1) On our flight from Chicago to San Francisco, I never dreamed that we'd be flying directly over both the Rocky Mountains AND the Grand Canyon. Looking out the window to see both of those sights from the "above perspective" was breath-taking. I'm so glad it caught me off guard. There were no words. I merely gazed in wonder -- the very first of my Psalms moments while we were away. "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof . . . " (Psalm 24:1).
2) As a Controller Extraordinaire, I was anxious/bothered/somewhat agitated, hey, let's just say it. I was WORRIED about being on a Group Tour, under someone else's leadership, with a bunch of strangers for 6 full days. Well, I wasted a lot of worry time. It turned out to be a terrific experience. Our fellow travelers were delightful. The bus was comfortable, clean, AND HAD A BATHROOM!!! The driver was careful, polite, and helpful. But, most of all, our Tour Director was outstanding. Her name was Judy Toler. She and her husband live in Oregon, but she is originally from Great Britain and has the wonderful accent to prove it. Her knowledge of everything from each sightseeing stop, to the history of the region, and even to every plant about which we inquired was VAST. I've never seen anything like it. And her vocabulary? Wow! I found myself just keeping a notepad handy to write down her unique descriptions and colorful word choices. She had read extensively and shared her book list specifically regarding the region we had traveled together on the last night of our trip. What a difference she made for all us! And, a big thank you to all who were with us. NO ONE was late or caused a single problem. Have I sold you on a Group Tour? If you take a Caravan Tour, be sure to ask for Judy.
3) I had not expected to observe so much farming and agriculture because my mind was focused on the coastline. However, going to and from Yosemite National Park AND because we had to take an alternate route to avoid the wildfire near Malibu, we got to see a lot of the Central Valley region. Mile after mile of vineyards, lettuce fields, sugar beets, almond and pistachio trees, artichokes, strawberries and cotton (yes, cotton). I learned that if California was considered to be a country by itself, it would be ranked 8th in the world in agricultural production. Amazing! Here are just a few of the sights we glimpsed, most of which were not anticipated in any way.
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| Almond trees |
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| A field of artichokes |
4) I didn't know that Italian cypress trees were abundant in California. They made Van Gogh's painting "Starry Night" come alive for me.
6) The smell of yeast in the winery caught me completely off-guard. I honestly looked around for the homemade bread. As I've told you before, Steve and I walked in having "never tasted alcohol," and we walked out the same way. Nope. This is not a moral issue. It's not a heaven or hell deal. It is just a personal choice based on the fact that we've never found any good reason for trying it, and we've found many reasons for NOT doing so. The tour, however, was informative and enjoyable. Steve sipped a carbonated grapefruit drink, and I drank a California version of Orange Crush, and we were happy as larks.
7) We didn't expect to have the chance to see the movie "42," but we found ourselves with a free night and were within walking distance of a theater. The audience's spontaneous applause at the end was heartwarming. See it. You'll be glad.
8) How have I missed the color of the Golden Gate Bridge all my life? It is War Eagle Orange. I promise it is. What fun to discover that great fact. I think the folks out there call it "architectural orange," but I know better. See for yourself.
9) I was happily surprised to see that someone else has a Silver Fox. Oh no. Nothing or no ONE can compare to mine, but some boat owner in San Francisco has a fun version, albeit a poor substitute.
So, I'll have to say that I've become more "open" to surprises. There is STILL much for me to learn.
