Rich Guys and Lazy Critters

We headed to San Simeon this morning to see the much acclaimed, Hearst Castle. Castle indeed. Not just a mansion. The Hearst family donated the home to the State of California after William Randolph Hearsts death in the 50's. And I just have to say, I do not understand why California is broke as they must make a large fortune on this little goldmine. Our "tour" was a bus ride up to the castle, a brief tour of three rooms (Main parlor, dining room and theatre) and way too much information about our tour guide, Sean (who really thinks he is something). The cost...$25/ per person. We had a small cup of coffee while waiting for the tour...$2.50. I bought one post card...$1.00.  Everything there was astronomically expensive and everyone was sell,sell,sell! Yes, the castle was impressive and the enormity of the place mind boggling but what was truly intersting to me was the man himself. WRH was a fascinating personality and a self-made kagillionaire who inhereted very little from his family, though they were rich and he was an only child. His father believed he could make his own fortune, which he did and then some.

                  

After our tour and a quick walk around the grounds, we drove 4 miles north to the Piedres Blancas Elephant Seal Colony. Apparently Walt Disney thought this particular seal ugly and instead used a Lion Seal in his films and such. Now, really...is this ugly?



As we parked and approached the beach, I was like "Oh, look Jeff, there's two of them swimming" and that was all I saw. Then I looked down the beach...

Holy Moly...the entire stretch of beach was literally littered with seals. And they all appeared to be dead! They weren't. Just resting after their long swim from the Aleutian Islands. As we were informed by a "Seal Beach" volunteer, the women and children swim down from waaaaay up north and rest on the beachs, avoiding the water and possible death from sharks and whales, they live on their own blubber for the most part. The ladies are heavily pregnant and give birth to one baby between the end of November and the end of January. After nursing the baby for one month (during which time he/she gains 300 pounds!), they cut the maternal strings. This is when the big bulls arrive and after fighting for territory and a women, they mate with a female or ten. Now the females are weak from childbirth, nursing, etc...and have lost much weight so the fertilized egg actually hibernates within her womb for a few months as she returns to the sea, eats up a storm and swims back up north. Only then does the egg actually implant and start to grow a new baby. 6 months later, the whole process is repeated. Cool,huh?

They vocalize a lot in the water but nothing like your typical seal.
More like a really wet burp/gargle/growl.

This one was just looking for a pillow on which to rest his head.

I thought they were adorable but then, we did not see the big, elephant nosed, bulls as they were out to sea, getting bigger and buffer for the ladies. There did seem to be one male who was trying his best to find a lady. He must have been a young and foolish pup and the ladies were having none of it. Hilarious watching him try again, and again.



Casinova



They pretty much lounged around, flipping sand over their inert bodies to ward of flies and fleas. Scratching themselves with their cute little "hands" just about everywhere they could reach, and stretching into positions that would make any Yoga teacher proud.

Probably a year old pup of unknown sex
(since she/he did not roll over)

Yes, I know I'm cute!

On the way home we stopped in Cambria. Probably the cutest little seafront town I have seen. Actually did some shopping (birthday and christmas). Then we headed home as the day was becoming increasingly cold, gray and threatening. Had time to do some HH chores and chillax a bit before the rain came (and went just as quickly). Tommorow's forecast is rain and we need to do laundry big time and get to an RV shop to see about an issue we are having with a small but vital motor on the BP. Also, it will probably be a perfect day to make Chicken Gnochi Soup!