Main Street

For a first time, I got to walk a main street was in Eastleigh, UK. And later during the trip, I went on to realize that every city has a street named 'Main Street' - which is also the most lively and colorful street in the city. 

During our recent trip to Crater Lake, we stayed in a small town call Klamath, and on a lazy Sunday evening having little to do (yes, I hate it when the entire city is shutdown!), we decided to walk down the main street. While the entire street was deserted, here are a few thing the artist in me loved.

An art piece made entirely of Cork!

A painting on a wall which reads - 'May 20, 1909 - The arrival of first Train to Klamath Falls'.

This one is from a parking lot. Yes, endless views of Coniferous Forest and Mountains is what the city offers; which would look magical after a Snow fall - And the animal looks like Mountain Lion to me.

P.S - Photos from my iPhone

Lexington Reservoir, CA

Somethings take insanely long amount of time to materialize. Our Tent buying plan was one example. It took us approximately 2 years to finally decide upon that one tent. So many brands and so many specifications. But, sometime I blame it on this country too - deals, online and in-store prices et al. Number of doors and windows, pole type, number of person it can hold and seasons it can survive! We even walked  though the camping site to see what brand/type of tent people owned. But, that didn't help. Finally it was decided as Alps Mountaineering (while REI disappointed us and NorthFace could not have been for a first tent) one lazy Saturday afternoon, and after all the different price each seller quoted, a mom-n-pop store just down the road gave us for the least price in the entire of US! Thanks to Google, we were proud owners of a 5 person, 3 season tent in the next 15 mins! 

And it was time to setup our Tent. Lexington Reservoir is a place, I had spotted long back and we had decided to come here. Yes, the place was decided even before we bought the Tent!

This place on is just of of Santa Cruz SR17, but difficult to find the road that leads to the Reservoir. Looks like people hardly know this place as its quiet and serene.

It took us ~10mins to setup the Tent. Impressive....

Birding time...

Hiking around the reservoir....

Santa Cruz Mountains in the Back Drop, a valley, a stream, the green grass, the colorful wild flowers, the bees and the birds and our little tent amidst these......

We wanted to live here forever....

Super Moon & Dove

Finally after getting inspired by all those photos of the Moon by friends and fellow bloggers, I tried clicking the Moon too. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Its summer and the sun sets only by 8:30ish. So, while waiting for the moon, I saw this Mourning Dove (not sure why they call it so) on the Patio.

Casa de fruta

Casa-de-fruta (which translates to 'House of Fruits' in English) is a road side attraction in Pacheco Pass Highway. And, when becomes this the only road that connects freeway to Santa Clara County, one ends up frequently driving through this place. As the name suggests its a fruit stall, but you get Fresh Fruits and Veggies, dried fruits and nuts, chocolates, coffee, chips and a host of other produce. 

It started as an Orchard, by Italian immigrant brothers and now its a major pit stop for people driving through. As for miles together while the winding road passes thorough hills and valleys, this is the only place where you can get food, ATM, gas, coffee and restroom, apart from the Fresh Produce. I have a special liking for farmers market. But, I hate it when it gets too very commercial and start charging a bomb.

Its colorful and smells heavenly inside the stall and one can spend hours walking though the aisles.

A display at Casa-de-Lupa - I love the braids of Garlic, hanging from the ceiling above.

More history about the place here, if it interests you.