More from California

Travelling surgeon

It is a glorious evening in San Francisco. Jane and I have left the Merzenich’s and are waiting to start the next part of our journey, to Auckland.

We really enjoyed revisiting California, where I had been a research fellow twenty three years ago. Much was the same. Some of what was unusual then has become commonplace in English society, we are much more informal than we were quarter of a century ago, we use disposable utensils for our eating away from home, we use the mobile in the street and we say “enjoy”! – or at least some of us do! However on the financial side we did note a difference: when we were here in the early 80’s the dollar was nearly worth a pound, now a dollar is worth just over 50 cents.

I had planned a slightly less intense time in California, so we could spend some time together and could visit my aunt and uncle in Santa Barbara., and with Mike and Diane. All four have been most generous to us, now as then.

My aunt and uncle are in their early eighties, have had their share of maladies (some interesting and challenging) but both approach life with zest and vigour. We arrived at dusk and were immediately whisked downtown to a crowded steak house, so crowded that we left and had a Chinese meal, returning for our steak on the following evening. We spent a couple of hours going through family photos before lunch the next day. These times are invaluable, because they give you a perspective on your lot in life, and in my case make me reflect how fortunate I have been. Then a walk with my uncle, we were all for telling him not to exert himself, but we would have been denied a great walk if we had succeeded. Like most people who know an area well, the walk was perfectly judged, Jane and I would not have done it on our own. We walked around the estate of a rich man, that is we circumnavigated it. I mention this as we did the same the next day, when we visited Hearst castle.

We decided to drive up Highway 1, the wonderfully scenic and sometime precipitate California highway that hugs the coast of the state, and gives a splendid view of the Pacific, as it belies its name and crashes into the seashore. Hearst castle was interesting, it was out of our reach when we were here with the family. You are boarded on a bus and taken up the five miles to the “ranch”, more like a small Italian hilltop town, with several villas (guest houses) and the cathedral or parish church, in this case the main house, complete with two bell towers. The swimming pools are pure fancy, with reconstructed Roman and Greek remains built into a pastiche of the ancient world, which works surprisingly well. The house itself was impressive, and the magpie collection of innumerable valuables in none generation, which then stopped, was fascinating. However without the story, this part was less impressive, we are fortunate in having dozens of stately homes in England, some enormous and internationally known, some only locally known but none the less impressive, with large rooms and the evidence of one or more energetic and acquisitive owner. We watched the film, and were thoroughly immersed in the life of William Randolph Hearst.

Our day was finished in Carmel, the small town just to the south of Monterey that is the home of film stars and the haunt of golfers, Pebble Beach lying just to the north. When we came they had just said goodbye to a great number of people following a golf tournament. We had stayed at a pretty little in 10 years ago and it was still there, with a room and ideal in every way (or almost, breakfast was served in disposable cups and plates).

All the rest of the time we spent with Mike and Diane. Mike is a neuroscientist, who was originally involved in the cochlear implant project but has moved to more central disorders of the brain. He is awash with ideas, energy and goodwill. Part of his current life involves developing the small holding which he and Diane have, about an hour out of San Francisco. They have a very productive kitchen garden and orchard, beehive and a vineyard. We visited this just before we left, and were most impressed, it is in a lovely spot, with uninterrupted views over the Bennet valley (near Sonoma, California wine country) perched on a hillside, with terraces, a small, wood, a creek, a swimming pool and most rewarding of all the signs of active grand-parenting wherever you look!

The remainder of the time we lived in their small guest annex in their San Francisco.
The whole episode was a wonderful demonstration of friendship and generosity.

Arrived Auckland, more sun, more charm and more excitement!