The Sands of Monterey: Hitting the California Coast

Listen while you read:

Visions of crisp ocean coast lines and matching blue skies bounced in my head as I landed in NORTHERN California for my first jaunt to the West Coast.

But San Jose was far greener than I ever imagined, as all those hypothesized images of sandy and sunny California were derived from television shows and the movies. The reality of this part of California is in miles of farmland, foggy beaches, and tree-lined country roads. Not something you’d expect after watching a season of Laguna Beach.

The trip from San Jose International Airport to Monterey Bay was an hour-long journey splashed with views of golden plains, dark hints of forests, and eventually the Pacific Ocean. Although my estimated visions were dashed, the reality proved just as beautiful as I had anticipated.

With a friend attending California State University at Monterey Bay, I had instant accommodation and a guide. Once an old army base, CSU-MB is stationed in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere; but suddenly we would spot a Starbucks on the corner of a main street and smile at the sign of civilization.

Several communities surround the campus, with Carmel, Marina, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Seaside, and the famed Pebble Beach known for its golf course only minutes away. But if playing golf isn’t on your list of priorities, there is still plenty for the trendy traveler to do in Nor-Cal.

When the wind picks up and it’s too cool to swim, grab a sweater and a cup of coffee and hit the beach despite the weather. With your toes in the sand, you’ll be mesmerized by the Pacific Ocean and forget about the cold. And while you’re near the seaside, check out the Fisherman’s Wharf. Seeing the bobbing boats in the harbor is entertainment enough, but otherwise there are plenty of shops and restaurants to pacify boredom.

Wild Thyme Delicatessen in Marina can quench every thirst and appease every craving. From espresso to wine, quiche to lime bars, Wild Thyme is a small bistro located in a fairly unattractive strip mall, but once inside you’ll find satisfaction. Frequented by locals, you can get a true taste of California flair.

Feel like going down under? Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium, though you may not be feeling the seafood love once you see the creatures below the water. The otters, CSU-MB's mascot, are the most popular animal at the aquarium.

Beyond the water and Pebble Beach, we were on another mission while in Cali. We were hunting for an artichoke, the famed vegetable that grows in abundance on the West Coast. My guide spotted a stand off the highway and so we turned into the dirt lot to find several locals perusing the fresh fruits and veggies.

A bag of about ten small heads will cost around five dollars, but what they lack in cost they make up for in hassle; to this day I don’t know how to eat an artichoke, especially without pricking my finger with the needle tip. So if you ever find yourself in California, you must dissect one and let me know how to do it. But I warn you, it’s a dangerous vegetable, so eat them at your own risk.

C'est la Vie: Paris Bound

I didn't notice the five sneaky fingers reach up to the money dispenser as I punched in my four-digit code to the French ATM machine. Steps away from one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe, the Paris Opera House, I was robbed by two gypsies.

This story could be tragic, but instead there are two aspects of the robbery that make it verge on hilarity: I didn't know I had been robbed and the gypsies were about 8-years-old.

Paris is notorious for thievery, yet my travel buddy and I simply assumed the money didn't dispense, even though we saw the lingering kids behind us. We were guided by half ignorance and half hope, trying to believe that two pre-teens could never steal from us. After speaking to the manager of the BNP Bank, mostly in "Frenglish," we arrived to the conclusion that we had in fact been robbed blind.

Besides the opportunity of being robbed, Paris offers the college-aged tourist endless entertainment, with a plethora of museums, monuments, and cafes to sit and sip overpriced coffee. No matter what corner of Paris you find yourself in, you will only be a mere six miles from Notre-Dame Cathedral. Despite being seemingly small, it would take years to discover all the enclaves of this bustling city of lights.

We hit the Pere Lachaise cemetery, the largest in Paris. Walking among the past's most renowned figures, everyone from Chopin to Jim Morrison, there is a wide assortment of headstones. Though located away from all the action of central Paris, it's worth the jaunt.

Tourists may flock to the Louvre, but the best museum with shorter lines is the Musee D'Orsay, an old train station converted into an art gallery with the likes of Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Renoir. The Louvre is good for a photo-op, but instead of trying to snag a glance at the mini Mona Lisa (only 31 x 21) while having to elbow through a gigantic crowd, cross the Seine and hit the D'Orsay for about 5.5 euros.

Television may lead you to believe the Eiffel Tower is seen from every angle of Paris, but reality proves it is much more difficult to find, especially in the rain. The RER (the Parisian train system) to station Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel or a ride to Metro station Trocadero will land you in walking distance to the tower—just follow the crowd. If you're looking to save money, make the trek up the stairs, otherwise, the cost of the elevator ride to the top will be about 25 euros.

When in Paris we hit the main attractions: Notre-Dame, Sacre-Coeur, and the Arc de Triomphe. At the first, beware of birds. At the second stop, watch out for bracelet-making men who will persuade you to haggle over multi-colored thread. And if you're a pedestrian at the Arc de Triomphe, revert to the childhood lesson of looking both ways when crossing the streets, the drivers stop for no one.

And if you want a taste of real Parisian life, find a small arrondissement, or neighborhood. We stumbled out of the Ledru Rollin Metro stop and found ourselves amid what seemed to be a city all its own. We stayed at Hotel Baudin, a disgusting excuse for a hotel, but it only cost 30 euros straight up for two (plus the 3 euro fee to use the shower).

The area was surrounded by locals and full of restaurants, but instead of dining out on our final night in Paris, we grabbed a few slices at Pizza Pizza AM and a bottle of wine. We retired to our hotel where we sat on the balcony, ate al fresco, and watched the city fly by.

Though it is rumored that the French are rude, the culture and history can't be beat, so just ignore the stereotypes. The locals will either speak English or put up with your attempt to speak French and they are mostly willing to help out tourists. Unless of course, they're two gypsy kids and they're robbing you.


Some useful French terms and phrases can be found here.

For those of you who get robbed and actually realize it at the time, you can contact the U.S. Embassy:
US Embassy in France
http://france.usembassy.gov
2 avenue Gabriel
75382 Paris Cedex 08
Switchboard: +33 1 43 12 22 22