Back to the ranch

We drove back from Yosemite as snow gave way to the central agricultural valley of California. Up on the top of the granite mountains it was close to zero, with snowfall down to 5,500 ft. An hour later we were amongst fruit trees, the even landscape broken only by the occasional outlet mall.

We stopped for lunch at a cheese makers, which made me feel a little homesick for far away Somerset. Only a little, mind you, as we were soon outside enjoying a picnic in the hot November sun.



Finally, a bear!



The Half Dome shrouded in fog and snow.



Looking back down from the Valley Portal vista point.



Wildlife!



Rachel rejoices in the snow (and still refuses to remove her dark glasses).



Winter wonderland.



Could we resist?



Hannah checks out the gouda stuff.



The cheese sleeps.



Picnic outside.



Hannah makes some new friends.



As does Rachel.



The farm llama: snooty.



The gourds were smiling upon us today.

Day out in the park

On Friday night the entire West coast was heading East (to congratulate President-elect Obama?) so it took us hours longer than we thought to reach Yosemite. In the dark we passed what I imagine is stunning scenery, and will hopefully get to enjoy it on the way back.

Resisting the urge to stay in our hotel room and watch tv all day we drove into the park this morning, stopping at every viewpoint on the way. Yosemite Valley, the main and central destination, is surprisingly small. The high granite cliffs all the way around give it an intimate feel and waterfalls plunge down at regular intervals.

We learned at the visitors' centre that a "bear walk" was happening at 2pm, and eagerly gathered up our stuff to join in. Following park rules we removed all food from our car (failure to do so can be unfortunate) and set off with Ranger Lauren with expectations high.

After two hours trek around the valley the most exciting animals we had seen were some deer, a squirrel, and the shihtzu-cross that someone on the walk had brought along. The talk had ranged from the bizarrely morbid (Ranger Lauren carried a bear skull and skin around with her the whole time) to the philosophical ("when we look at bears, I think we see something of ourselves...") That's as close as we got.



Yosemite on Friday night.



Yay, the sun's back up!



Hannah and Rachel by a raging torrent.



The first of many waterfalls.



Billy Goats Gruff.



Autumn leaves.



Ansel Adams had it easy.



A different waterfall. No, hang on, it might be the same one.



Wildlife captured in its natural habitat.



The scariest thing on the bear walk: Ranger Lauren.



Her companion bear skull.



They look cute, but they're the only animals ever to kill anyone in Yosemite. Probably not these actual ones...



We're going on a bear hunt!



The famous Half Dome rock.



Where's my dinner?

If you go down to the woods today

This morning we picked up another "economy" car and, to celebrate Mathew's last few hours with us, took a drive out to Muir Woods. This is one of the last remaining homes of the giant redwoods, all the others having been cut down to build the wooden frames of the San Francisco metropolis. More importantly, it was where the Ewok scenes from Return of the Jedi were filmed.*

After that we pootled on to Muir Beach overlook - a sort of crow's nest perched on a Pacific cliff. It was a hot, clear day, and the viewpoint gave an understanding of just how vast that ocean is (it's big).

Sadly we had to return and put Mat on the BART to SFO. He doesn't have the best record at airports, or on public transport in general, but as I haven't got a phone call from him yet I'm assuming he's on his way back to Blighty. Godspeed You! Dr Guest, and come back soon.

* Further research shows this statement to be incorrect, but we weren't going to let that stop us taking silly photos.



This week's economy car. A four-wheel drive jeep.



At the woods.



Rachel does her best femme fatale Vertigo impersonation.



Big trees.



David, Mat, big trees.



Ewoks spotted!



And again!!



High praise indeed (but then, they did name it after him).



Out by the Pacific.



The big blue sea...



and the rocky Marin County coast.



Rachel switches to a Titanic impression.



Large, empty.

Get to know... #2

Bowing to intense peer-pressure, I have agreed to publish another Get to know... And today you get to meet someone who's always a welcome Guest in our house! Yes, it's Dr Mathew Guest of Durham University's Department of Theology (it had much higher standards when Hannah and I studied there).



Hello Mathew. How have you enjoyed your stay in Berkeley?
Very nice, thank you.

What has been your favourite bit?
The live music in Nashville. I could have sat there for a week.

Just for your information,Nashville isn't actually in Berkeley.
OK. Rasputin Records, Amoeba Records...Alcatraz today was great.

How do you make an honest dime back home?

You're not even paying attention to me are you?
I am, I'm just thinking what to say to you. Well, I suppose I'm in the business of...I could say I'm in education but I'd be more honest to say that I've continued being a student. I teach, I research, I write stuff.

Anything we'd have heard of?
No. I'm on Amazon, but no one's reviewed my stuff. Please, be the first.

What are you researching right now?
I'm researching the links between the evengelical movements in the US and the UK.

Wow, that sound's kind of boring.
OK. You could say I'm researching the crazier elements of Christianity either side of the Atlantic. Does that sound more interesting?

A little.
Who's the crazier: the UK or the USA? I've decided I'm going to be the adjudicator of that one.

Could you give my blog readers a sneak preview of the answer?
I thought the US was crazier, but I'm beginning to wonder.

Great, now they won't have to read your book.
Would they anyway?

You're a staunch British nationalist. Could you give us a one-sentence sell of all that's good about the British Isles?
Yes.

Thank you.
Fish and chips, in a country pub, next to an open fire, wearing a roll-neck jumper. Need I say more?

No, you've certainly described what an exciting, dynamic and forward-thinking place it is. You have, however, commented on the extraordinary oratory skills of President-elect Obama in his victory speak. Can you give him any words of wisdom from the motherland?
Yes I can.

I think he's already got those...
I have so little to offer, but so much to learn.

That's rubbish.
That's my sincerest point. But I would say, more jokes.

Like your lectures?
Yeah, my lectures are full of jokes. Not always intended.

What's your favourite religion?
You really can't get cooler than the Quakers.

And your least favourite?
A cult I don't want to be publically seen to criticise.

Hmmm, mysterious. Well, that about wraps up your trip for this year. When will you be back on these shores?
As soon as possible.

Will you be staying with us again?
Next time I'll be bringing British cuisine for the partners' lunch.

I'm not sure what the offal allowance on British Airways is these days.

---

So there you have it. Dr Guest flies out tomorrow. On his short trip he's seen the best of America, from the deep fried south to the loony liberal left coast. He arrived under one president and leaves under another (sort of). He has touched the lives of all he has met, and returns to England a little older, wiser, and heavier than when he came. A bit like E.T.

I love children (but I couldn't eat a whole one)

I got to babysit Claire today, which gives me an excuse to post more cute photos. This is my fall-back position when nothing actually worthy of a blog post occurs. When things get really boring I have a post entitled "The squirrels of Berkeley" lined up.

Mat and Rachel went into SF for the day, and toured Alcatraz. I met them in Berkeley this evening and we went out to a genuine American diner. It's Mat's last evening and he needed to fill up on deep fried food before returning home.



Claire and admirers.



Christine and her new boss.



Looking at me with the disdain only a three-week-old can muster.



My healthy option meal this evening.



Rachel and a strawberry shake in a real American diner!

Temples and Taki

Christine leant us her car this morning for a trip out to our local Mormon temple. Mat's one of the UK's foremost scholars in the sociology of religion, but he's never been to one! Shocking.

We weren't there long before we were leapt upon by polite, smiling missionaries, all keen to show us around and answer our questions. Mat turned on the charm and deployed the accent (English, not Brummie) while Rachel and I wandered around the displays.

We learned that at the top of the temple is the celestial room, which looks suspiciously like Elvis's lounge. We also watched a video by one of the current apostles which included a dramatisation of Joseph Smith receiving various priesthoods from several celestial beings (John the Baptist, Peter, etc.) Many churches around here have no problem dramatically representing stuff that might be thought of as a bit idolatrous elsewhere. With Hollywood just down the road, I guess that's no surprise.

Following that it was the partners' weekly pot luck lunch. Anat had returned to us from Las Vegas, where she claimed to be demonstrating medical technology but we all know she was counting cards. After filling up on bagels, onion pie and couscous we turned to the serious business of playing Taki.

I might have mentioned before that this is the Hebrew version of Uno. You can find the rules here. I didn't win.



Mat up on the hill.



A Mormon traffic cone!



Mat and Rachel enjoy the displays, and the view.



Mat poses for his theological credentials.



Religious tourists.



Churches get the best real estate. The next building down the hill is the Greek Orthodox Cathedral.



After food, Taki. Daphny fixes the cards.



Anat, the smiling assassin. I told you she's been in Vegas.



Noozie the dog is unimpressed.