From Point to Point, With a Camera Mixed In

While in Monterey we decided to enjoy the sights and sounds as much as possible so we hit up a couple of points... Point Lobos and Lover's Point - and managed to do a little hiking and climbing in there.  Oh and you can't forget the 2 hour camera shopping spree in between.

Let's start at the beginning of our day on Saturday.... after breakfast we headed over to Point Lobos along the Carmel Coast.  I've heard my Aunt and Uncle rave about this State Preserve, and it didn't disappoint - well except for the part where the rocks swallowed up our camera only 10 minutes after arriving.

Here are a few of the shots before the "old" camera broke...

And then moments after this shot, I gave Dave the camera and he pulled it while it was on my wrist... and CRASH.  The camera hit the rocks and the lens would no longer work.  Oops.  Talk about a buzz kill. 

Thankfully Dave brought his phone for this walk (mine was in the car - why would you need a phone to enjoy the scenery...?)  So we were able to salvage the trip for some memories.

Yeah, that would be my attempt at a smile while holding the wounded camera....

After hiking through the hills and coastline for about 2 hours we decided it was time to get a new camera.  So we shopped and shopped and shopped.  Another 2 hours later we had our new camera purchase (just another point and shoot) and we were ready for some lunch and then to head over to Lover's Point.  It was maybe a 1/2 mile walk away.

On the way over we spotted some wildlife, including a Harbor Seal.

View from Lover's Point looking toward our B&B.

We happened to go on the weekend where they celebrate the "Festival of Lanterns" - Pacific Grove's tribute to the Chinese settlers who lived there more than a century ago.  It included a fireworks show.

We brought a blanket from the B&B and took claim of one of the rocks headed toward Lover's Point. 

OK this torture session weekend reminiscence will complete tomorrow with our final look at the Monterey Bay area (17 Mile Drive & Cannery Row... with some wine tasting mixed in).