San Simeon

Although there are many lovely and elegant b&bs in Cambria and the surrounding area, we didn't want to spend that much for a place we were only going to be in to sleep. I planned lots of running around, so instead, we stayed at the San Simeon Motel 6, which had only rudimentary tv and a handicapped bathroom, which was rather inconvenient because it didn't have a counter for toiletries. But it was okay for our needs, clean and comfortable, and across the street from San Simeon State Beach (that may not be the exact name), which was dramatic and lovely. About 12 miles down highway 1 from there was Piedros Blancos, the beach where elephant seals breed and hang out. At this time of year, the poor beasts are molting, but we didn't see many adults (the only ones that molt, I think)--just one. The rest were large juveniles, who behaved in hilarious beachy ways, such as basking in the negligible sunlight (it was cold and foggy,and of course we weren't prepared for that), and throwing sand on themselves and their buddies. They rolled on their backs like cats, and the males pretended to be big shots, or as the Russians say, balsheyeah shishki (big pinecones, literally), bellowing and throwing themselves at the other males' chests, elbowing the littler guys out of the way with their flippers. We hung out there for a long time, watching the seals from behind the guard rails. Humans aren't allowed on that beach.
I scanned the area for sea otters, but didn't see any.
Then we drove over to Cambria. The last time we were in that little town, back in the 80s, it seemed much smaller. That was because we didn't know there were two sides to the village, and only went to the East part of town, where the toy soldier store was. This time, we went first to Cambria as soon as we got our rental car. It was quite late by then, and we were very hungry. The train had arrived at 4:00, almost too late to get our car, since the rental place closed at 5 on Friday night, but we walked the mile and a half, shlepping our bags, to the place, and drove away hungry in our black Kia. So when we got to Cambria, which the guidebook told us was full of good places to eat (expensive ones, unfortunately), we were almost overwhelmed by good smells. We considered the new Chinese place, across from our parking spot, but decided that because it was so cold and we were dressed inadequately, the pot pies at Linn's sounded good. And they were. I had a vegetable pot pie with tofu, which had a lovely winey sauce, and Richard had meatloaf--good comfort food. The smashed potatoes were wonderful! We began the meal with warm, homebaked bread with housemade seedless oalliberry jam. We were told the restaurant grows the berries themselves and makes their own jam and fruit products, and it was certainly the best jam I have ever tasted in my life. And we ended the meal with herbal tea and a cookie (me) and coffee (R). The next day we went by their bakery and tried a mini- oalliberry pie. I think I like the plain jam better.
Cambria seems to me like a place where people landed in the 60s and never left. The town is a long strip of stores, interesting eccentric ones, galleries, and craft places, as well as more mundane fare, run by people about our age, dressed as one might expect aged hippies to dress. The population runs to retired people and these other folks. The town sits on a beautiful stretch of beach, Moonstone Beach, that supposedly is covered with moonstones, but we didn't see any. We walked along the boardwalk, scanning the sea for orcas and otters (didn't see any). It was lovely.