What a wonderful drive down the Californian coastline!
Driving down the Pacific Ocean Highway to Santa Barbara had been a sheer delight and the temperature had also seemed to have warmed up substantially since Lewis the Lion was in San Francisco. This part of California seemed to have all year long good weather and was very liveable indeed. Maybe Lewis the Lion could even fancy living here, he wondered?
Many songs kept whirring around his head, such as the Mamas and Papas, ‘California Dreamin’ and he certainly did feel like he was in one, big happy dream being here in California! He loved some of the street names he drove by as he arrived at the Southern tip of the Big Sur, for instance, he wondered if it was always summer in ‘Summerland’ or always spring in ‘Springville?’ Or were there perhaps lots of telephone booths on ‘Telephone Road?’ He chuckled to himself at these amusing, silly thoughts!
For now he was going to stay with Enrique in Santa Barbara. He had never met Enrique before but Helen had made contact with a few people in California through an organisation called ‘Couchsurfing,’ and Enrique had kindly agreed to host them in his flat for the night. Lewis the Lion and Helen had met many fellow travellers on their journey who had used this organisation as a way of meeting local people when visiting a new place and perhaps even being hosted for the night. The idea is that they too would return the favour when they returned to their hometown. Lewis the Lion thought that this was a great idea and thought that Helen must have always been a ‘couchsurfer’ as she liked nothing better than welcoming foreigners to her country and acting as a tour guide.
Lewis the Lion and Enrique in Santa Barbara
What a great first couch surfing experience this turned out to be. Enrique was very trusting in letting Helen and Lewis the Lion into his house so that they could stay the night and cooked a fabulous breakfast for them in the morning, whilst telling them all about what a cool town, Santa Barbara is: sunshine all year around, with a great standard of living. Unfortunately, Lewis the Lion and Helen couldn’t stay around for long as they had another appointment the next day with another coachsurfer called Chris. Chris had kindly given up his time to show Lewis the Lion around the Malibu Hills on his motorbike and what an exceptional experience this turned out to be.
Lewis the Lion loves riding around on Chris’ motorbike
Under a beautiful, blue Californian sky, Lewis the Lion and Helen rode pillion behind Chris, the wind whipping through their mane and hair respectively.
Lewis the Lion and Helen go on a motorbike ride
The sweet smell of sage filled the air and the sun shone down on the valley below as they climbed the hills. At one point, the three of them got off the motorbike to appreciate the view around them. In a word: stunning!
Would our ancestors have seen the same view 500 years ago?
In fact, Lewis the Lion wondered if he’s ever seen a view quite like it in his little life as unlike most beautiful, panoramic views, there was no sign of telegraph poles or wires here cutting across the landscape. He wondered if his ancestors had stood on the same spot centuries ago to behold the same magnificent view down to the sea? It felt like a unique experience to be linked to the past in this way.
From here, Lewis the Lion felt an incredible sense of freedom as he surveyed the landscape and soaked up some rays on Chris’ motorbike, as you can see in this picture. He was in awe of all the colours around him: the bright green of the valley, the deep blue of the sky and the bright red of the rocks.
Lewis the Lion loves lying in the sun on Chris’ motorbike!
As the three rode onto their next vantage point, Lewis the Lion was filled with a deep sense of appreciation of life and he was grateful for having such a wonderful opportunity to do something which the average traveller or tourist would never get a chance to do, thanks to Chris’ generosity.
Lewis the Lion has a wonderful vantage point from the Malibu Hills
All that sunshine must have gone to Helen’s head as she boldly climbed to the top of a very tall rock.
At first Helen thinks it’s a great idea to climb up here…but not for long!
However, she hadn’t thought things through and forgot that it wasn’t as easy to get back down. Lewis the Lion laughed at how stupid she’d been and it was lucky for her that Chris was able to help her get down. Mountaineers used ropes for a reason, she remembered cleverly after the event!
Being able to experience this special ride in a four-dimensional way, with the sights, sounds and smells around him was simply magical for Lewis the Lion but for now, it was time to also savour some enticing flavours down at one of the best seafood restaurants on the coast.
The best seafood on the coast!
This seemed to be a magnet for bikers and surfer dudes alike who had all come for this delicious fish!
Helen and Lewis the Lion enjoy some good seafood
Chris then had to bid adieu but left Helen and Lewis the Lion with a top tip-off to visit a picturesque and secluded, Californian beach: the El Matador beach further along the coast.
Lewis the Lion on the spectacular El Matador Beach
Yet again, Lewis the Lion couldn’t believe how fortunate he was to be here.
A tucked away bit of heaven!
A part of the crumbled, arched rock formations reminded him of a place in Normandy in France called Etretat which the impressionist artist Claude Monet had famously painted.
Lewis the Lion and Helen made their way down onto the beach and enjoyed the afternoon as they watched Californian pelicans
Lewis the Lion watches more pelicans flying by
and a hang-glider flying overhead, children giggling as they played in the crashing waves and couples taking romantic strolls. He could understand why!
Looking out to sea on El Matador Beach, California
El Matador beach really was a piece of heaven in Lewis the Lion’s eyes.
The sun reflects off the sea on El Matador beach
However, not much further along the coast, Lewis the Lion passed the famously named Malibu beach which stretched on for miles
Looking onto Malibu Beach
before reaching the elegant, beach town suburb of Los Angeles: Santa Monica.
What a day he had had and it didn’t end there as he was even treated to a free evening comedy show in his hostel with six local Californian comedians!
As if his time in California couldn’t get any better, over the next few days it did as he discovered more of the Los Angeles suburbs: the unique Venice Beach, Hollywood and Beverly Hills (all of which he will tell you about in more detail in his next blogs). Lewis the Lion really did feel that California surpassed even his wildest dreams: what a lucky lion!
What can you find out about the French impressionist artist, Claude Monet?
Can you find one of his paintings of the Normandy coastline as Lewis the Lion suggested?
Which of his paintings do you like best?
