HEARST CASTLE ROAD TRIP (Day 2 of 3)

After a full day of driving yesterday, I pretty much passed out on a motel mattress last night and woke up this morning well rested and ready to tour a castle.  

Debra and I arrived at the castle at 9:30 a.m. this morning and stayed on the grounds for five hours, touring most of the buildings.  At 2:30 p.m. our aching feet were glad that our third and final tour was over.

We left the castle and drove about 100 slow but scenic miles along California's beautiful coastal Highway 1, arriving in Monterey where we checked into a hotel before we complete the final leg of our road trip tomorrow.

Waking up this morning to coffee and to a shrimp omelette at the San Simeon Lodge.

Before arriving at the castle, we stopped along Highway 1 at a spot where we could see the castle atop a mountain.  
The location of the castle is not clearly visible in this photo, but it was clear to the naked eye from the road.

There it is!

After arriving at the entrance to the park, we tried taking another photo with the castle in the background.
Again, what was clear in person was not clear in this photo.

There it is!

Real restrooms were not available.

These were available, with a wonderful inside view of something other than a clean, white, porcelain bowl.

From the park entrance, a six-mile bus ride took us to the castle.  The bus was slightly delayed because
it had to stop for a herd of Barbary sheep crossing the road.

Our first of three tours was led by our first tour guide, Beverly, who was well-informed and who shared
many interesting historical facts throughout the tour.

Beverly instructs us in one of the rooms.

The first tour, the Grand Rooms Tour, ended in Hearst's private theater.  There we were able to watch some of his home movies which showed some of his guests, such as Charlie Chaplin, Harpo Marx, Clark Gable, and Mary Pickford. 

Debra and I stand beside the Neptune Pool which is now empty due to the current drought.

Everything in the castle was a display of art, including walls and ceilings.

During our tour, the main building was being re-roofed for only the second time in its history and the first time since 1960.  The project is nearly complete and the scaffolding is now in the process of being removed.

Mr. Hearst's private library.

Mr. Hearst's guest quarters for men included this sitting room with a fireplace (shown beside Debra) and with a sleeping loft (top of photo) accessed by circular stairs (shown at left beneath the loft).

The kitchen.

The indoor Roman pool.

The bus ride back down the hill.

We were there.