Cambria 36 Years Later

Fields of lavendar...
A different kind of anemone...
Little beggars!
Thank Freddy for the cashews!
Sea lions!
Elephant seals -- See the baby?
So happy together...
Fireworks on the beach...
"Just a passin' Through..."
The end...
On our second anniversary we drove up the coast with little 18-month-old Freddy in tow...we stopped along the way at La Purisima Mission and remember seeing lots of deer in the forested hillsides that rose above Moonstone Drive in Cambria. Our motel was facing the ocean and I think cost us $27. After a long drive getting there we were exhausted and didn't mind spending the money, even though it seemed really pricey. The beach was clouded and there wasn't access to the beach. We spent a fitful night with a crankey baby.

36 years later painted an entirely different picture. Cambria is now a resort with a secret--it doesn't feel at all like a resort, but the price is without a doubt resort-worthy! What a wonderful anniversary trip Fred and I had! We got a later start on the third because Fred had a funeral for a friend from Rocky Peak, so no leisurely stops along the way, but we really enjoyed reminiscing about many trips headed up north, vacations, and second honeymoons gone by. We loved driving past Morro Rock and knew we were getting closer and closer, wanting to arrive before dark and we made it. We stayed at the Fireside Inn and the room had a fireplace. The fog was rolling in and we went to a great steakhouse and watched the sunset. The restaurant even provided blankets for those sitting outside to get every last vestige of the sun disappearance! We went to sleep with the sound of the ocean crashing just a pathway from the inn. The next day we got up early and drove all over the town/village of Cambria with plans for where we would stop when we came back--then we headed north and stopped everywhere we wanted--from the majestic viewpoints to see the massive sea lions and feeding little squirrels to the San Simeon park center, and a fabulous drive further north toward Big Sur and a stop at Ragged Point, now high above the ocean floor that you could barely see through the fog. That night we cuddled up and watched fireworks back in Cambria--they were wonderful and then we were back to our warm and cozy room. On Saturday we took the long leisurely drive home stopping wherever we wanted, Harmony, town of 18, the Harmony winery, Cayucos, Morro Bay for a fabulous anniversary lunch, Santa Barbara, and then home. God has been so good to our marriage and our family. How can we be anything but grateful and humbled by His grace in our lives. Happy Anniversary honey!