Postscript

Travelling in style, more comfortable than sitting in LAX airport

Yes, we have finished our trip and I will reflect on it in a final blog when I get home but we decided to be true to form and put right our cheating on the way down by going back on the Pacific Highway (US-101) or as it is called in Southern California by it's ancient name, the Camino Real. Route1 (Ca-1) has been swallowed up by Interstate 5. It's hard to stop writing and it can become as jacqui suggests addictive or obsessive but I wanted to finish the tale in the same way that I started.

We had the best breakfast on the whole journey at Solona Beach. This small unprepossessing  caffe was full on a Thursday morning in October. It must be good and it was. As usual breakfast becomes brunch with such large helpings!

The naked Cafe, Solona Beach. Best breakfast on the trip

Even the dogs are left to their own devices in Solona Beach

A bit sunnier than our Cardiff

Oceanside is the biggest city between LA (County) and San Diego. There isn't much to see there but it does have a historical remnant of the old Highway system. The 101 Cafe is the last remaining traditional eating places on the Camino or US-101. In recent years it has developed a bit of glitz and certainly worth that coffee and ? a snack.

 Cafe 101 with a new mural being painted

Hasn't changed a lot since the old days.

We wanted to visit Laguna Beach. Another iconic Southern California place name. It is certainly beautiful with many beaches nestling under the rocky cliffs. The town is quite trendy but the arty flavour has changed with many surf and tea shirt shops muscling out the bookshops and cafes.

 The beautiful Victoria Beach at Laguna Beach

Still some authentic bits to take a soda in

I went for a walk on Victoria beach and met two photographers who live here and were taking some beach pictures. We talked about the colours and the uniqueness of the light. Its not the light of the Impressionists as they often painted in Northern and Central France but it was the light that was captured by French painters such as Duffy and Matisse in the South of France. It was certainly captured by the likes of David Hockney in the 20th century.

I have not mentioned the election in this blog. It certainly is the elephant in the corner and you are reminded about it all the time on the roadsides, on the television and in general conversation. It's going to be close and we will know the result by the time that I conclude my blog. I heard one commentator exclaim, that whoever wins will have to face "a fiscal cliff, trouble abroad and a polarised political landscape at home" The other mind-bogling issues is the number of propositions that the electorate need to vote on is immense. How can you know who and what to vote for when you have to elect a president, congress member, senator ....etc and propositions A-Z in addition.

So many decisions to make!

The real reason for the postscript was to describe our return to the Queen Mary at Long Beach. We stayed in one of the State Rooms looking over Long Island. A memorable experience and a great way to spend our last night in California. She is somewhat faded but what a wonderful old lady. We stayed in the Phinney Suite between the King George and the Winston Churchill Staterooms. It just doesn't get any better!

Faded glory but still a wonderful old lady

 Our Stateroom

 The Slender of the Promenade Deck

 On the Bridge

 The 3 unmistakable funnels

 The radio room where my uncle Will worked

 Jacqui and I in the Radio Room

 Art Deco Slender

Amazingly, you can see the propeller

Long Beach at night

I am just about to board my flight. A lot more to say and it will have to wait. We have seen and experienced so much.

I finish with a eerie picture of a deserted beach close to LAX airport. It reminds me of the motto of the US Marine Amphibious Landing Service, "No beach out of reach". This certainly is the case in Southern California.

The last picture on the blog. An eerie empty beach. So un-Californian.