Our daughter Laura undoubtedly holds the record in this category. Four days after she graduated from high school, she got on a plane bound for California where she went through orientation, rehearsals, and training and then spent the remainder of the summer touring with the Celebrant Singers. They crossed the country on a bus in a somewhat northerly pattern, stopping to lead worship in churches where they had been invited. They flew to Bulgaria for three weeks, then made their way back to California with a more southerly itinerary. During that time, Laura estimates that she slept in 86 different beds -- mostly host homes and a few hotels. Doesn't that sound like a great theme for a "Survivor" series? Let's just say that Laura learned how to get a night's sleep under a myriad of circumstances, and God graciously protected her during those months.
However, she was 18. Steve and I are both in our 60's. We're a little harder to please than we were in our early days.
But, don't forget, when we go on mission trips, we go with a completely different mindset, and our expectations for comfort and accommodations are extremely low. We manage just fine. We both well remember staying in a little hotel in Guatemala back in the early 90's that cost $2.50 per night, and in Steve's words "even that was highway robbery!" A bare light bulb in the center of the room. Standing on a crate in the shower to keep the roaches from crawling over our feet. Cold water for bathing. Bed linens that had been draped over the bushes outside to dry after being hand-washed. Are you getting the picture?
However, the trip to California was different. This was the longest vacation -- pure vacation for vacation's sake -- we've ever taken. This was how we decided to celebrate his recent retirement and our 42nd anniversary. We wanted it to be special. . . and it was.
1) Our first hotel of the trip was the Hilton Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was comfortable, clean and in a great location. Seafood restaurants, the wharf, Ghiradelli Square, the cable car line and fresh sourdough bread were within easy walking distance. It was not over-the-top, but it certainly got our trip off to a good start.
3) The Embassy Suites near Monterrey Bay was fabulous. Every amenity you could imagine. The lobby and decor were amazing, and the buffet breakfast was great. I would highly recommend it. Again, it was a short walk from the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterrey and not far from the Monterrey Aquarium, a fascinating place.
4) As expected, everything in Beverly Hills is eye-popping. The Hyatt Regency at Century Plaza is apparently where many celebrities come in and out. If I saw any, I didn't know it, however. Elton John performed a benefit concert on one of the nights we were there (no, we didn't attend). Paula Abdul lives next door and eats in the restaurant frequently. Hulk Hogan brings his family for dinner there several times a week. A large office building is across the street where Hollywood agents work their magic. There is even a tunnel from that building to the hotel, apparently to provide a quick private way for agents and stars to drop over for lunch without confronting a lot of adoring fans. Am I name-dropping a little too much here? This was another wonderful place in a great location. A fabulous mall was a block away. One night we took in a movie and had a mouthwatering Italian dinner there. Although the whole Los Angeles area was our least favorite part of the trip, there were still some nice sights and tastes to enjoy. And, how can a couple of Senior Southerners say they've toured the coast of California without spending a least a little time there? Right? I admit I had hoped for a tiny glimpse of Richard Gere, even though my Silver Fox is much cuter.
5) Hotel #5 is where we hit a snag. We ended out Group Tour Experience on Sunday morning, May 5th, and rented a car for the rest of the trip with our primary destination being San Diego. In looking at the map, we realized that Shadow Mountain Community Church where David Jeremiah pastors would be only a few miles out of the way, so I made a reservation at a Best Western in El Cajon, very close to the church. Did your mother ever teach you the sayings "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn't" or "You get what you pay for?" Well, mine did, too, but I took a momentary lapse of my senses when I saw on-line where a room was available for only $58 -- which sounded amazing considering the other prices we were paying. I figured "One night. What could it hurt?" Well, when you get out of your car and see a used hypodermic needle in the parking lot, you should probably just cut your losses and find another hotel. When you drive back in after attending the church service and a lady is sitting on the wet grass having drained a bottle of hard liquor, you might want to question your choice. When the door lock is broken, when you feel the need to place heavy furniture in front of the door, when the walls are so thin you can hear the conversation in the next room, and when the bed is horribly uncomfortable and the pillow feels like a pizza box -- well, okay. I promise. If Steve had not been with me, I absolutely WOULD NOT have stayed there. But, we survived and learned a great lesson for future trips. STAY FAR AWAY FROM BARGAIN BASEMENT HOTEL DEALS!!!
6) Next stop was a great-sounding Bed and Breakfast in La Jolla Cove. Picturesque. Quaint. Gourmet breakfast. Those were the words used to describe the place. We have had good experiences with B & B's in the past, but sadly, this wasn't one we would recommend or plan to visit again. However, if you want to try it, I have a $50-off coupon I'll be happy to GIVE you. It WAS conveniently located to cute shops and nice restaurants, but the words I would use for my "reality brochure": Snooty. Tiny. No room for luggage. Hard beds. Average breakfast. We did, though, enjoy our breakfast companions the next morning -- a nice Canadian family with delightful British accents there to celebrate mum's 80th birthday.
7) The next night was a GIFT, literally. We stayed at a beautiful Marriott in Mission Valley thanks to a generous gift certificate I received at Christmastime and had saved for just such an occasion. The room and bed were so comfortable and nice, and so was the entire hotel. We had gotten such poor sleep the previous nights, we made up for it in this place and completely forgot to make pictures. I would highly recommend it, but I'll admit it would be a splurge if you had to pay for it with "real money." :)
8) Our last hotel of the trip was the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Again, I found it from a "deal" on Orbitz, but we lucked out with this one. It was in a beautiful spot, and the room was great. Steve even wrote a whole blog about the view from this hotel window. For "just a few dollars more," you could have parking and a bountiful, buffet breakfast. It was well worth the money, and we enjoyed it immensely. The location was a perfect launching pad for our last few days in California, and again I would give it 2 (or even 3) thumbs up.
I'm sorry if I sound pretty spoiled in this blog post. Let's just say that if you're planning a trip to California, you might want to pay attention to my recommendations and stay far away from #5 and #6. Otherwise, you'll be very happy. I can just about guarantee it.
