Field Trip #3 - Santa Barbra

Sunday, 2/9/2014 – Field Trip #3 - Santa Barbara

ChangCole’s Zips Dry Cleaners

            Another beautiful warm sunny day for me to explore, while folks in east coast are expecting the approaching deadly winter storm.  I am really spoiled by the unseasonably balmy weather in southern California every day.  You have seen the diapers and clothes I hang on the clothesline for my grandson.  Now, It’s ChangCole’s Zips Dry Cleaners – out by 9 in by 4 – sweet and crisp, ready to go.

Winter storm from Maryland - February 13, 2014

VISTA Coastal Express – Santa Barbara

            I decided to check it out this famous “The American Rivera” – coastal city north of Ventura, 32 miles away via VISTA Coastal Express – fare $1.50 for Medicare card holder.  On my way to the bus transfer center – the wacky looking sculpture place, I did not see those two homeless men I ran into from previous trips.  But, at the corner of Target and Sears, a friendly lady, middle aged, with two cute gray and white terriers in the open kennel, greeted me with a smile.  The corrugated cardboard plaque she was holding – “The Animal Advocacy Alliance – Adopt Me!” makes me think she is probably not a homeless, like the one I still remembered as ‘The Rich Wandering Wanda” in Rockville outside of County Library.  She is more like an active animal rights activist like Jane Goodall - the Chimpanzee Woman.

VISTA Charter Bus - 12:01 pm schedule

            The nice Charter bus did have more riders this time when I boarded on 12.01 pm – 20 passengers with the appearance of different racial and ethnic groups.  The bus driver is a charming White/Latino mixture loudly greeting everyone, while penciling the passenger tally on his document paper.  “Northbound – Santa Barbara.”   That’s a welcoming scene.  I like it!

Scenes - on the way to Santa Barbara

WiFi Notice on the bus – ‘Please let the driver know if the WiFi is not working, they will try and reset the connection at the next regular bus stop’ – English and Spanish version.  – Enjoy one of many perks offered by California Tax payers.

            I was sitting behind the driver going north on Highway 101, Breath-taking view of Pacific Ocean on my left, bright sunlight at high noon with the cars zooming by on the opposite Highway 101.  The tall, thin palm trees dotted along the coastline was just as beautiful as postcard pictures.   I was so relaxed and felt like floating through the swirly blue sky and fluffy white clouds of feathers.  Suddenly, my waking dream was cut short with the sweeping views of straight-rowed, green plants covered with commercial scale of white plastics.  I do not know what fruits or vegetables were on the fields.  To visit this large scale of plantation in southern California is registered as one of my CA exploration projects one day.  I am not surprised that your fresh fruits and vegetables purchased from either Whole Food or COSTCO are from here, because California grows about 80% of all above and nuts in the US. 

Santa Barbara – The playground for the rich and famous according to the locals, and the transients like my daughter’s family. 

The Fleet of Cyclists

            The fleet of bicyclists passing by along the beach, I thought about my son, Eric might be one of them.  I am homesick now about his snowboarding accident with his co-workers over the weekend at Whitetail. - The operation on his right forearm with four screws.  I almost booked the ticket home, but I didn’t.  Ben, my husband was with him.  Eric – you’ve got to learn something!

The International Film Festival

            29^th The International Film Festival at Santa Barbara was wrapping up this week.  I was glad I missed all the crowds from all over the world.  The world-known directors actors, actresses, screenwriters and all significant artists were all in town for this event.  The lady, at the Festival information booth still out there, gave me the program brochure listed all the special events, panels, seminars, and features.  I am sure it’s quite educational from the standpoint of film studies and cinematic arts.  I skimmed quickly and recognized a few familiar faces – Robert Redford, Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Oprah Winfrey…etc.  I ‘m so outdated in movies. 

Street Scenes at Santa Barbara

            The street is a beautiful park-like setting, line-up with different trees, eucalyptus, and sycamore and of course, palms trees – the symbol of California.  The native plants, shrubs, flowers and grasses are creatively used to landscape the street gardens everywhere.  Watch the ‘Bird of Paradise’ in the picture.  Doesn’t the flower on top of the stalk resemble a bird ready to fly?

            There’s an energy-packed group of youth topless on the street you have to look closely.

            All the buildings and houses are the typical Mediterranean architectural style of Spanish red roof tiles, stucco walls, arches and enclosed outdoor spaces with the courtyard of some sorts.  It’s a concrete evidence of Spanish settlement in California around 18^th century.  I have seen the “ Mission” a lot in California, and it’s not too detailed in history.  Hans, my son-in-law explains to me, ‘There are 21 missions set up near Highway 101, dating back to 1769 when the Spanish monarchy and Catholic Church missions began a campaign for the conquest of California.  The Spanish monarchy financed the expeditions into California in the quest for a strong empire.  So, I was confused sometimes in pronunciations, such as El Camino Real (The Royal Road), and Santa (Saint – Holy person in the Christian church) for cities, roads and various buildings.  Now, I know it.  We all learn everyday. There is a Chinese proverb said, "Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books."  All the California history will be my grandson’s school subject to learn one day.   

Replica of Hollywood

            You can still see the old 1960s old classic cars on the street.  It’s quite colorful!

            Stan – I need you to tell me the model for this red-creamy colored antique.

Note - The picture triggered the dispute between my co-workers, Stan and Dennis after I posted the blog.  It was proved that the model was 1956 Chevy Normad Station Wagon, instead of 1955, due to the difference in trims.  - This antique classic is priced 100K now - Immaculate!

Hills Lost – Watch the tiny white houses on the hills in one of the pictures.

            Ben, I miss you now.  Have you ever had that conflicting feelings of intimacy and distance about the place where you and I used to belong – Taiwan?  The people, the school, the surrounding areas become so detached in our mind from years of away from home.  The room, which seemed so large, is shrunk, and the mountain has become a hill.  The clear creek where I squatted with your mother in Wai-Pu, Taichung, washing Chang family’s clothes are re-routed and become a concrete-covered ditch.  The houses on the hill, not the trees on the green mountain, indeed provoke me a particular kind of melancholy about not belonging – a sense of lost toward the past. 

John Steinbeck

            It also reminds me one of John Steinbeck’s ‘Travels with Charley – in Search of America’ I read in October on the airplane to Ventura before my retirement.  He, 60-year-old, then, talks about a lot of thing he comes across at the last stage of his life.  It’s not difficult to compare the state of mind during this phase of my life to his.  The written account of his remembered experience reflects the reminiscence of my youth.   He wrote:

“Sometimes in the summer evenings they walked up the hill to watch the afterglow clinging to the tops of the western mountains and to feel the breeze drawn into the valley by the rising day-heated air. Usually they stood silently for a while and breathed in peacefulness. Since both were shy they never talked about themselves. Neither knew about the other at all.”

            My mind is slowly drifting from Santa Barbara to Salina Valley, 250 miles north of Santa Barbara, where he was born, and some of the movies made from his books I have seen during my high school and college years.  To name a few; East of Eden, The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Tortilla Flat….

            I wanted to come home before the sky turned dark, so, I decided to stroll to Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums, one block down from my bus stop.

Karpeles Manuscript Library Museums

            This is the world’s largest private holding of important original documents and manuscripts.

The karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

            I only took a few pictures of manuscripts from Charles Dickens’s a Tale of Two Cities, and Oliver Twist. Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, Handel ‘ Messiah, Brahms’ The Hungarian Dance, the busts of Wagner, Bach, Liszt and Tchaikovsky, and other ancient artifacts from Egypt.  

Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities

Artifacts from Egypt-see me in the picture?

From R to L - Beethoven, Mozart, Handel & Brahms

From R to L - Bach,Wagner, Liszt & Tchaikovsky

Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist drawings 

            Dr. David Karpeles, born in Santa Barbara in 1936, a former math professor turned real estate investor, became interested in manuscripts in the 1970s.  The museums, 10 of them across the US – all free, are dedicated to the preservation of the original writings of the great Authors, Scientists, Philosophers, Statesmen, Composers, Sovereigns and leaders from periods of World history.

            His contribution to America humbles me how small role I play in this society.

Homebound sunset view

            The shimmering Pacific Ocean with the setting sun rays penetrating through the cloud.  It’s just stunning!

Sunset at Santa Barbara