RK05

As I drove down the 1 I tried to justify my hasty retreat from the Costco leaving behind my Japanese friend by attempting to make good time to LA. Still I couldn't help but feel a bit bad and question my actions. I had plenty of time to think about it wile traffic kept me creeping along Big Sur. It was a beautiful Monday afternoon and all the Yahoo's in their Corvettes, Porches, and Lamborghini's had come out to put there machines to Big Sur's curvaceous test.

It took quite some time to snake my way off the amazing coastal road, and before long I had emerged at the base of Hearst Castle. I thought at first, that perhaps I would be able to snap a few photos of it from the road, but it laid far a top a mountain overlook, so for a large fee of $20 I decided to go and see this monstrous and extravagant mansion built by the sensational journalism mogul. The bus ride to the top was probably the best part of the tour. I was one of the first ones on the bus and took a seat all the way in the back. Then one after another old woman wearing Babushkas began to file on. I couldn't tell where they were all from but it seemed as tho the large tour group was from some eastern block nation. The whole buss was a roar with foreign chatter as we climbed the long narrow pass to the castle. The only thing missing, to make the whole experience a little more authentic, was a few chickens and a goat. Then maybe the folks on board would have felt more at home.

When we got to the top and off the bus I was separated from the tour group, and placed in much smaller and more manageable group of 6. Our tour Guide was by no means remotely good, her first words were "Welcome, I am your tour guide, I have no set script, so if there are no questions I wont have much to say." No history lesson from her, she was just there to make sure we didn't touch anything, and casually guide us around the mansion.

Walking through the compound its hard to believe through all the extravagance and decadence that people actually lived here. I guess its because I'm by no means accustom to such lavish art and surroundings, but still, the place had the feel of a stale museum. Even the actual core house was built to resemble a Cathedral! Not the kind of place I would like to live in.