We left San Francisco for 3 days in Yosemite National Park, and had booked a cheap hotel in Jamestown. This was further from Yosemite than we had thought, partly because it's 24 miles from the park entrance to Yosemite Valley where all the most spectacular stuff is! But the weather was kind to us, almost too hot at times, and we spent 2 days walking in the valley with the famous El Capitan,
the iconic Half Dome
and spectacular waterfalls,
one of which was a 4-mile up, 4-mile down hard walk picture taken at the bottom where we were sitting catching our breath!.
The third day we spent at Hetch-Hetchy where there was a huge reservoir and even more falls - this was a 13-mile trek. Quite spectacular especially the first falls which tumbled down over the bridge soaking all who passed. The water is supposed to be so clean that it is not filtered before it goes to supply San Francisco. Saw a garter snake but didn't see any bears!
Jamestown itself was small and quiet with lots of old buildings
and a spectacular railway museum (Railtown 1897)
where we saw the engine (not the one in the photo) which had been in numerous films - it even had its own make-up bits to make it look different!
Then we headed up to Eldorado Hills near Sacramento to visit a friend from France who was here visiting his children. On the way we stopped off at Columbia, a preserved old gold-rush town a bit twee but quite fun,
and California Caverns, a great cave where they would even take you proper caving if you wanted (we didn't!).
We took Howard (the friend from France) into Sacramento for the day and had a tour around the Capitol building and wandered around Old Sacramento, also very well preserved with some lovely old buildings.
Heading for Steinbeck country now- Salinas, Carmel and Monterey.
the iconic Half Dome
and spectacular waterfalls,
one of which was a 4-mile up, 4-mile down hard walk picture taken at the bottom where we were sitting catching our breath!.
The third day we spent at Hetch-Hetchy where there was a huge reservoir and even more falls - this was a 13-mile trek. Quite spectacular especially the first falls which tumbled down over the bridge soaking all who passed. The water is supposed to be so clean that it is not filtered before it goes to supply San Francisco. Saw a garter snake but didn't see any bears!
Jamestown itself was small and quiet with lots of old buildings
and a spectacular railway museum (Railtown 1897)
where we saw the engine (not the one in the photo) which had been in numerous films - it even had its own make-up bits to make it look different!
Then we headed up to Eldorado Hills near Sacramento to visit a friend from France who was here visiting his children. On the way we stopped off at Columbia, a preserved old gold-rush town a bit twee but quite fun,
and California Caverns, a great cave where they would even take you proper caving if you wanted (we didn't!).
We took Howard (the friend from France) into Sacramento for the day and had a tour around the Capitol building and wandered around Old Sacramento, also very well preserved with some lovely old buildings.
Heading for Steinbeck country now- Salinas, Carmel and Monterey.
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