Travel and Tourism – Page 6 – Circadianreflections Blog

Thursday Doors 16/52 Guest Rooms: Hearst Castle

April 21, 2016April 21, 2016Posted in California State Parks, Doors, Hearst Castle, Photography, Thursday Doors, Travel and TourismTagged California State Parks, door, Hearst Castle, Nikon, Photography, Thursday Doors, Travel and Tourism, Wood Doors28 Comments

In W.R. Hearst’s heyday of the 20’s and 30’s he would invite many of Hollywood elite to “come to the Ranch and ride with me.” Some of the famous who stayed there are:

Winston Churchill, Howard Hughes, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Mary Pickford, David Niven, and Jean Harlow but, many more influential and famous people stayed there as well.

Hearst had rules that must be followed or you’d be asked to leave. Our guide said if you were asked to leave you weren’t invited back!

The Rules: “No drunkenness, no bad language or off-color jokes and, above all, no sexual intercourse between unmarried couples.”

Unmarried couples had to stay in a room with two beds. Each room had a bathroom.

On our tour of the upper floors we saw several of these lavish guest rooms.

Guest Rm II Door

Guest Room Door-Hearst Castle_Photography

Guest Room door detail

Hearst Castle Guest Room Door detail-Photography

Guest Room II- A dinner suit laid out for a guest on the bed as it would have been in the 20’s and 30’s. Hearst did serve beer, and wine our guide told us, but it wasn’t allowed in the guest rooms, and neither was food.

Hearst Castle Guest Room_Photography

Guest Room Door III

Hearst Castle-Guest Room Door

Guest Room III- these rooms were off a narrow hallway on the north side of the Castle. We climbed a very narrow circular staircase to reach them. The windows of the guest rooms faced East. The artwork, and lamps, and furnishings were gorgeous.

Hearst Castle Guest Room

The separate sleeping beds for unmarried couples was a bit hypocritical of Hearst considering he lived in the Castle with his long time Mistress Hollywood actress, and ex-showgirl Marion Davies.

This door was in the North Bell Tower .

Door in Heart Castle's Bell Tower

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015| Hand-held

This post is part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors. If you love doors and would like to see the doors others are posting, or post doors you’ve photographed and join other door lovers from around the world click here.

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

More to come…

Thursday Doors 13/52 Morro Bay, CA

March 31, 2016April 1, 2016Posted in Architecture, California Coastal Cities, Doors, Homes, Morro Bay, CA, Photography, Thursday Doors, Travel, Travel and Tourism, Travel PhotographyTagged Architecture, California, Doors, Homes, Morro Bay, Nikon, Photography, Pueblo House, Thursday Doors, Travel and Tourism, Travel Photography, Windmill House30 Comments

I spent the week-end in Morro Bay, CA. and of course couldn’t help but notice a door or two. 🙂

The first door I encountered that I loved were the built-in sliding blind doors that covered our sliding glass doors in our room at Embarcadero Inn. I liked them so much I’m going to have them put on our sliding glass door when we replace the 5 doors we didn’t do in the remodel last year. That will be after we finish the new retaining walls, and planting in the backyard which is happening this week.

Anyway, here’s what those blinds look like. We had a view of the Harbor, but not Morro Rock.

Rm 211 Embarcadero Inn, Morro Bay CA.

Nº 495- I liked the waves etched in the glass on this door.

Nº495 Door Morro Bay CA

Nº 830- Sun~n~Buns Bakery’s side door +1- there were delicious odors wafting from this door. It was with great will-power that we walked by it without going in. We were saving our appetites for dinner.

Nº830 Sun~n~Buns Bakery

Nº 1185- The Portal Window and flag drew me to this door, the menu drew us in for dinner. Great American Fish Co. We both had the Mesquite Grilled Talipia. It was so tender, and good I ate the whole filet!

Nº1185 Great American Fish Co. Morro Bay

I couldn’t pass up the doors on two boats docked in the harbor. Could you? 🙂

This first one I liked how weathered the door was, and I saw an abstract image in it. I wish I had my longer lens with me just then!

Fishing boat, Morro Bay, CA

Papagallo II the yacht’s door struct me as being clean, classic, and the oak gave me the impression that it was sturdy and strong. Is she a yacht? I don’t know boats very well, but I know what I like! 🙂

Papagallo II, Morro Bay, CA

There were two unusual homes that I came across while keeping an eye out for doors, although one is only a partial door I hope Norm, and the Door Purist forgive me for this entry, but I couldn’t resist.

The Windmill House: Was the home of Gladys Walton the silent film star. She added on the Windmill late in her life. She also built a Lighthouse house in Morro Bay, but I missed that one! She died in Morro Bay at the age of 90. You see, I could only see part of the upper door on the balcony, and the back door due to the fence.

The Windmill House-Morro Bay, CA

Nº 1270- The Pueblo House- I thought this house was really out of place here at the coast, but perhaps not being California. While I was taking photos of the doors, and house the owner or resident came home. Thankfully, he was really nice and thought it was cool that I was taking photos of his doors. PHEW!

Nº1270 The Pueblo House, Morro Bay, CA

Nº1270 image 2, front of the house

Nº 1270 The Pueblo House, Morro Bay, CA

At the end of Norm’s latest Thursday Door post is a little Blue Link-up/View button click it to be taken to a page with all the links, or add your own.

Nikon Df| Nikkor 24-70mm| Delkin Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Iguana-Male

January 22, 2016Posted in Belize, Iguana, Photography, Travel and Tourism, Travel Photography, WildlifeTagged Belize, Honduras, Iguanas, Lizards, Nikon Df, Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Photography, Travel and Tourism, Travel Photography15 Comments

While in Belize and Honduras last September we saw quite a few Iguanas. They’re the biggest I’ve ever seen!
I also didn’t realize they can be orange.

Iguana Male

They’re so prehistoric looking aren’t they.

Here’s the back end of an Iguana showing its huge tail, and really long toes.

Tail of Iguana Male

Another one chillin’ high over the Ladies Den

Iguana Male Honduras

Some of the Females hung out together in the shade on a slab of cement:

Iguanas Females

… and this one posed for me. “)

Iguana- The Poser

We saw some really neat wildlife in addition to the Iguana while on this trip. The Capuchin Monkey’s were super cute! I’ll be sharing images of them in the future.

Nikon Df & Lumix FZ200| Hand-held

I hope you all have a great week-end, and to those of you in the northeast USA I’m keeping you in my thoughts, and am hoping the storm isn’t too bad. Stay warm and safe!

More to come…

P52 3/52 That first step is a doozy!

January 21, 2016Posted in Photography, Project 52:Doors, Thursday's Doors, Travel and TourismTagged Belize, Project 52 Doors, Thursday Doors, Travel and Tourism14 Comments

I saw this door without a step while in Belize last year and had to make a photo of it.

That First Step is Doozy

Panasonic Lumix FZ200| Lexar Professional Digital Film

This door is also part of Norm 2.0’s Thursday Doors. To see all the images posted this week or add your own click here.

More to come…

Monochrome Madness 2- Big Sur Coastline

November 12, 2015November 12, 2015Posted in Big Sur, Black and White Photography, California, California Coast, Monochrome Madness2, Travel and TourismTagged Big Sur CA, Black and White Photography, California Coast, Monochrome Madness214 Comments

I’m a bit late with this week’s post for Monochrome Madness 2, but better late than never right? I’ve been under the weather all week with Strep Throat.

The only place I went was to the mall to do some Birthday, and Christmas shopping the week before so, I’m guessing that’s where I picked it up.

I dug into my files for this image. I made this image one evening this past May. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the experience, because not too long after I made this image I was hiking to another location along the cliffs when my boot got caught in the ice plants that were part of the trail, and I fell down then found myself sliding down the cliff. Using my tripod with my camera mounted on it like an axe or pick, and my other hand to grab onto ice plants I was able to stop before falling over the cliff! It all happened so FAST! I was so silly my only thought was…” Crap, I hope my camera is okay!” I checked it first to make sure it was still working when I got back up on the trail. Thankfully both myself, and the camera were fine…dirty, and dazed, but fine.

Monochrome Madness2-32 of 52 Big Sur_5518

I took a higher path out let me tell ya!:)

I’m on the mend and feeling much better today. I hope this finds you all healthy, and safe!

To see all the images posted for this week’s MM2 click here

More to come…

Galveston, TX from Navigator of the Seas

September 24, 2015September 24, 2015Posted in Cruising, Galveston TX, Navigator of the Seas, Pelican Island TX, Royal Caribbean, Travel and TourismTagged Carnival Magic, Cruising, Galveston TX, Pelican Island TX, Port of Galveston, SeaWolf Park, Western Monarch9 Comments

I’d never been to Galveston, TX, but driving through the old part of the city to get to Port of Galveston on our sailing day I saw it looked interesting. It reminded me of New Orleans a little. There’s an area with homes, shops with lots of wrought iron decorations on doors, windows, balconies, fences, and gates.

I wished we had had time to wander around a bit. Alas, I didn’t so here are few of my observations from the ship.

Galveston, TX from the observation deck on Deck 4-Port Side

Carnival Magic was also in Port. She set sail 30 minutes or so before we did.

She churned up lots of good stuff from the bottom of the channel. There was a group of 3 to 5 Dolphins feeding in the water. Unfortunately, they never lifted their snouts out of the water.

Western Monarch docked

We pulled away from the dock, and sailed past this Dry Dock

then we sailed past SeaWolf Park on Pelican Island. I didn’t know anything about it, but it looked interesting with the old submarine, and navy ship so, I looked it up when I got home. From the park’s website I gleaned this,

“Seawolf Park is located on Galveston’s Pelican Island on a former immigration station site. The park offers one of the island’s most popular fishing piers, picnic sites and a playground. The park is also home to tourist attractions, including the WWII submarine the USS Cavalla and one of only three destroyer escorts in the world, the USS Stewart. The remains of the WWI tanker S.S. Selma, the largest concrete ship constructed, can be seen northwest of the park’s fishing pier.” ~Galveston.com

Our first night on the ship was fun, and I slept like a baby until my alarm woke me up at O’Dark Thirty for sunrise. Grabbing my camera I opened our sliding glass door to our balcony and was greeted with this view:

We were in the Gulf of Mexico now heading to Cozumel, Mexico. On the Horizon is Carnival Magic all lit up. She was sailing almost the same route we were.

The bright Planet in the sky might Venus, but I’m not positive.

Nikon Df| Lumix FZ200| Hoodman STEEL Ultra High Speed Digital Film & Lexar Professional Digital Film| CS6| Hand-held

More to come…

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