The Sightseer Lounge Car has skylight windows that offer sunshine and an excellent view.  I recommend you get a seat early, and stay late.

Between Salinas and San Luis Obisbo is irrigated farmland, and a photo I am proud of.

Between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obisbo the train travels along the coast.  The views are breathtaking! I even saw dolphins.

The train travels through the Vandenberg airforce base which is a restricted access area. The train is not allowed to stop, unless there is missile testing, at which time it must wait outside the base boundaries until testing is complete. Needless to say, it is pretty rugged and short on crowds. Within the airforce base we saw beautiful colors and these two deer.

This is King Wai enjoying the view, and some snacks, in the sightseer lounge car.

Sea Kayaking

In August we also signed up for a wildlife viewing sea kayak tour with the Aquarium of the Pacific.
 

We were expecting a rough adventurous ride on the ocean and instead got a smooth slow-paced ride in this calm, condo-rimmed bay.

However not all of the bay has condos. Some of the bay is even protected for wildlife. In fact, after a while we began to enjoy ourselves, watch the birds, the sea life and the geology.  Here is King Wai in front of some white cliffs like those at Dover.

LACMA
 

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a world class exhibition (even though it has the word "county" in it). Because it is so huge and covers such a large expanse of material, I have picked just my favorite corner of the museum to talk about: Art from the Ancient  Americas.

 

The following six pieces are hollow fired clay figures which were found in Western Mexico. They were placed in shaft tombs, buried with the dead, since between 200 and 600 AD.

1.     picture source  www.lacma.org.

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Figures one and two are both warriors, probably protecting the grave they were buried with.  Although they are found in different tombs, they retain some similarities. They both wear helmets with chin straps, hold weapons in their right hands, look over their left shoulder.  Both are in red slip. Both have large hook noses. The first warrior wears a beautiful woven-like vest, has scarification(?) bumps on his shoulders and a large nose ring. His teeth, toes and finger are well defined. The second warrior has ear-holes which may have dangled gold. He has a horned helmet, and an elaborate designed chest plate.

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These two figures seem to be warriors as well, with their right hand raised, but look much different than the last two. Warrior three is much more primitive looking than the others. I find it interesting that it almost looks like cubism art.  (My mom suggested that cubism is a form of looking of the world in a primitive way.) Warrior three has shoulder scarification(?), a large nose pin, and short stubby arms.  Warrior four is beautiful.  He is the work of a skilled artist. He is well proportioned, with the hands delicately holding a now-missing weapon or instrument. The cream color gives him a refined texture.

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Sculpture five is in red slip. The male is sitting cross legged. He has a headband, shoulder scars(?), arm bands or paint. He is well proportioned and the finger and toes are well defined. Sculpture six, I think is called the "baby face" style .  He looks like a grown man in a baby's body.  I have no idea why it is depicted like this. I have seen others that look similar to this one.  The clues may still be buried beneath the ground.

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Item seven is a profile of a mean-looking man/beast with an elaborate headdress carved out of stone.  Item eight, is poorly focused. I apologize. However if you look carefully, you will see that it is a real skull, covered with tiny pieces of turquoise and shell.  A dentist had identified the skull as that of a sixteen-year-old female.  She was probably an unfortunate victim of human sacrifice.

other art from ancient America from LACMA and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles:
smiling male
conehead couple
Peruvian decanters
Peruvian double vessel
male deity
couple: woman with baby
couple: woman with cup
nayarit figures
west mexico figures
brown clay couple

Geese

Not all the adventures in California are far from home.  Only two blocks away from home is a park. A park with fowl that feed. The adventure is trying to remain standing while they flock around you.
 

King Wai feeding geese and ducks.

We got there early so the duck were really hungry.  Quack, quack, feed me please.

Lynda feeding ducks and geese.

Getty Center

We went to the Getty Center in February, but we liked it so much we came back in August with our friends Jody and Brenda, as well as our parents. Here are some more beautiful pictures.

My best picture of the Getty so far.

King Wai, Lynda and Jody Lenihan.  Brenda Lenihan is taking the picture.

After a hard day of touring we dine in style.  Left to right: Suzanna, Mom Lo, Dad Lo, King Wai, Lynda.

King Wai, Mom Lo, Suzanna, Dad Lo, in front of the downtown skyline.

King Wai and an Lynda overlooking Sepulveda Pass.

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All pictures copyrighted by Lynda Lo-Hill 2001, unless otherwise credited.
Reproduction of pictures by permission only at lyndalo@pacbell.net