We took the longest continuous vacation we've been on in a couple of years last week. Went back to Catalina for the week!!!
We pretty much repeated a lot of the stuff we've done previously there, down to eating at the same restaurants!!!
The first day we went to Antonio's, which I always like because you can eat right out over the water, enjoying the fresh air and views. My son had the most epic meatball sandwich you've ever seen!!!
There's the
Chimes Tower in the background!!! I notice that it's in about half of the scenic pictures you take in Avalon!!!
Afterwards we walked on down by the Casino, where I got another shot of the point past Descanso Beach.
The pathway down to Descanso Beach was blocked off with safety tape. What's up with that, we wondered.
Don't think I've ever made mention, but there's a dive park right off the Casino. Stairs lead right down into the water. Back in my younger days I did some Scuba diving. The water is very clear, and it drops off on a slant to pretty deep. There's a shipwreck, the
SueJac, which sunk in 1980. The dive park was later expanded to include it. The SueJac had a ferro cement hull, go figure!!!
Another night shot of the Chimes Tower.
Took my wife back to our hotel, then the boy and I set out for an evening walk. Headed back out to Descanso Beach, which we had done last time. Of course, we walked down the street since the walkway was blocked. The place is deserted at night, and you can lay on the lounges that they rent for something like $80 for free. Just as we got to where the lounges are, I saw this deer chilling on the beach!!!
We laid down, and the deer stayed there for several minutes. There was another one in the background when I took the picture, and another one (or the same one returning) came by behind us. On the way back, we took the walkway, and halfway down it there was a small backhoe and much of the walkway was dug up.
Later on that night, I got up and was drawing the drapes so we wouldn't be woke up by the sun in the morning, and there were a couple of deer next door!!!
The next night we went out on another night walk, this time towards the Catalina Express landing, where I got a great shot of the Casino from across the water, and the Chimes Tower glowing up on the hillside.
We came back, and in the lobby the hotel has a huge old safe, with a bunch of games stored in it. We played a game of Battleship, then pulled out the rather elaborate Monopoly game and played for quite a while!!!
The next day the boy and I had gone out to do a raid in Pokemon GO near the Casino. Afterwards we noticed that the walkway to Descanso Beach was open. Took a look, and they had it all patched up!!! Later on in the day we rented stand up paddle boards and paddled around the harbor. Saw a sea lion while we were paddling!!!
Saw this crow down near the beach on Crescent Avenue, wonder if he was our
friend from our last visit?
On our last full day, we were having lunch at the fish place out on the Green Pier. They sell clam chowder or chili in sourdough bread bowls, and you know I'm a sucker for those!!! I had the chili, and the fish frying smelled so good I went ahead and got myself a fish taco. While we were out there, the power went out. Apparently, for all of Avalon!!! Other people came up trying to get food, and they couldn't make it. We had been planning to go to an ice cream place, and we headed over and they were able to serve us even without juice. On the way back to our room, my wife wanted to stop in a shop right before our hotel, and she was able to buy what she wanted there, too. I was wondering how things were going to go at the hotel. Almost all the hotels have the rooms above ground level, and we were staying in the only one I'm aware of that has an elevator, since my wife doesn't get up stairs very well. We were staying on the third floor. The power came on just before we got back, but when we got to the elevator the call button only lit up while it was being held.
The elevator is in view of the front desk, and we let them know. The maintenance guy came, and assured us that they should be able to get it running. It was about a half hour later, and the door slid open. Got in, but it didn't go, and the car was riding just a little low in the shaft. They tried a little longer, then the staff told us they were going to take us up in the freight elevator.
Walked us around the outside, and up we went!!! The next morning it still wasn't going, but going down stairs is much easier that up.
It was a great trip!!! More to come...
I started checking into going up there and checking it out up close. Several people had posted about taking rented golf carts up there, and several about hiking up to it. There are a few ways up, from taking the road around the back, to taking the stairs that parallel some of the houses along the front of town.
The stairs is the way my son and I opted to go. They look like they go straight up to it, but they only go about halfway, then the foot path takes a left, then there's more stairs. After that, you are out on the streets.
None of the streets from that point are especially steep, so it's a fairly easy walk.
And there it is!!! Actually not much to it, once you get there. It has a nicely tiled roof, nice classic lines, and matching terraces around the front side.
It's closed off for renovations and preservation, but I honestly didn't see much that should really be accessable anyway!!!
You can see the chimes from the front gate. It's pretty impressive looking. We were there as it struck 6:00 PM, and it wasn't nearly as loud as you might think it would be up close.
As I told in the Chime Tower Story post, it's right across from the Zane Grey compound. Finally got a chance to see that up close, too!!! It's been converted into a hotel, and I actually looked into getting our room there, but... it's way up a hill!!!
The forward portion looks fairly original, and the back portion looks like all new construction.
The best part, though, is the views!!! Naturally, it's over it all, and what a panorama!!!
There's looking towards Descanso Beach...
And overlooking the harbor...
The sunlight fading over the hills beyond the town...
And, finally, an overhead shot of the Casino!!!
