Tomorrow we have an early morning flight out of Oakland back to Provo. I booked a hotel in Oakland, close to the airport, with shuttle service and not too far from the rental car return so we can wake ridiculously early and head home. We'll be home by 10:30am, which will still give the children some time to play with friends and mess around at home before going back to school on Tuesday. Yep, that's right. Tuesday. They've got Monday off, too. Too long, but there you go.
As a result of the early flight, we headed to Oakland today. After checking out of our hotel, we made our way to the Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary, right in Pacific Grove where we were staying. Online, this is what it says about the sanctuary.
I would like to point out that we have been in Monterey in April, two months after the butterflies had flown away. While wandering through the grove is lovely, it lacks something of a punch with no butterflies around. We did see three flitting by and directed them south, towards Mexico. They must have been late bloomers. Or not in any hurry.Every October, thousands of butterflies make a stop in a Pacific Grove eucalyptus grove, the preferred Monarch butterfly habitat, during their migration to warmer climates. The butterflies hang in clusters from eucalyptus branches to maintain body temperature, and the resulting effect is stunning. Visitors come from miles around to take Monarch butterfly tours throughout the sanctuary.The City of Pacific Grove created the butterfly sanctuary to preserve both this Monarch butterfly habitat and the opportunity to view this incredible natural display. The sanctuary is free, and visitors are invited to visit, watch, admire and take Monarch butterfly photos and videos, so long as they don't touch. (Molesting a butterfly is illegal in Pacific Grove -- the fine is $1,000.) Monarchs stay in the Monarch butterfly grove from October until February, when they continue their migration south.
Can you see the monarch?
I know.
It's far away.
But it's a butterfly!
Two others flew by but didn't land where we could see them.
It's not much, but it's all we got.
We tried to visit a lighthouse, but it was closed. So we drove on to Oakland, stopping only because of traffic. I've been reading aloud Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo, and that makes the time pass. We encountered an accident along I-880. An overturned cement mixer spilled concrete onto the freeway, blocking several lanes and slowing traffic for three hours. We weren't in all that for the full three hours, but we were significantly delayed. What should we expect? It's California.
We arrived at our hotel and had to wait a bit for our room to be finished, even though we were there after 2:00pm which was check-in time. The hotel where we stayed had a pool. When we could finally get in and put the bags down, the children threw off their clothes, pulled on their suits, and headed for the water. Kent went with them. I took advantage of the quiet moment to go to the bathroom. While sitting on the toilet, I heard a knock on the door. I thought it was the children back for something they'd forgotten. I heard the key slide and the door open and then the bathroom door was thrown open. It was a maid coming in to bring us towels which she had forgotten to do as they finished up the room. There I was, sitting on the toilet. And there she was, standing with the door open.
"Oh baby!" she cried. "I sorry! Oh baby, I so sorry! I leave the towels on the bed! Oh baby! I so sorry!" All this with the door open. She slammed the bathroom door, threw the towels on the bed where I found them when I finished, and bolted.
I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, though I do know who was more bare-assed.
The children swam, I read next to the pool, and then we went to dinner. Mealtime has been something of a struggle, so we opted for Sizzler where everyone could pick what they wanted, there were lots of healthy options, and there wasn't going to be a fight about where to eat. We should have eaten at Sizzler every night. There was an Oakland A's baseball game tonight, and had I known, I might have gotten us tickets. The stadium is very close to the hotel where we are staying, and they offer free shuttle service to and from the game. But the children would likely have lasted only two innings and then been done, so all is well.
The pool was cold. The hot tub was not.
I'm quite enjoying my book.
We've had a marvelous vacation, seen fun things, and only been unhappy with each other a bit. Here's to new places and fun adventures.
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