World Trip – Stage 42, San Francisco to Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

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29 June -1 July

Gerry drove us to Emeryville Station via an excellent French bakery in Berkeley. Time for a croissant and coffee before boarding the northbound train. There had been a derailment the previous day, and our booked train had been cancelled. By the time we had picked up a series of emails advising us about this, the next available train was four days later…. We decided instead to go by train through the interior of California to Bakersfield, followed by a connecting bus to Santa Barbara.

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This was interesting, as we saw parts of California that wouldn’t normally form part of any visitor’s itinerary. The route did not run along the coast but through the Californian fruit and vegetable growing areas. We saw many fruit trees, but much arid land too. At least the train had wifi, and we enjoyed those fantastic cherries and apricots that Hua had bought at the Oxbow market.

Despite the amusing and eloquent train guard, we arrived 30 minutes late in Bakersfield, departing on our connecting bus even later, with no prospect of arriving in Santa Barbara before 8pm. We were beginning to worry whether the reception at our accommodation would be open and, perhaps as importantly, whether we would be too late to get into any restaurant, as nearby restaurants seemed to all close at 9pm.

The route taken by the bus was interesting – Highway 5, passing through the mountains. The valley and slopes were very arid and it looked like water had to be piped there to irrigate the agriculture. Once through the mountains, there were plant and tree nurseries, vines and fruit trees. Houses were crammed into estates, with little room for a garden. Finally we reached the coastal section at Ventura, surprised to see all the RVs (Recreational Vehicles) parked, nose to tail for miles along the Pacific coast.

At last we stepped off the coach at 8.15pm, grabbed our rucksacks and rushed to the nearest restaurant, a Spanish one, where we sat at the bar and had some delicious tapas. We then walked to our hotel via the station. 

Lynne was regretting that second glass of cool white Rioja, as her rucksack seemed to have gained weight over supper. It was now dark, and we could hear the frogs shouting at us as we crossed the bridge over Mission Creek.

Our hotel was a quirky establishment, with plants and statues by the pool, old hacienda-type furniture, cluttered with ornaments and paintings, and a poor breakfast. Everything was sweet – pastries, waffles and bagels. 

We spent the next day with friends, Andre and Michelle, who kindly drove us into the mountains for wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley, made famous by the film, Sideways. The weather was glorious, the wine delectable and the company enjoyable.

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We  stopped by Solvang, a quaint town of Danish origin, where we loaded up on a humongous but delicious Kringle at Mortensens and tasted the local Danish delicacy- Aebleskiver. 

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We drove through mountains and valleys to Cold Spring Tavern, an old stagecoach stop on the San Marcos Pass, built in the 1860s. We were too late for a bite to eat, but not too late to admire the old wooden structures in what is now Los Padres National Forest.

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We were all getting a bit peckish and repaired to Brophys’ a lively fish restaurant on the Santa Barbara marina. The food was excellent, a superb culmination to a day with Andre and Michelle. 

We walked back to our villa, along the harbour, in the sunshine, taking advantage of the fresh air. We explored the Funk Zone, before a relaxed supper at Finney’s, where they were particularly careful to ensure Lynne had no garlic, a bit of a challenge for them! A lovely end to a lovely day.

The following morning saw us, stroll along Stearns Wharf, enjoying a coffee along with the final instalment of the half Kringle from Andre and Michelle. There was a mist over the sea and mountains, which wouldn’t appear until later. Peter was exercised by a brisk walk up  and back down State Street, the main shopping street, to withdraw US dollars, in case we get caught short in Costa Rica.

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We liked Santa Barbara. Its Spanish heritage is visible everywhere, in its architecture and decoration. It has lots of planting – Jacaranda, Mimosa and  Palm trees. With its beach, marina and water sports, it attracts holidaymakers. Kirsten tells us it’s the fifth most expensive place to live in the US. A lovely place to visit then.

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We caught the train to Los Angeles, Union Station. This time, our boarding routine fell apart, as Lynne boarded the wrong carriage of the train, to rush upstairs to get a seat, while Peter was prevented from following her and had to run to another door to board, carrying both rucksacks!

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Our route took us through the stations we had already visited on the way to Santa Barbara on the coach. We had definitely been forced to take a roundabout route following the derailment. This time we did follow the coast as far as possible before heading to Los Angeles. 

At the last minute, we decided to get off the train early, at Glendale, as it was nearer to our destination and less crowded. Los Angeles Union Station can wait for another day.