California Dreamin': La Cuesta Encantada

La Cuesta Encantada... The Enchanted Hill

~Hearst Castle~

Mario and I went to Hearst Castle on Saturday. I've wanted to go for years now! As it turns out, it was meant to be that we went when we did... the weather could not have been more perfect, and we had an amazing day!

It started off with breakfast at our favorite Cafe Nouveau, and then a relaxing drive up the coast, only took us 2 1/2 hrs! We stopped at the San Simeon beach and were treated to an immediate show of a few dolphins doing a slow leisurely swim-by. Shortly after a sea lion popped up her head to check us out...

If you click on the pic above to see it bigger, you might see the little seal head pokin' out!

This pic has a dolphin fin in it...

We had pre-booked a tour of the Grand Rooms, so we loaded up into the bus which takes the guests up to the castle. The drive climbs roughly 1,600 feet in altitude and winds through the cattle ranch hills... but along the way we saw zebras grazing and some kind of elk... leftover critters from Mr. Hearst's day. As you drive upward, at the very top of the hill you can peek teaser glimpses of white castle rising up through the trees. It's so exciting!

With the Grand Rooms tour you get a 45 minute tour of the ground floor of the main castle plus a quick "home videos" type movie of guests at the castle back in the day. The home video was shown in Mr. Hearst's private theater ... it was an 800sq foot room, with red velvet, huge seats, and giant 7 ft tall carved statues. Practically the size of my house! I don't have red velvet or statues, and only 1 huge seat. Anyway ~ the tour was really cool, and then they let you loose to tour the grounds on your own... which was absolutely incredible.

I think all of the following pix will prove this to be my most pic-intensive blog post ever. But try to imagine that I picked the following dozens or so out of like 300... ;-)

Surreally beautiful west view!

The Three Graces

This beautiful statue was just inside the front door of the main castle. There were treasures tucked in every corner and nook and cranny that you looked, both inside and out.

The amazing Neptune Pool, looking west

This pergola is 1 mile long!!! It was designed to walk through... as well as ride a horse through! That's a man (and his female architect!) after my own heart :)

The incredible indoor pool. The entire thing is 10 feet deep, but it appears to curve and arch when you look at it... an optical illusion.

The millions of tiles in the pool, the floors and the walls are venetian glass and real gold!

Beautiful hummingbird enjoying the day with us!

The ranch property includes an enormous working cattle ranch

A grapefruit tree in one of the gardens with huge perfect globes!

Lots of fishes in this pond...

This fountain lady is kissing a little gold frog prince with a crown

It would be hard to pick a favorite, but I love this view...

There are over 30 fireplaces on the property... all of the ones we saw were at least 7 feet tall! Alongside the mantel, in the back left of the image, are choir seats used as decorative elements.

The dining hall! (Italian horse racing silk flags hanging in the windows, and carved wooden ceilings made of oak and walnut, tapestries lining the walls...)