As we made our way back to the coast, and our journey south, we saw a sign for Hearst Castle. We had heard a little about it, but really didn’t know what to expect. We had time, so we decided to go check it out, and we are so glad that we did.
All we knew about it was that it was the home of William Randolph Hearst. We weren’t ready for the amazing history, the zebras grazing with cattle in the surrounding grounds, or the fact that this home is basically a living museum you could stroll through. Mr. Hearst and his architect Julia Morgan created something you have to see to truly believe. We’d like to share a few highlights with you, but you really need to check this place out for yourselves.
After selecting the Grand Rooms tour, we loaded onto the bus to start the drive up to the castle. We learned that the zebras we could see roaming around were descendants from animals Mr. Hearst’s once had in his personal zoo.
Our group piled out of the bus and we were then led by the most amazing tour guide ever. We loved listening to her, because you could tell she loved her job, and had a real passion for sharing the Hearst history with everyone. The first stop was overlooking the pool, which was empty due to a massive restoration project to correct damage from an earthquake. Even without water in it, you could picture the amazing pool parties that must’ve happened over the years.
As we left the pool area, we were excited to see what was in the home itself. Stepping into the first grand room of Casa Grande took our breath away. We were standing in the Assembly Room, and felt a little sensory overload. Everywhere we looked, we saw another amazing artifact from around the world. The imported ceiling, the tapestries, the choir boy pews, tables, chairs, statues, paintings, carpets, fireplace….everything was simply beautiful. The more time you looked at something, the more detail came alive.
Our group then moved to a dining room decorated with silk banners hanging above an enormous table that could comfortably seat a small army. We chuckled at the ketchup bottles proudly placed among the fine china and towering candlestick holders.
By the time we reached the billiards room, we were in awe of how many tapestries we had been seeing in Casa Grande. They were enormous, and we learned how rare they were, as many were destroyed during years of conflict, when conquering parties would burn them to retrieve the fine metals, such as silver and gold, used in them.
After our tour of the main house, we were set loose in the gardens. It was amazing to see not only such lush gardens, but all of the artifacts on display in this setting.
While we did not do the cottages tour, we were able to enjoy their exteriors as we made our way through the gardens.
Before heading back to our bus, we made our final stop at the indoor roman pool. It looked like the perfect place to enjoy a swim and escape from the summer sun.
Our awesome tour guide recommended we make the short trip to the nearby elephant seal rookery, which was an amazing thing to see so close. Most of the seals were females and juvenile males. They spent most of their time napping, but a few of the boys were practicing their battle skills. It was amazing to see, though you should be thankful you can’t smell these pictures…
Traveling Team Fischer 