California Missions

During our drive up the Pacific Coast Highway we stopped off at two of the California missions which formed the basis of the Spanish settlements that later became cities like San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The first was Mission San Luis Rey shown in the photo above. It was founded by Dominican friars in 1798 as part of a string of 21 missions the Spanish established to cement its claim to California against the encroachments of Russian (and later American) fur traders. Although Spanish explorers had originally claimed the region as early as 1554, the government in Mexico City had never really done much of anything to settle the area due to it's remoteness from the Capitol. These settlements were intended to correct that situation.

The missions were linked along a road called El Camino Real (The Royal Highway) and were about one day's travel apart...so a traveler on foot or donkey could count on having a place to stay in the evening. The history of the missions, and treatment of the indigenous people by the Spanish, is a decidedly mixed bag historically, but the places they've left behind are evocative of the history of the early "Californios" that settled the region. Make for a nice walking break on a pretty day too.






The photos below are of San Juan Capistrano. Apparently the swallows are coming less and less these days - preferring the more remote and rural areas to the hustle & bustle of the city. Lots of California history here, and as you can see it was an especially pretty place in its own regard.






Capistrano is only about 20 miles from where we're staying in Laguna Beach. Laguna is where I used to come with friends when I was in high school on our early dive trips. Froze our butts off in the cold (58 deg.) waters offshore...the kind of water that would make a Hawaiian scream.

Laguna started out as an artist colony near LA and still retains much of that quirky charm. Rather upscale though, ie it isn't a cheap place to live (or stay). It is a nice central location for exploring some of the local attractions. Disneyland for example of about 20 minutes away...heading there tomorrow.

San Diego

We flew into Lindberg Field early Sunday morning and headed up north of Miramar to visit with Tom & Pat Reeve. It turned into an extended brunch with hours of pleasant conversation as we caught up on family events with them. Pat's a gourmet cook and fixed a great breakfast so we were duly stuffed when we finally tore ourselves away from a most enjoyable afternoon and drove down to Coronado and checked into the Amphib base. The photo above was the view from our balcony, looking past the Bay Bridge (no tolls anymore) to the city skyline beyond. The weather was great - typical "San Diego days" as we used to call them when we lived here - and it was especially nice to see the sun again after leaving rainy Vancouver.

Spent the next couple of days just enjoying the city..and the weather. Went to the Zoo the first day. Crowds not too bad and Balboa Park as pretty as ever. Must say that the admission price had gone up a tad since I first came here 55 years ago - now costs $37 apiece to access the grounds. At least the parking was free. We walked our legs off for about 5 hours and generally reminisced about bringing the boys here about 35 years ago.


Rita standing in one of the large aviary enclosures, which was quite well done we thought.


The one creature we hope never to meet on our hikes.

Next day we jumped on the ferry from the end of Orange Avenue on Coronado over to the Broadway St. pier. Made for a nice day's excursion. The ferry landing is next to the Maritime Museum - actually about a half-dozen old vessels of various sizes, types and eras. The photo below is the view from the landing on the Coronado side.




And here are some of the boats...


The USS Dolphin - deepest diving US sub apparently.



There's also an old yacht from the 20's, loaded with teak appointments. It really was gorgeous (for a boat). Rita's standing in the salon where the family took its meals.



They also have the ship that acted as HMS Surprise in the Russel Crowe flick "Master and Commander" a few years ago. Was interesting to walk around it both above and below decks.





Lastly we walked down the quay to the USS Midway - a carrier I had the "pleasure" of staying aboard for a couple of nights during my Indian Ocean cruise in 1981 on the Independence. Had to trap aboard to drop off mail or spare parts or something and was their guest for a couple of days. My main recollection was how relatively hard it was to find my way below decks. It's not laid out like a modern carrier. This one was built at the end of WW II and is a real rabbit warren below decks. If I hadn't had a guide who knew his way around to take me to the mess deck I probably would have starved looking for it on my own.

Anyway, here it is in all its glory. The folks who run it as a floating museum have done a great job with it. I swear it looked better this day than it did when I was aboard in the IO.

Several old aircraft displays highlight the flight deck and hangar deck.


The best way to view an aircraft carrier...maybe a little farther away would be better...say a few miles maybe.



A Dauntless dive bomber - the plane that sank the 4 Japanese carriers at the battle of Midway.




They had the usual assortment of F-14's, F-18's, S-3's, etc. but of course we had to take a photo of the "Thunder Guppy", the plane my squadron flew when I was CO of Vt-19 in Meridian. Actually, this is probably the best spin trainer the Navy's ever had.


Departed Wednesday for a leisurely drive up the coast towards Laguna Beach, where we'll be staying for the next week.

Heading South

Heading for Southern California tomorrow morning for a short two week break. Will be flying to San Diego, then driving up the coast to Laguna Beach (just south of LA), San Simeon (where Hearst Castle is located) and Solvang (Santa Barbara wine country - where they filmed "Sideways"). Turned rainy & colder here this past week after some really pretty spring days so it will be nice to see the sun again.

The trip is basically a big meander to get our minds off all the details involved in closing Mom's estate and cleaning out her mobile home.

We hope to see Tom and Pat Reeve while we're in San Diego - an old company mate from the Naval Academy who we last saw in November at the 40th reunion in Annapolis. Looking forward to that. Also looking forward to some mindless fun at Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, and maybe some of the other SoCal attractions, and to reconnect with more old friends in the LA area. Will try to remember the camera and to post some photos along the way.

Australia - Last Look

Never published the photos of our last few days in Australia, so here goes:
After picking up the rental car in Melbourne we headed out along the Great Ocean Road towards Adelaide. It was cloudy & blustery at first but still pretty dramatic along the coast. The sandstone formations in the photo above are known as "The Twelve Apostles". It was quite windy - about got blown away during the walk down to the viewing area - but it was worth the work.

We gradually worked our way to the little town of Koroit where we stayed a couple of nights. The main attraction was a wildlife refuge located in an old volcanic caldera - forming a natural, isolated little valley that was like a little Garden of Eden with all of the animals that have occupied it over the years. We were up early the second day to walk around the place and spent one of the nicest afternoons we've ever had hiking as we explored the park. Saw mobs of Grey kangaroos at first...more than we could count. Apparently not many people walk too far into the bush, so we came upon throngs of the things as we made our way thru the forest. Big ones too - didn't get too close, but it looked like they were probably as tall as a full grown man. After only seeing little wallabies & pademelons in Tasmania they looked huge.


Walked around a turn in the trail and came face-to-face with these two Emu's - a mated pair obviously. Not too skittish either as we stood still and let them pass.


Below are a couple of looks at the big greys. The plain just behind them is usually flooded with water, forming a natural moat that usually adds to the isolation of the area. There's been a drought here for about 10 years though, which has shrunk the lake quite a bit.






And finally, here are a couple of movies from our hike. We actually saw two Koalas - this one as we were just walking down a forest trail. It had been quite blustery for several days and my theory was that they moved down lower in the trees to escape the effects of the wind. Made it easier to spot them anyway. They're not the most animated of creatures - sleeping 22 hours a day and eating the other two.

The other film clip is a look at the Emus that we met on the trail.

This was really an enchanting place, and was probably the single most fun day we spent in Australia.

Mary Arens : 1917 - 2010

Rita's Mother passed away on April 24 after battling the effects of the debilitating stroke that struck her earlier this month. It was her wish that she be allowed to go home for her last days, and the family honored that request. She died peacefully in the manner she chose, in her own home and with a loving family gathered around her standing vigil. Each of her children had a chance to say their private good-byes before she lapsed into a semi-coma.

Mary Arens was born January 25, 1917 in the small town of Mosinee, Wisconsin, the youngest of 10 children. Her father was John Anthony Victor (or Wiktor in the Polish spelling), born in 1867 on the family farm near the village of Poreba Zegoty in southern Poland...about 15 miles west of Krakow. At that time Poland was partitioned among Russia, Prussia (Germany), and Austria. Their village fell into the Austrian sector so politically the family was Austrian, though there was never any doubt that ethnically she was Polish to the core - a fact that she was happy to remind you of at the slightest provocation.

Her mother was Mary Barbara Marcela who was born in 1873 near the same village. The couple had 7 children (a good Catholic family obviously) before they elected to emigrate to the US. Her father departed around 1907 to find work and establish a residence in Wisconsin, then sent for her mother, brothers and sisters who joined him after the long ocean voyage in late 1909. Imagine that - crossing the Atlantic by steamship with 7 children in tow, and the youngest of those a one year old toddler! Once settled in the US there followed 3 more children, with Mary being the youngest.

In 1931 and at the age of 13 she entered a convent and began training to become a Felician nun. Just before she was to take her final vows, however, she decided that the life was not for her after all and elected to leave the order...this was in 1943. At a USO dance in 1944 she first met Bert Arens - a true case of love at first sight - and they were married after a whirlwind romance shortly thereafter. After Bert was mustered out of the Army Air Corps in early 1946 they moved to northern California and began their long life together. The couple were married for 57 years before Bert passed away in 2001, and the marriage produced 5 children with Rita being the middle sibling.

She was the true Matriarch of the Arens family - the strong-willed and indomitable glue that held everything together as the family migrated from Redding to Weed to Mount Shasta and finally Yreka, California. She continued to be extremely religious throughout her life - attending services regularly and playing the organ for morning Mass at the church in Yreka where Rita spent most of her growing-up years.

She and Bert moved to Vancouver, Washington around 1999 to be near the Veteran's Medical Services that Bert needed near the end of his life. Widowed since 2001 she continued to live life on her own terms - independent and self-reliant to the end.

She was 4 ft., 11 inches tall and weighed about 130 lbs when she died. I'll always be glad I had the chance to know her. Aside from my own Mom who passed away in 1992 I've never known a kinder, more loving and generous person. My life was enriched by knowing her, and the world will be a lonelier place without her in it. May she rest in peace.