Re: SAN FRANCISCO, YOSEMITE etc..

[Stephen <cameras@jetlink.net>]

> But is there something You think we have to do and who is
> not in guides.
>

An hour and half south of San Francisco is Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur.
Pebble Beach for the golfers, Cannery row for the tourists, the world
class Monterey Bay Aquarium.  I like staying at the Butterfly Inn in
Pacific Grove (between Monterey and Carmel).  Reasonable rates,
beautiful surroundings.   A few weeks ago we stayed there to find deer
and fawn feeding in the front lawn in the morning and evening.  Go down
to Carmel to see some of the best photo galleries anywhere..plenty of
Ansel Adams, Westons, etc. hanging on the walls waiting to bought.
South of Carmel is the Big Sur area, many consider it to have the most
beautiful coastline in California.  Stop by the Point Lobos national
park and see where the Westons did a lot of photography.  Two hours
farther south is world famous Hearst Castle.

Leica bargains are where you find them.  When a store prices something
low, it does not last long. Finding it is simply random luck.  If a
store continually has a large stock of used Leica, its because their
prices are too high.   Buy a copy of Shutterbug magazine and find out
what Camera shows fit into your schedule.  It is not unusual to find
show prices 30% or more less than store prices--and the shows usually
have a much greater selection too.  The largest shows on the west coast
are the San Mateo/San Jose shows (next one at the end of August) and the
Buena Park shows (monthly near Knotts Berry Farm in LA).  I usually have
a table there, stop by and say hi.

If military history is of any interest to you, the flagship of the
entire Vietnam War is awaiting scraping near San Francisco.  Going north
on 680 towards Vallejo you will cross a huge bridge.  To the right is a
large fleet of decommissioned ships.  In the row of ships nearest the
bridge is the guided missile cruiser USS Oklahoma City.  It is
noticeable lighter than the other ships, a very light gray. It was a
converted W.W.II cruiser which served as the 7th fleet flagship
throughout the entire Vietnam war.  The blood of every victim, and hopes
of every survivor, are aboard that ship.  More info is at my site,
http://cameraquest.com/untitled.htm.

Have a great time,

Stephen Gandy