Sunday, July 21, 2013

San Jose - Pilgrimage to the Mecca of High-Tech


Point_Lobos_17_Mile_Drive

Being a part of the Information Technology bandwagon, I have always been fascinated by Silicon Valley, the leading hub for all high-tech innovation and development. So when my friend Sandy moved to San Jose for a few days, I needed no further excuse and immediately planned a weekend visit.

Yellow_Flowers_Monterey_Cannery_Row_California

Landing at San Jose airport, I met my engineering room-mate after almost 3 years. We had loads to catch up. Had a fantastic time refreshing college memories…Rourkela days, ragging, Checkpost, Backpost, Sector 2, NAC Market, Ambagan, Radhika, Madhuban, JAM, Thunder, Hexagon…

Pacific_Coast_turbulent_17_Mile_Drive

Renting a car, four of us - Sandy, two of his colleagues and I, set out to explore some of the attractions within 100 miles. The most breathtaking of them was the 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula in California. The road hugs the Pacific coastline for the most past and passes through famous golf courses, sprawling mansions and scenic attractions.

The_Lone_Cypress_Pebble_Beach_17_Mile_Drive

We stopped by at the Lone Cypress, next to a very beautiful golf course. The most photographed tree in North America, a Western icon, it stands on a granite hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This tree is to the Monterey Peninsula what the pyramids are to Egypt, what Eiffel Tower is to Paris. A 250 years old legacy, the cypress has been scarred by fire and for the last 65 years, it has been held in place by half-hidden steel cables.

Monterey_Cypress_Pebble_Beach_17_Mile_Drive

As a species the Monterey Cypress grows naturally in no place on Earth but around Pebble Beach and Point Lobos making it a rarity. We spent some time in the 5300 acre Del Monte Forest of Monterey Cypress trees before proceeding to Pebble Beach Golf Links, Bird Rock and McAbee Beach. The drive did clarify one thing for me; the Pacific Ocean is not so pacific after all.

Pacific_Coast_Rockey_Shoreline_17_Mile_Drive

154 comments:

  1. nature has so much for us in store :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quite true. There are so many places that just takes your breath away.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Thank you Ashok for the kind words. Appreciate it :)

      Delete
  3. beautiful scenery.. and lovely images!!

    http://www.myunfinishedlife.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi...These are so wonderful photos !!

    My favorites are no. 1 + 4 ... Great captures !

    Greetings

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Timur for the kind words. Nice of you to stop by.

      Delete
  5. Beautiful scenery and that tree is just stunning. Wonderful images.. a delight for the eyes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Appreciate your lovely comment. Thanks for dropping by.

      Delete
  6. Nature is always beautiful until humans deface the beauty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Loky. Nature is quite beautiful indeed :)

      Delete
  7. Great photography...development needs extending to emphasize the images in the sea at the base of the cliff and near horizon. The images in the trees and the air between the limbs. The large image of a woman's face encompass'es the tree. I am not criticising, far from it. You have captured the essence of the Veda's and i think you might wish to develope it more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by and leaving constructive feedback. Will try to rework on the picture and see if it can be further developed.

      Delete
  8. this is some capture beyond amazing ... looks like God has himself canvased them .. I am stunned to see the beauty of the captures !! Awesome !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's high praise which I am not really entitled to. Thanks for spending sometime on my blog.

      Delete
  9. Captivating snaps and good narratives!

    The photos in your posts are a feast for the eyes and the texts have a telling effect.

    Good to know that your old friend from Rourkela is also there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the kind words. Good to know you enjoyed the post :)

      Delete
  10. Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a nice comment :)

      Delete
  11. Beautiful trip to one of the most scenic places

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sallie for stopping by. I enjoyed the trip a lot.

      Delete
  12. We spent most of our life near the Pacific Coast and after our first visit to the "other" coast, I said I thought they got the names mixed up!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Its breath taking. I got to visit the place :)...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, beautiful picturesque! The places look good in your pictures.
    awesome post.
    http://travelagent-india.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  15. You visited one of the more beautiful stretches of the California coastline. The "Pacific" is rarely that, but it is nonetheless a vast and beautiful ocean - and gorgeous where it meets the shore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a very beautiful coastline. And despite being not so pacific, it is indeed quite gorgeous. Thanks for dropping by.

      Delete
  16. Thank you for stopping by our blog. You are obviously a talented photographer. My parents used to live in that area - actually the Central Valley - but I've spent some wonderful times on the Monterrey Peninsula, and the scenery is spectacular. Sounds like a great trip with you friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My trip was wonderful. It really is a spectacular stretch. Thanks for dropping by.

      Delete
  17. Loved the sea green intermingled with grey waters. Lovely captures. Lucky you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been lucky most of my life. And some of that extends to my photography as well :)

      Thanks for dropping by.

      Delete
  18. Thanks for visiting my blog! Following you now! :) Kisses from VV!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Excellent scenery. Stone, sea and ancient trees. A good combination. Impressive shots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The whole drive is quite scenic. Lots of photo ops. Thank you for stopping by.

      Delete
  20. Beautiful!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  21. all the photographs are breath taking and that celebrity tree is awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Vandana for the kind words. Happy you liked the pictures.

      Delete
  22. Beautiful shots, especially of the lone cypress. You really did it justice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tried my best. Glad you liked the result. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  23. Wonderful shots of a beautiful place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a nice comment :)

      Delete
  24. I love the third and fourth pictures. Did you touch them to get any effects, do you do that generally?

    Destination Infinity

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 3 of the last 4 are HDRs. I normally do a little touchup to correct the contract and exposure. HDR is something new for me. I have tried it out when its difficult to get a good result with a single exposure like in the case of the lonely cypress above. Due to overcast conditions, the image was quite flat and uninteresting. So too separate exposures for the sky, sea and tree and later merged them.

      Delete
  25. Beautiful images of the Cypress tree.

    ReplyDelete
  26. These trees are amazing! They also did a really god job of hiding those cables!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. The cables are not easily visible unless someone is specifically looking for them. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  27. Very pretty photos. We were in that part of the world a few weeks ago but didn't get to the famous 17 mile drive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You missed a good photo opportunity but I guess there's a multitude of superb places on the west coast to whet a photographer's appetite. I am sure I will see some superb pictures from your trip soon :)

      Delete
  28. Yes, Beautiful pictures, magnificent scenery with beautiful rocks and trees!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Than you for the kind words. It's a beautiful place indeed.

      Delete
  29. Hi, thanks for your visit anf kind commits, and from an Hi Tech man also.
    Love your pics and glad your reunion went well with lots to chat about from the past.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Appreciate you stopping by and leaving a kind comment. My trip was amazing and I did have a great time.

      Delete
  30. wow, that´s a breathtaking coastline. A great place for a photographer I imagine. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Completely agree with you. A photographer's delight, most of the west coast I should say.

      Delete
  31. What fun it must have been to meet up with a dear friend, and take in these gorgeous sights.
    Your photographs are truly beautiful.
    Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. It was good fun. Thanks for your kind wishes.

      Delete
  32. You got a lot of really nice pictures. It's nice that you got to meet with your friend and see a place you enjoy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. You must had have a great time with your old mate! Photographs are too good :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. We had a good time meeting after such a long time. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  34. oh, these are gorgeous! i can see why that tree is the most photographed. you did it justice!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Nice shots - especially your last one of the rocky shoreline. Thanks for visiting my blog!

    ReplyDelete
  36. The scenery is gorgeous and your photos are beautiful. I'm glad you had the opportunity to visit Silicon Valley, and I hope you have more photos to share with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The scenery is quite breathtaking. Thank you for stopping by.

      Delete
  37. Very nice, I'll have to remember this if I get to visit San Jose and get some time to sight-see. They Cyprus are very cool!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should definitely try to get some time for sightseeing in the area. Will be worthwhile.

      Delete
  38. Awesome photos... I have always wanted to visit that area of California --but have never gotten there. SO Gorgeous!!!!! Thanks for sharing your photos.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a beautiful coastline though quite rough. You should plan a visit. Thanks for stopping by :)

      Delete
  39. Such beautiful scenery. I love the California coast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is quite beautiful although the sea is not as serene in Miami.

      Delete
  40. How about that? The most photographed tree on the continent, and I think that's the first time I saw a picture of it. Now that I've seen it (thank you!) I can understand what it's a favorite photo subject. Very dramartic-looking. Interesting info about the Monterey cypress, too.

    And I love your clever closing sentence. Yeah, the Pacific can be far from pacific.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For that matter even I didn't know of that until my San Jose visit :)

      Its iconic status is quite deserved, I though. It seems there used to be another cypress in the area that was quite famous but went down in a cyclone.

      Delete
  41. AAh..what pics! a picture speaks more that a thousand words

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True indeed. Not sure if the pictures I click do, but a picture can be more expressive than words. Thank you for stopping by.

      Delete
  42. Replies
    1. Thank you Indrani for stopping by and leaving a nice comment.

      Delete
  43. Nice set of pictures - are some of the image high definition?

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne:

    PS: ankle will keep me off rough ground for at least another two weeks - sad face!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the light wasn't that great. So tried bracketing shots and later created HDRs for a few of them.

      Sorry to hear the ankle is still out of action. But on the brighter side, you will be able to show us some more from your archives :)

      Delete
  44. I have a pic of that tree too taken more than twenty years ago! It still looks the same!

    Gorgeous captures as always, Ramakant!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's nice. It would be fun comparing it 20 years apart and trying to identify the differences. Thanks for stopping by and appreciating the post :)

      Delete
  45. Wow, awesome, photography... New follower from meghanahassan.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad you enjoyed your visit here. Hope to see you more often.

      Delete
  46. i would love to take that drive with or without my camera.. the last 3 are awesome..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's an amazing drive for sure. Try it out sometime if you are in the area. Glad you liked the pictures.

      Delete
  47. The landscape is quite incredible. Thank you for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Cool shots! pleasing the heart.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you liked the pictures. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  49. Wow your photos are truly amazing and that view is breathtaking. I would love to see this through my camera lens. Wonderful post. B

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you get to visit soon and see this wonderful view through your own lens :)

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  50. Beautiful pictures! I visited San Jose years ago, but I didn't see the tree! A reason to go back...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely. Worth a second visit :)

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  51. i live on the atlantic ocean, i had no idea the pacific had so many rock formations!! a beautiful place, the cypress tree was my favorite view!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been to the Atlantic coast on a few occasions. This was my first visit to the Pacific coast. Both are so different. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  52. Hello!
    I admire your every perfect shot.
    You are a magnificent photographer.
    Thank you for visiting.
    I hope that you will visit me.
    Greetings from Polish far.
    Lucia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the rich compliments. I am still learning the art, picking up the finer nuances. Nice to have you visit my blog.

      Delete
  53. Great shots, brilliantly composed. I like that tree shots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rajesh for the compliment. Glad you liked the pictures.

      Delete
  54. Absolutely beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the high praise. Glad you enjoyed your visit here :)

      Delete
  55. I'd love to see that scenery for myself. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you get to see it soon in person. Do share the pictures on your blog so that we can also enjoy the trip with you :)

      Delete
  56. Gorgeous shots! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the compliment. I am glad you enjoyed your visit here. Hope to see you more often.

      Delete
  57. Those trees are absolutely amazing! You got some very beautiful shots of California!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, they are quite amazing. Thank you for stopping by and taking time to leave a nice comment.

      Delete
  58. This is real beauty, thank you for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad you liked the pictures. Hope you enjoy all your visits here :)

      Delete
  59. I LOVE the lone cypress. Beautiful shot!!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Magnificas imagenes...un abrazo desde Murcia..

    ReplyDelete
  61. Wow! Beautiful pictures, the one with yellow flowers is a beauty?
    Its a dream for me too do to Leh on a bullet, Lets see.......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you fulfill your dream soon and share some nice pictures in your blog on the side. Thanks for the compliment.

      Delete
  62. That most photographed tree is very photogenic.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Sounds like you had a wonderful visit with friends in California. Beautiful images, I especially love the Lone Cypress!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My visit was nice. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a nice comment.

      Delete
  64. Beautiful pics.Enjoyed reading your post, especially the about the lone Cypress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad you enjoyed your visit to my blog. Thanks for leaving a nice comment.

      Delete
  65. Fabulous shots with nice narration.................


    You may also find Kenfolios interesting......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed your visit to my blog.

      Delete
  66. Good write up. The trees around the place in the 17 mile drive are also fascinating. Am in San Jose right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you get a chance to visit the place. It is a very nice drive with lots of beautiful scenic views.

      Delete
  67. West Coast has amazing drives. I am planning a trip, lets see when that happens. Gorgeous shots!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you visit there soon and have a fantastic trip. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  68. Loved the tree. Nice shots.

    www.volatilespirits.com

    ReplyDelete
  69. Love the trees!
    Amazing shots Ramakant!

    ReplyDelete
  70. Gorgeous, the moody skies and water and tree shapes are incredible!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Provides quite a few perspectives for photographers. Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  71. Beautiful pacific ocean. Brought back memories of our drive there. Of course whenever, I see the pictures taken by us there, which is quite often, I am back in that mesmerising place reliving every moment again and again in my mind. Beautiful pictures. Often times I feel I must be living there, not here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is indeed a very beautiful place. The drive is wonderful with lots of scenic views on the way. Nice to be able to reminisce the trip though pictures. Hope some good memories were triggered by the pictures in this post :)

      Delete
  72. Thank you Ashwini. Appreciate your stopping by and taking time to leave a nice comment.

    ReplyDelete

I really appreciate all your comments and feedback. Due to increase in spam, comment moderation has been enabled. Any inconvenience is regretted.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 
Creative Commons License
Tryst with the Shutter Bug by Ramakant Pradhan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.