Last Tuesday needs its own post. We left Morro Bay and headed up to San Simeon and the Hearst Castle.
First, let me say, when visiting the Hearst Castle was recommended as a must see, I really had no idea what I was in for. I mean, I’ve seen the Biltmore Estate in NC, I’ve been to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Versailles, and I’ve seen the Rockerfeller art collection housed in the Cloisters. I live outside Manhattan for goodness sakes. I’ve seen what money can buy.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this.
Makes Wrigley look like a slum lord…
Chances are if you are reading a magazine or newspaper you are reading a Hearst publication. That man made a fortune, and spent it on building a Mediterranean village on top of a mountain in an era where people did things the old fashioned way, by hand. He bought 25% of all the art brought into the United States from Europe for nearly 30 years, and he created a showcase for it that surpasses anything I’ve ever seen. What’s interesting to me is that he didn’t invest in paintings, sure there were some in his vast collections, but he bought priceless medieval art, woodwork, ceilings and doorways, furniture, and textiles, tapestries, and sculpture. And he built his home and his guest houses to accommodate the collection and he lived among it. I am in awe and humbled…
What is amazing here, like Wrigley from my previous post, is after his death, his family left the estate, 4000 acre ranch and entire contents to the California Parks system and created a living museum for all to access and enjoy. I thought that much of the artwork and antiquities that he acquired on the open art market in the 20’s and 30’s might not have survived WWII had it not been brought into this country for safe keeping.
Anyway, we started the morning with the most amazing treat, in the Welcome Center, the Hawaiian National Guard Army Band was giving a concert, a wind quintet followed by a sax quartet, and they were brilliant. We could have listened to them play for hours, except our tour bus was called and we were on our way for the 15 minute drive up a winding mountain road to the castle on top of the mountain.
We toured room after room of priceless artifacts, and every room was full of tapestries…
Textiles…
Period garments…
Bobbin Lace table runners…
Vestments embroidered with gold… (Hanging over the beds in the guest cottages…)
3000 year old Greek vases perched on top of book cases (so who gets to dust this stuff?)
A kitchen plucked right out of Downton Abby…
Dahlias and Fuchsia and gardens that bloomed in explosions of color and grandeur…
And sculptures that seemed to soar skyward with grace and purpose.
And two of the most exquisite pools I’ve ever seen, the Neptune pool and the indoor Roman Pool with gold inlay in the tiles on the floor…
Sigh…
We left Hearst Castle late in the day, and drove north to another recommended spot, Ragged Point.
There we had another al fresco dinner, in the gardens by the koi pond…
And we walked out to the point…
And watched the sunset…
I am overwhelmed with inspiration and images, and experiences…
Stay tuned…
Wow! What a place!
Glad you two are getting some much needed time for the two of you. And what better place than the romantic coast of California.
What a fabulous time you had! Travel and time with no worries makes for the most relaxing, delicious days and nights.
I’m soooooo glad you guys enjoyed Hearst Castle and it exceeded your expectations! It’s very hard to explain to people the quality of the opulence and the huge amounts and variety of it! You did a very good job of it for your friends with your words and photos. Very special place in the US. Sunset at Ragged Point was special, too!
My heart soars…….
Yes, I was equally astounded with the grandess of Hearst Castle when we visited a few years ago. I was also touched by the remnants of his life still evident on the lonnnng dining room table…condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard)…and stories that he would dine with only a small number of guests, no matter how many were visiting. He wanted to pick their brains for news! The once existing zoo was interesting as well.
We also were in awe of everything at Hearst Castle and the surrounding area. Sure glad you are enjoying your vacation.
OK….my official statement is that if I ever get back to CA…the Hearst is a “gotta see”.