58004--The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

[zyzyly]

We got up just in time to miss the standard hotel breakfast, but had some coffee before heading out to take a look at the City of 10,000 Buddhas on the edge of town. It is one of the largest Buddhist communities in the western hemisphere, on the site of the former state hospital grounds, which is exactly what it looks like, only with a lot of Buddhas.


It was a beautiful morning, and we wandered the grounds and saw all sorts of peacocks, who are very friendly.


After that we headed out toward the coast. The road out there is lovely at any time. of the year, with vineyards at one end, redwood groves at the other, and gently rolling hills in between.


We stopped in at the Navarro Winery to partake of the fruit of the vine and buy a few bottles to take home.

We were going to eat at a good Mexican restaurant in Philo, but it was closed on Sundays. It will be open when we are on our way home though, so it's all good. Instead, we ate at the Mendocino Cafe in town, home of the famous flying Thai burrito. After lunch we checked into our little cottage and had a nap.

We walked down to the beach just before sunset and took a walk. We love this place. It sits on the bluff just above the beach. We first learned about this place from judywatt, who loved to come up here.


Malida walks on the beach.


We sat and watched the sun go down, then headed back up. Now we are drinking wine and listening to the new album by Damien Rice, which is about perfect for the mood.

Comments

[manintheboat.livejournal.com]

Aw man, I love that Damien Rice album.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Isn't it good? Worth the wait.

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

Wait, so where is the city of 10,000 buddhas located?

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

Ooop, google to the rescue: http://www.cttbusa.org/

[mallorys-camera.livejournal.com]

Beautiful photographs! Thanks so much for posting them.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

thanks for looking at them!

[cobaltika.livejournal.com]

what a lovely time. thank you for sharing it.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Oh you are welcome--I hope you can take the same trip one of these days.

[thoughtsbykat.livejournal.com]

Beautiful photos! I like your little jaunts and your descriptions. Looks like you had a relaxing weekend.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

We actually started the weekend on saturday afternoon and are extending it out until wednesday, so still a bit to go!

[pasticcio.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful peacock .. they're such amazing animals.
When I was in Qatar last January we stumbled across a garden in the middle of the dessert with hundreds of peacocks walking around .. it was spectacular!

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

They are very friendly, but not friendly enough to show us their tails.

[wantedonvoyage.livejournal.com]

So beautiful. Whenever we return from somewhere and drive from Newark Airport through suburban blight back to our house, the contrast to the nice places we've been is quite strong. Last night HCD asked as we headed through that area "If I was in charge, I would demolish it all and start over"

Or we could move!

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

you could indeed!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I love that road, that area, but it always feels so far. That said, Navarro Pinot Noir....

It's also one of the handful of California road that reliably triggers car sickness for me, but it just now occurs to me that *maybe* if I do the driving, I'll be okay, and maybe a weekend away is overdue.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Of all the roads out here, this one seems the least windy, but I am always the driver so even the coast road never bothers me.

We had some delicious Navarro dessert wine after our dinner this evening. Mmmmmmm

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

It's only the stretch from 101 to Boonville that gets me.

That whole chunk of coast is lovely, though. Maybe I should haul Owen up for a play weekend. It'll be awhile before I get a lovely romantic weekend. :D

[anita-margarita.livejournal.com]

I've lived here almost all my life and somehow this beautiful place escaped my notice. What a lovely area.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

It is indeed--California is full of hidden gems.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

Wow, that place is absolutely gorgeous.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

It is a lovely spot for sure!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Maybe the buddhas sometimes turn into peacocks, and vice versa.