impressedSleep has been a problem for me throughout this trip; I think I managed about 25 minutes a night on average throughout the whole of the first week, and about 2-3 hours during the second - and by the time I came back, I still hadn't managed to sleep through the night. So I'm not surprised that this morning, I just couldn't find the energy to get up. I only hope that from today, things will get better, and I'll be sleeping like a baby again before too long.
Anyway, you all know work was the reason for my visit to Sta. Barbara, but it wasn't all that and no play. I did have some leisure time (more than expected, too, thanks to Martin Luther King Day) and took full advantage of those hours to indulge in touristy things: on my first weekend, I went to Sta. Monica's Third Street Promenade -but saw no buskers I recognised-, then spent the rest of the day on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour of Sta. Monica, Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Hollywood -- cheesy in the extreme, but enjoyable nonetheless; and an excellent way to get around and catch your bearings in a city you've never been before. I stopped off and had lunch at the Farmer's Market, and had my first and probably last ever, taste of gator at the Gumbo House there. I found it a rather tough kind of meat, which surprisingly didn't taste of chicken at all (it has more of a fishy flavour, I'd say).
My second weekend, I went up to Hearst Castle -- the place itself didn't appeal to me at all, but the drive up there I enjoyed immensely, even if the landscape all around me seemed blighted by the current drought (although people have assured me it's brown and dusty all year round). I also visited Sta. Barbara Zoo, and took full advantage of my unexpected day off on Jan 20th to go on a whale watching trip off the coast of Ventura...and I saw whales! Seven of them! I also saw lots of sea lions, seals and tumbler dolphins on that trip, but seeing the grey whales was an experience I'll never forget.
self-explanatory, really...
The beach at Sta. Barbara
Passing by the Channel Islands
Californian sea lions, basking on a buoy outside Ventura harbour
If you look closely, you'll see the tail of a whale. I was too busy marvelling at these beautiful animals to remember to get my camera out, so this is the only proof I have that I really did see them
More to follow.
