Valentin's personal blog

Welcome San Francisco

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Fri, 27 May 2011 20:00:00 +0200

The Bay of San Francisco.

I made it, same how I've arrived in San Francisco. Okay actually it was not that complicated... From the first moment I fell in love with the City. The first night I've stayed in the HI Fort Mason. It's a quiet Hostel but you've it's only a 1 Minute walk to see the sea, the bay of San Francisco. I think I love the city because you've on the on hand the megacity and at the same time the pacific ocean is that close.

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Santa Cruz and Capitola Beach

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:00:00 +0200

Boca de Cielo

Even if it started really unlucky in Santa Cruz it did become one of my favor places at the west coast Californians. It started by a delay of Amtrack, with the consequence that they didn't let me check-in in the HI Hostel (and I had a booking...). But maybe it was good that I arrived after 10pm in Santa Cruz, because so I found that lovely little Bed & Breakfast where I could stay nearly for the same cost of money which I would had to pay when I stood in the Hostel. But like that I had for three nights my own room with a bathroom and a delicious Mexican breakfast in the morning. The Boca de Cielo I can really recommend, thanks Maria and Pete for the comfortable Auberge.

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Santa Barbara

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Tue, 24 May 2011 11:45:00 +0200

In Santa Barbara there is only one hostel (sbhostel.com), where I've stayed for two nights. I can not really recommend this place because of the really bad beds. The mattresses are fitted with a plastic coat. Even with a bed-sheet you will sleep here bad. Added to this is the high price (39$ for a 12-dorm room), but on the other side Santa Barbara is one of the richest areas in California.

An old painted VW bus on a car park.

The coast with view of Santa Barbara.

Two old beautiful trees.

The coast in the Shoreline Park.

Fresh crude oil that flows in the Sun (a quarter for size comparison).

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No Tour of California but Santa Barbara

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Sun, 22 May 2011 18:53:59 +0200

1 1/2 delicious crab for dinner.

Today I've tried to take the bus to Thousand Oaks to see the end of the Tour of California. But I had to realized that there was no way to get there on a Sunday by the public bus system of L.A. It ends up that I've went to L.A. Union Station and take the Pacific Surfliner (amtrak.com) to Santa Barbara. After you did understanderstand the AMTRAK System it's all easy... I'd needed some time to get the think with the Gates they have in Union Station. So they don't say you the track where the train is arriving in advance. You have to line up on the gate an than some minutes before the departure you get the info where you have to walk to. And from the gate to the train its still a long walk, so if you are not quick on your feet it will be pain. But at the end it was a good decision to go direct to Santa Barbara. So I got the opportunity to eat a delicious crab at Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. The demand is so high that you've to enter your name in a list to get a table. What I was doing. And I have no regrets, I eat 1 1/2 delicious crab while the sun was set.
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Two days at the beach

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Sat, 21 May 2011 22:33:47 +0200

Hey you out there, just to kept you I touch with my activities... I had two nice days at the beach. I've swum in the Pacific, even if the water is still cold (about 58°F/14,5°C).
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Hollywood: shoes and stars

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:00:00 +0200

The Ghost.

Today I took the RapidMetro 704 from Santa Monica to Hollywood (just 1:10h of driving) for buying some running shoes. I've read about a good store at the 745 North La Brea Avenue (Map), called Arch and Sole. After an excellent advice from Enrique, I chose the Ghost of the brand Brooks.
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Moved to Santa Monica

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Sun, 15 May 2011 14:05:00 +0200

So today I moved from Venice Beach to Santa Monica. My first experience with the public transport system of L.A. It works better then I've heard of it, and the bus coasted about 1$. In Santa Monica I stayed in the H.I. Santa Monica (www.hilosangeles.org). It is a huge hostel, very clean but with almost too many people. From the 2nd Street, where the hostel is placed, you can explore Santa Monica by walking. The most important thing is to visit the beach promenade and to have look to the pier as well as to the beach it self.
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Laguna Beach to Venice Beach via Huntingten Beach

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:00:00 +0200

At the 14th of Mai Kim and Mo drove me to Venice Beach. Here I did stay one night because it was not possible to get a bed in Santa Monica for the weekend. On the way we stop in Huntington Beach for a little promenade.
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Page to Los Angeles via Las Vegas

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:55:00 +0200

Laguna Beach view southwards.

Laguna Beach view northwards.

After the water skiing on Lake Powell we drove back to Las Vegas, where we arrived late at night. Jennifer was kind enough to accommodate us for one night. We slept into the next day and headed then towards Los Angeles. After 5 1/2 hour trip and luck with the traffic in Los Angeles (on a Friday the 13th) we arrived in Laguna Beach.
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Two days on Lake Powell

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:30:00 +0200

In Page we stayed in a Super8 Motel with excessively large rooms, but still bad value for money. We had dinner twice at Fiesta Mexicana. The food was prepared very quickly, tasted, and came as a big portion.

Rainbow Bridge National Monument

From Page you drive just 10 miles to the Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell where there are boats for rent. As we had preview to stay two days at the lake, we went to Rainbow Bridge the first day. The monument can be reached by a two-hour boat ride, followed by a short walk from the National Park wharf in Bridge Canyon. The Rainbow Bridge is often described as the world's highest natural bridge (Wiki). The span of Rainbow Bridge is about 240 feet (~73 m) and is made from sandstone formed during the end of the Triassic and the Jurassic periods.

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Las Vegas

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:17:00 +0200

The Excalibur Hotel.

From Sunday to Wednesday we spent two nights in Las Vegas. We slept in the hotel Excalibur. Although the gambling hall is looking pretty tatty and has that nasty smell of grits, the room was okay for the price. But you better get a the booking online, and have good look on the date you'll go, because sometimes the fee rise up 200 percent.
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The Grand Canyon

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:59:00 +0200

Kim at rim, at the upper part of the Grand Canyon.

After a frugal breakfast with really bad coffee in the motel, we started to see the Grand Canyon. So from Flagstaff we went on the roat 89 to Cameron and went there a little road (64) which tooks us directly into the Grand Canyon National Park. To enter with a privat car is about 15$. After you entered you can drive the street along the rim of the canyon and you have several times the options to stop in for a view point. After a short walk from the parkings you've got the amazing view into the canyon. It is absolutely incredible how the colorado river has increased over millions of years into the colorado plateau.
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First day on the Road

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Sat, 07 May 2011 19:00:00 +0200

On the Road...

Salt River Canyon

After a day off we drove toward Flagstaff. We had used the day for shopping and to compensate the time difference of 9 hours. We had decided not to take the I10 & I17 to go but through the back country. Leaving Tucson on the 77 to Globe, continue driving towards Show Low. A few miles past Globe the street crossed the very beautiful Salt River Canyon. In general this route is beautiful, the constantly changing of the landscape and behind each hill or curve, one encounters a new detail.

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Arriving in Tucson

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Thu, 05 May 2011 22:30:00 +0200

After some hours in the air-plain... and a short stopover in San Francisco we arrived in Tucson .
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Blog started

nospam@example.com (Valentin Wittich) — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:00:00 +0200

I've got it, my blog is now Online... I will use this blog for sum up some informations about my little journey through North America. To train my bad English I will try to write all post's in English, so if you see some bad misspellings etc. please let me know about it...

So fare, all the best
Valentin