Travelog for: Shir Khan

Finally!  After hours of driving we arrived at our destination, The Sea Ranch.  It was a beautiful day and a lovely evening at the ocean.  Can you see the water out the window?  But instead of walking on the beach at sunset, what did we do?  We watched the season finale of The Amazing Race!!    Actually, I didn't mind, Mom, because I am hooked on that show, too.    The team in last place at that moment was the Harlem Globetrotters, and the other teams hoped they'd miss the bus they were on.  So the young lady in pink and everyone else were yelling at the bus driver, the man in yellow, to go, go go!  Very exciting!

Love,

Your Tiger King

P.S.  If you want to watch the show, you can do it here. 

Hello Mom!

This is day 2 at the coast, and I want to see a real tiger shark!  We all got ready for a walk, except Edelweiss who stayed in our room to make a list of places she’d like to visit.  I think England and Germany were high on her list, but I don’t remember … I was too excited to be off on my quest!

We drove around The Sea Ranch, which is a pretty sleepy place.  It’s a nice change from busy Sacramento.  Miss Kate did the driving and we looked out for the waves on the cement.  Those mean a trail starts there.  Can you see me on the trail post?  You may need to get your noses pretty close to the screen! 



Sapphire and I posed for a pic as we came out from the street to the bluff … but what you can’t see is that we’re holding onto that bush with all our might.  It was so windy!  We should’ve left earlier, as Miss Kate says every morning is still and the wind gets stronger as the day goes on, but DuDette insisted on our writing postcards first thing!  Oh, well!  A mouse in love … 



As we moseyed along the cliff, we found some lovely California poppies.  Down low it was a little less blustery. 



I asked Miss Kate if I could pick one and send it to you, but she said it’s not nice to pick California poppies – but maybe I can send you a post card with poppies.

Finally, we found the path down to the ocean.  I saw a caution sign but nothing about sharks …



hmmm Looking for fins … but all I saw was green.  That’s kelp.  Miss Kate said it’s healthy, which just made me want to eat a steak.  May I have meat at my welcome home party?  Please?



Miss Kate said this place is better for looking at the tide pools and that the tide was low, which is good.  Here I see a snail.  Miss Kate said Zoe would love that.  Huh?  Love it in what sense?  Wha?  Oh, I see.  Yuck.  Please see my comment above about the meat.  Thank you. 



Oh, well, I didn’t see a shark, but I saw a fish!  Can you see it?



It’s very well-camouflaged.  Can you see it now?  It’s looking right at me.



Well, the wind was getting to us, and this isn’t the best place for sharks (unless they’re vegetarian sharks who eat seaweed!), so we walked back up the path.  I love these ice plants.



We decided to walk along the trail and get to the road at a different point.  Group photo, group photo! 



That was it for now!  We just drove around and visited with Miss Kate’s friends and families.  But more photo ops tomorrow ………. 

Love,

Tiger King

Hello Mom and TV buddies!

We had to leave today, but first this seemed like a perfect cool breezy morning to enjoy the sun and the view.  The lounge chair was plenty big for all of us. 



We were looking at a book on TIME magazine photographers.  Interesting.  Whenever I was tired of the book, I could nap or look at the ocean.  It was peaceful.



After some snoozing and reading, we left Miss Kate to her book and decided to fool around in the yard.  We each found some ocean things that matched our colors.  I found a one that goes with my nose.



We found some more interesting white things.  What do you think they are?



Any guess?



Yes, of course!  They’re ribs!  To a whale! 



On our way down Highway 1, we stopped to take a photo of a huge patch of California poppies on the hillside.  And only one month ago, Miss Kate and DuDette said, there was only one poppy.



We also stopped just a minute before Jenner to take a picture of where the Russian River goes into the ocean.  There were seals on the beach, but I doubt you can see them in the photograph.




We left at 1:30 and got home to Sacramento at 7.  It was nice to take a lot of stops and look around, but we were pooped! 

Love you!  Say hi to my family and friends in Germany!

Shir Khan

Vanilla sent us such a cool card!  What a lucky bear! 

Hi Mom!

Finally, we’ve gone somewhere!  I think Miss Kate, too, was happy to get out. 

As you can see it was a very rainy Saturday, and our manes were drippy.  But it wasn’t cold. 

Miss Kate told Sapphire and me that Old Sacramento was where Sacramento was first built along the Sacramento River.  It was a good location after the Gold Rush of 1848 to build a store and do trading with all the miners that were coming to the area. 

We looked into some stores -- now they have souvenirs and candy, not ropes and gold pans -- and thought about going into Fat’s for lunch, but then decided to get something to go for later. 

That’s when we met the Sheriff and Deputy.  The Sheriff spoke German, Mom!  He talked to me and asked if the young woman I was with also spoke German.  Neither Miss Kate nor Sapphire understood any of our conversation.  He asked me if I had seen three cowboys that had been involved in a gunfight on Friday night.  I told him no, but I'm still not sure if he was kidding or if he was serious!    But all I really care about is he let me ride his gun.  That was a little scary and a lot of fun! 

I didn't realize until now that Sapphire doesn't know any German, yet she's leaving for Germany next week.  I need to teach her a few words fast! 

Then we heard a train coming!  Miss Kate and I had to grab Sapphire's leg to keep her from hopping on the train and, yes, completing a mission ... but getting lost in the process!  Silly girl!  You don't see me jumping onto a passing bakery truck just to learn how to bake a cake.    The primary mission of all toyvoyagers is to get home safely someday!!!!

Well, anyway, we stopped for some snacks at a restaurant called My Little Pita.  Sapphire and Miss Kate seemed strangely satisfied with vegetarian dolmas and tabouleh.  A pile of parsley, Mom.  A pile of parsley.  Very odd.  Mom, I would like a meat-themed birthday party this year.  Thank you.     

I felt a little better that we ordered a crab and shrimp louis salad to go at Fat’s.  Frank Fat is famous in Sacramento.  He was an immigrant from China in 1919, an illegal one and only 16 years old, too, and started a restaurant here in 1939.  Miss Kate explained that it was close to the capitol, and politicians would go there and could order anything they wanted from Americanized Chinese food to their American favorites, and Frank Fat could keep a secret.  Now their family has 5 restaurants.  He is a big success story!

That was fun.  I felt like we went back to the old west.  I felt rough and tough and was ready for a nap.   

I miss you all in Germany!

Love,
Shir Khan

Time for your lesson, Sapphire!  Guten Tag.  Repeat, Guten Tag.   

Sapphire is safely off to Germany with a few important phrases and a love of adventure.

Miss Kate was feeling down for some reason today, so I asked her to sit with me on the sofa, bring her laptop and look at the nice photos by the nice people of her nice toyvoyagers. 

I think the rocks Aslan spied are amazing.  You can see how beautiful they must be in person.  Miss Kate showed me some stickers she has of the Grand Teton mountains, and it looks like they were dropped in the water off the coast of Harbour Grace. 



Maybe it’s the beauty of St. Nikolai or Clyde’s mention of a restaurant that serves mostly meat and ham, but I just had to give that horse an Eskimo kiss!



I am joining Edelweiss, PinkyHH and _Mishuta_ on the college grounds.  So relaxing!  And do I look smarter?  I think I do!  I think I look like I’ve been studying all day!



Jack the cat and I agree that those kids are fantastic chefs!  Or are they hamtastic chefs!



Now I am the model, Vanilla!  Aren’t I handsome?  Hamsome?  (Sorry!  That doesn’t make any sense, but it made Miss Kate smile .) 


I love a picnic on the beach and am not afraid of dragons!  Miss Kate shouldn't be afraid of them either!  And neither should you! 

Your wise wise Tiger King,

Shir Khan

A new toyvoyager has arrived!  Pipps from the Netherlands!  She is really good at hugging ................. 

It's been busy busy busy around here!  Miss Kate threw a few bags and Pipps, Peach the Pooch and me in the car where Zarafeh was waiting eagerly for us. 

We headed out westward toward San Francisco.  Such a pretty Sunday!  You can see the California rolling hills are going from green to summer brown (or golden  ).

In the third to last pic are the hills that divide the dry Sacramento valley from the San Francisco Bay Area.  Miss Kate says this is where during the summer she always suddenly regrets wearing shorts to see her friends in the Bay Area. 

In Vallejo we took 37 northwest, looping around the north side of the Bay Area.  You can see we are on top of the hills looking down on the Bay Area.

Smooth driving!  Not much traffic.  Ocean here we come!  I wonder if I'll see a shark this time? 

Hey Mom!

Me again!  Well, we hit Highway 101 and headed north but quickly stopped for a Starbucks break.  Miss Kate grumbled about wishing it was a Peet's, but I don't know what she's talking about.  If she wants good coffee, she should drive a little farther ... maybe Germany?? 

We took a break in Valley Ford.  Yes, we're closer to the coast, and the air is already so nice and fresh.  We found a nice place with art and exotic California oils.  Also, do you like the cool bird houses?  There are lots of artists and artisans in these coastal towns.  I really like the bird house with the Ritz cracker tin lid roof.

Cherries!  Yum!

Love,
Shir Khan

Hi Mom!

It's video time!  Would you and our family like to watch a little bit about Bodega Bay, the town I've visited TWICE?    Here is the video.  While in Bodega Bay, we stopped at the Surf Shack.  Miss Kate bought a couple of things for a Dutch woman in Postcrossing Forum.  While she was shopping, we were checking out the surfboards.  But she just could not make up her mind and we didn't have all day ... a wooden postcard shaped like a surf board or a handmade surfboard key chain ... a Surf Shack bumper sticker or a Bodega Bay magnet?  We helped her make the right decision.    Look at those two guys in the store.  The beard and the long blond hair ... don't they look just like surfer dudes?    They're cute but also brave for possibly facing the tigers of the ocean.

We got to The Sea Ranch pretty early.  The view out our bedroom window was lovely.  It is so relaxing here.  And much cooler than Sacramento.

Love,

Shir Khan

Hi everyone!  Hi Mom! 

I hope you’re enjoying your holiday!  I sure am enjoying mine! 
Here I am taking a walk with Pipps, Peach the Pooch and Miss Kate and enjoying the moon and the ocean.






Look at the fog bank!  I am so glad the fog is staying far away from us.  I wonder what keeps it away?



After our lovely walk, we went to see Miss Kate’s family in Gualala and played Skip-Bo.  Have you played, Mom?  The goal is to get rid of your stack of cards by putting them in order on the stacks in the middle.  It’s a nice slow game, and it doesn’t require perfect English … so I loved it! 




That was fun.  I enjoyed seeing those nice people again.

Love you!

Shir Khan

Hi Mom,

Miss Kate is determined to get a nice sunset picture for us.  Well, especially for Pipps.  Do you like any of these, Mom?  Believe me, it looked beautiful.  And much less fog tonight. 





Awww there goes the sun …



But, wait, we turned around and the sky is so pretty still.  The road you see there is Highway 1.  We’re between The Sea Ranch and Gualala.



Good night!

Love,

Shir Khan

Hi Mom,

I want to introduce you to a few friends.  Here is Gypsy Rose. 



Isn’t she darned pretty?  I think I am the first tiger she’s ever seen.  At least that’s what I’m seeing in her eyes. 



I would also like you to meet Luna.



And you can also see Miss Kate’s dear cousin’s hand.  She is always very helpful, willing to give a hand.  haha 



I am glad she held onto me because it was super windy. 



The views were beautiful, but it was a bit cold.  So Peach the Pooch, Pipps and I spent the evening writing cards. 



Too bad we’re leaving tomorrow ... So soon …

~SK