philip. Check out that dessert.

We had another wonderful trip and enjoyed everything we saw - we'll be back to California soon I'm sure...

After strolling on the beach, we had to high-tail it back to the car and hit the highway. After a mad race down the 101 & 405, we made it to LAX in time for the flight home. Here is a guy showing what planes look like.

After our picnic, we put our feet in the sand and walked along the shore, great Pacific sand on our feet. Though it was mid-day, it was still fairly cold and the water was freezing.

On our last half-day, we realized our final California dream by stopping at In-N-Out Burger and picking up our picnic lunch. We took it to the beach at Oxnard and enjoyed the waves and cool breezes.

Personalized Google Page

Google is now testing its personalized search page - it gives you some options to throw personalized data on the page when you visit Google, but still keeps things pretty lean and mean.

After working up an appetite on the Surrey bikes, we dined at the Heidelberg Inn in Solvang - a pseudo-German/Danish restaurant. But it was pretty good. We had beef roulade and sauerbraten with spaetzle with a German beer from the tap. After dinner, we enjoyed stunning views of the sunset on the drive home through the mountains.

After the wine tastings, we rented these Surrey bikes and toured Solvang. We were the fastest in town.

On our last full day in California, we drove back to Solvang and stopped by the bakery for a danish and the Belgian Cafe for a waffle and strawberry crepe. Mmmmmmm. We then did some shopping around town before heading to a wine tasting at the Gainey Vineyard. We enjoyed most of their selections, but the Riesling was actually pretty dry to our tastes.

We then traveled to the Rideau Vineyard and did a tasting there. We bought a bottle of Riesling there, as it was much more to our liking.

A look at my luggage, packed with my new Spacebags. We were looking at a tight fit for our return home, but the problem was solved when I visited a "As Seen On TV" store and purchased the Spacebags. These new travel-size bags have a 1-way valve that vacuums the air out of the bag. I packed my return luggage down to about 60% of its original size. Will have to get the large bags now and try it on our sweaters and bedding.

The "end of the world" guys have it too easy now. I remember in my youth they would have to patrol a street corner, shouting warnings about upcoming apocalyptic events, waving a bible, trying to scare their audience into listening. Now, it appears they just need to park a trailer with handwritten notes and web links on it. It leaves a lot more up to the audience to read and research, but I suppose it frees up the doomsayer to hold down a steady job. This trailer was unatended in the tourist town of Solvang, CA.

On the way back to the mainland, Erin was lamenting not seeing a dolphin. A few moments later, whitecaps appeared in the distance off the bow. It came closer. Then closer.

After a few seconds, you realize you were looking at hundreds of individual wakes produced by....dolphins! Attracted by the boat, they made their way over, literally swarming us. They love to swim in the wake of the boat much like they would do with a whale. Within a minute, there were literally hundreds of dolphins swimming full-speed under and around our boat, on top of each other.

For fifteen minutes our boat cirlced around with them as they swam and played. Looking around, there were dolphins surrounding in all directions as for nearly as far as you could see. Hundreds...thousands??? It was like nothing I'd ever seen before and very surreal to be in the middle of all of these creatures. Pictures can't show what it was like, but here is one anyway.

As we left Anacapa and they toured around more of the perimeter, we came upon this group of sea lions. These areas of the Anacapa are protected and no one, even park rangers, are allowed near there. Quite amazing to see these guys going about there day out of captivity and human interference. At a lookout spot on the hike, Peniped Point, you could look down onto a sea lion gathering place and hear them barking.

Ed's favorite. I took so many bird photos and videos and this is but one. The mom, an egg, and a new hatchling. The babies were hatching as we were there. There were literally thousands of these nests on the island. As we walked near them on the trail, the mama birds would squawk and screech. The whole island is filled with squawking birds. That, and a blast from the lighthouse that goes off every 15 seconds or so. Enough noise so that you were quite ready to take a break from it as you leave the island.

There was bird poop everywhere. The rocky cliffs of the island were all streaked in white poop as was everything else - the trails, benches, outhouses, anything, everything. They go constantly. Wear a hat.

The view from Inspiration Point on Anacapa. We ended our hiking tour here and explored on our own after this point. From here, formations of seagulls and pelicans were passing over us continually. Nothing quite like it.

The boat can't dock at the island, so it idles closely by while you climb up a ladder to reach solid ground. Then you take a 150-step iron staircase up to the entry of the island.

A park service volunteer, a "naturalist" (and she fit the bill in many ways), rode over to the island with us and led a guided hike around the island.

Anacapa is "for the birds" they say and that's the first thing you notice about the island. You definitely have Hitchcockian flashbacks as the island comes into view. You are greeted by thousands of seagulls and hundreds of pelicans nesting and flying around the island. The seagulls were nesting at this time and they were set up in nests as far as the eye could see.

Early to bed, early to rise...we awoke early, found a breakfast and lunch to take with us, and boarded our Island Packers charter boat on a trip to Anacapa island, one of California's Channel Islands. The ride takes about 60-80 minutes - quite cold - bring a jacket. Arriving at Anacapa, we toured around the perimeter, coming upon groups of sea lions gathered on one of the beaches. Island Packers did a great job with the tour. Here are some pro shots of Anacapa by QT Luong...

After Santa Barbara, we drove up to Solvang and walked around town for a while. Found the German - Danish restaurant, but didn't eat there yet. Drove back through the mountains - lots of great views and steep slopes. We stopped at the Brown Pelican restaurant in Santa Barbara for dinner - very good.

City Hall building in Santa Barbara...we couldn't go to the tower as they were security-sweeping it for a ceremony naming the building a national historical monument that evening.

Mission in Santa Barbara...we took the city tour trolley around town for a couple of hours. Saw lots of great flowers, trees, architecture, zoo, and Cheryl Tiegs house.

Santa Barbara sand art...walking down the wharf we found this creation and threw some coins onto the unknown artist's blanket.

Morning in Santa Barbara...we drove up to Santa Barbara from Oxnard in the morning to find all of SB covered in a fog / haze, which is typical this time of year. It was chilly and reminded us of our time in some of the east coast shore towns. The sun finally peeked out for a couple hours in the afternoon, but the cool wind was always there. We didn't expect to need jackets and sweatshirts mid-day in California.

We made it back to port at San Pedro, got our motor runnin' and headed out on the highway to Santa Barb...er...Oxnard.

Soaking up the sun in Catalina...

At the Catalina Pier boat rental counter - this is for Steve...

After the glass-bottom boat tour, we rented bikes for the day and toured the island. Took our semi-working 6-speeds up a long, challenging hill to work up an appetite for Antonio's again. Sat out on the patio on the ocean again and listed to Tony Baloney entertain us with such ditties as:

(to the tune of "Do-Re-Mi"...)
Dough, with which I buy my beer
Ray, the guy I buy beer from
Me, the guy I buy beer for
Far, a long way to the store
So, I think I'll have a beer
La, and then I'll have to pee
Tea, no thanks I'll have a beer
And that brings us back to DOUGH

Erin found a tamale place on the pier after we took a glass-bottom boat tour. Saw lots of fish, but only about 4 varieties. The marine preserve was filled with schools of fish amongst the kelp. I think the boat tour was about as good as you might do and was glad not to spend the time snorkeling there. We did see a sea lion come up for air a couple of times while on the ferry leaving Catalina.

The view from our room at the Hotel Metropole - 4th floor. Cruise ships were in port both days we were there - first a Carnival ship and then Royal Caribbean. Great weather the whole time we were there.

The view from the top...After our golf cart tour, we freshened up and caught dinner at El Galleon. Both Antonio's and El Gallean (sister restaurants actually) served some great German beer (or is that bier?)...from the tap in .5L German mugs - authentic. We (and when I say we, I mean mf) sampled the Oktoberfest and Hefeweizen, straight from Munchen. Aaaahhh...

We rented a golf cart and Erin got to live out a personal dream of driving the cart around. We navigated the island w/o incident and had a great view from the mountaintop next to the Wrigley mansion...

Checked into the Hotel Metropole and grabbed a great pizza / salad combo water-side at Antonio's...

On the ferry to Catalina...We left the Grand Californian and drove to San Pedro to catch our boat to Catalina. Got a nice tour of the island while arriving.

View from the upstairs observation area...

After the morning at Disneyland, we returned to the hotel and took a tour that detailed the architecture of the Grand Californian hotel and its Arts and Crafts design. Then we headed back to California Adventure and caught an animation presentation and the Aladdin musical. Aladdin was a great production - and housed in a marvelous and huge theater. After that, we rode the Zephyr and California Screamin' one last time. Then the park closed @ 6 - too early.

We headed back to Disneyland to catch the 50th anniversary parade, then the fireworks show. We did some shopping as the park closed down and then enjoyed some time in front of the fireplace at the hotel -- it actually turned cool in the evening. All in all, a great day, even with the "last day" doom hanging over it.

Our last day @ Disneyland...we awoke early and made use of our early admission perk to get an hour jump on the other guests...took a spin on the Matterhorn again, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the train, and then ate lunch at the Blue Bayou - the restaurant located within the Pirates Of The Caribbean ride.

Like I predicted earlier, we rode California Screamin'. Then rode it again, then again. Like we were thinking, it turned out to be one of our favorite rides. Very smooth, it reminds us of an outdoor, more intense version of the indoor "Rock n' Roller Coaster" that's @ MGM Studios in Orlando. This one has some high drops, a loop around the Mickey logo, and some other goodies...

Ronan got so many smiles with his Nemo hat...he succeeded with that look like no one else could have...

Had a great time with Pete, Alejandra, and Ronan in Downtown Disney...

Erin tried teaching Ronan to swim in the kiddie pool...he's a natural...

We got to meet Ronan - had fun playing with him all afternoon...

The trip is now complete - Erin finds her Mickey waffles at the Grand Californian buffet.

My bride enjoying the atmosphere at a nice Italian dinner, with Riesling in hand.

Ready for liftoff on the Zephyr...

Erin spotted this shot...

Erin's nemesis speeds by...

Waiting for the Electrical Parade @ California Adventure.

Evening at California Adventure is a nice sight as well. The monorail travels across the Golden Gate from Tomorrowland to Downtown Disney.

The Disneyland 50th anniversary parades were really good (even if you're not a parade person). Those floats must cost a pretty penny.

"It all started with a dream...and a mouse."

The castle is trimmed in gold for the 18-month 50th anniversary celebration.

Our view from the room at the Grand Californian is so money. We have our own entrance to the park as well. That's about the only perk besides paying $11 for a waffle, but it's cool...