Monterey Bay Aquarium
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What a day!! Poor Allison was on the verge of tears a couple of times - due to the vagaries of her car and a flat battery. It all began when we rose at 07:00 this morning to have breakfast...
Laurel made waffles, which were quite good with butter and hot maple syrup. Allison and I discovered that Gregg and Erick were going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium today as well, as part of a school trip. We looked for them there, but didn't see them.
Monterey Bay Aquarium |
We left for Monterey and arrived at the Aquarium just before 09:30, after a nice drive along the Bay shore (where we couldn't see the Bay because of the fog). The queue was thirty or forty people long - and the sign said they didn't open until 10:00! But they did open the gates not long after we got there and we filed in. It was a neat place. Lots of fish and slimy things and, Allison's favourite, sea otters!
 Sea lions, near Monterey Bay Aquarium |
We wandered around the exhibits, had clam chowder as a snack at about 11:30 and then left just after noon. It was great in there. Then we walked up and down Cannery Row, looking in a few neat junk shops.
We left that area about 14:00 and decided to take the famous 17 Mile Drive around the Pebble Beach area. It's a private road and it cost us $5.75 to get in. But the scenery was pretty good - and the famous golf courses!
 I guess that's why it's called Pebble Beach |
But then we got stuck. After stopping at one place to take a photo, Allison's car wouldn't start. Nobody could help, so we walked to the Cypress Point Clubhouse and used the phone to call Pebble Beach Security. They came and jump-started the car. We drove to the famous Lone Cypress and got out to take pictures - leaving the engine running. When we got back in it stalled on us, and wouldn't restart.
 The Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach |
I walked all the way around to the Pebble Beach shops to contact Security again while Allison held the fort. After being jump started again, she came and picked me up an then we went to the petrol station at Pebble Beach. Refuelled, the car refused to start again. The garage attendant jumped it and we drove not 200 metres to the first stop sign, where the engine stalled again.
 Houses at Pebble Beach |
Allison walked back to the petrol station for help, and returned with a security guy who directed us to roll the car back down the hill to his truck, where we jumped it again and drove back to the petrol station. We had the guy charge the battery for an hour or so.
Meanwhile I browsed the Pebble Beach shops. Expensive clothes and golfing equipment. Finally, we were underway again, just after 18:00. Allison vowed not to stop the car until we arrived home.
 More of Pebble Beach |
But through San Jose hunger won out and we stopped at Denny's for mozzarella sticks and San Francisco sandwiches. Not bad. Allison had pecan pie and I had apple pie, a la mode, for dessert.
After dinner, we trekked back to the car with trepidation. But the charging had left enough power for a restart and we were on our way home!
Allison took her dad's car home tonight. She will come back tomorrow and take her car to Sears for a check and probably a new battery.
Then it's the Giants game and off to Yosemite!
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