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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
nature has so much for us in store :)
ReplyDeleteQuite true. There are so many places that just takes your breath away.
Deletewonderful photography!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ashok for the kind words. Appreciate it :)
DeleteAmazing clicks
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by :)
Deletebeautiful scenery.. and lovely images!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myunfinishedlife.com
Thanks for the kind words :)
DeleteHi...These are so wonderful photos !!
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are no. 1 + 4 ... Great captures !
Greetings
Thank you Timur for the kind words. Nice of you to stop by.
DeleteBeautiful scenery and that tree is just stunning. Wonderful images.. a delight for the eyes.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your lovely comment. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteNature is always beautiful until humans deface the beauty
ReplyDeleteThanks Loky. Nature is quite beautiful indeed :)
DeleteGreat 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.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and leaving constructive feedback. Will try to rework on the picture and see if it can be further developed.
DeleteBeautifully captured!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :)
Deletethis is some capture beyond amazing ... looks like God has himself canvased them .. I am stunned to see the beauty of the captures !! Awesome !
ReplyDeleteThat's high praise which I am not really entitled to. Thanks for spending sometime on my blog.
DeleteCaptivating snaps and good narratives!
ReplyDeleteThe 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.
Thank you for the kind words. Good to know you enjoyed the post :)
Deletelovely pics and simple narrative
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and leaving a nice comment :)
DeleteBeautiful trip to one of the most scenic places
ReplyDeleteThank you Sallie for stopping by. I enjoyed the trip a lot.
DeleteWe 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!
ReplyDeleteI think so too :)
DeleteIts breath taking. I got to visit the place :)...
ReplyDeleteYou sure can plan a trip. It's a nice drive.
DeleteWow, beautiful picturesque! The places look good in your pictures.
ReplyDeleteawesome post.
http://travelagent-india.blogspot.com/
Beautiful view
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by :)
DeleteYou 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.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very beautiful coastline. And despite being not so pacific, it is indeed quite gorgeous. Thanks for dropping by.
DeleteThank 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.
ReplyDeleteMy trip was wonderful. It really is a spectacular stretch. Thanks for dropping by.
Deletebeautiful photos...
ReplyDeletethanks
Loved the sea green intermingled with grey waters. Lovely captures. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteI have been lucky most of my life. And some of that extends to my photography as well :)
DeleteThanks for dropping by.
Thanks for visiting my blog! Following you now! :) Kisses from VV!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked my blog. Have a good week!
DeleteExcellent scenery. Stone, sea and ancient trees. A good combination. Impressive shots.
ReplyDeleteThe whole drive is quite scenic. Lots of photo ops. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteBeautiful!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gary for the kind words.
Deleteall the photographs are breath taking and that celebrity tree is awesome.
ReplyDeleteThank you Vandana for the kind words. Happy you liked the pictures.
DeleteBeautiful shots, especially of the lone cypress. You really did it justice.
ReplyDeleteI tried my best. Glad you liked the result. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWonderful shots of a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and leaving a nice comment :)
DeleteI love the third and fourth pictures. Did you touch them to get any effects, do you do that generally?
ReplyDeleteDestination Infinity
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.
DeleteBeautiful images of the Cypress tree.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bob for the kind comment.
DeleteThese trees are amazing! They also did a really god job of hiding those cables!
ReplyDeleteYes. The cables are not easily visible unless someone is specifically looking for them. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteVery pretty photos. We were in that part of the world a few weeks ago but didn't get to the famous 17 mile drive.
ReplyDeleteYou 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 :)
DeleteYes, Beautiful pictures, magnificent scenery with beautiful rocks and trees!
ReplyDeleteThan you for the kind words. It's a beautiful place indeed.
DeleteHi, thanks for your visit anf kind commits, and from an Hi Tech man also.
ReplyDeleteLove your pics and glad your reunion went well with lots to chat about from the past.
Appreciate you stopping by and leaving a kind comment. My trip was amazing and I did have a great time.
Deletewow, that´s a breathtaking coastline. A great place for a photographer I imagine. :)
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with you. A photographer's delight, most of the west coast I should say.
DeleteWhat fun it must have been to meet up with a dear friend, and take in these gorgeous sights.
ReplyDeleteYour photographs are truly beautiful.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!
Yes. It was good fun. Thanks for your kind wishes.
DeleteYou got a lot of really nice pictures. It's nice that you got to meet with your friend and see a place you enjoy. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind comment :)
DeleteYou must had have a great time with your old mate! Photographs are too good :-)
ReplyDeleteYes. We had a good time meeting after such a long time. Thanks for stopping by.
Deleteoh, these are gorgeous! i can see why that tree is the most photographed. you did it justice!
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your kind comment.
DeleteNice shots - especially your last one of the rocky shoreline. Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words.
DeleteThe 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.
ReplyDeleteThe scenery is quite breathtaking. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteVery 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!!
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely try to get some time for sightseeing in the area. Will be worthwhile.
DeleteAwesome photos... I have always wanted to visit that area of California --but have never gotten there. SO Gorgeous!!!!! Thanks for sharing your photos.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
It is a beautiful coastline though quite rough. You should plan a visit. Thanks for stopping by :)
DeleteSuch beautiful scenery. I love the California coast.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite beautiful although the sea is not as serene in Miami.
DeleteHow 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.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your clever closing sentence. Yeah, the Pacific can be far from pacific.
For that matter even I didn't know of that until my San Jose visit :)
DeleteIts 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.
AAh..what pics! a picture speaks more that a thousand words
ReplyDeleteTrue indeed. Not sure if the pictures I click do, but a picture can be more expressive than words. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteBreath taking sights!
ReplyDeleteThank you Indrani for stopping by and leaving a nice comment.
DeleteNice set of pictures - are some of the image high definition?
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne:
PS: ankle will keep me off rough ground for at least another two weeks - sad face!
Yes, the light wasn't that great. So tried bracketing shots and later created HDRs for a few of them.
DeleteSorry 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 :)
I have a pic of that tree too taken more than twenty years ago! It still looks the same!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous captures as always, Ramakant!
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 :)
DeleteWow, awesome, photography... New follower from meghanahassan.blogspot.in
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed your visit here. Hope to see you more often.
Deletei would love to take that drive with or without my camera.. the last 3 are awesome..
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing drive for sure. Try it out sometime if you are in the area. Glad you liked the pictures.
DeleteThe landscape is quite incredible. Thank you for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteCool shots! pleasing the heart.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the pictures. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteWow your photos are truly amazing and that view is breathtaking. I would love to see this through my camera lens. Wonderful post. B
ReplyDeleteI wish you get to visit soon and see this wonderful view through your own lens :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by.
Beautiful pictures! I visited San Jose years ago, but I didn't see the tree! A reason to go back...
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. Worth a second visit :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by.
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!!
ReplyDeleteI 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.
DeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI 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
Thank you for the rich compliments. I am still learning the art, picking up the finer nuances. Nice to have you visit my blog.
DeleteVery beautiful pictures..!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, brilliantly composed. I like that tree shots.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rajesh for the compliment. Glad you liked the pictures.
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the high praise. Glad you enjoyed your visit here :)
DeleteI'd love to see that scenery for myself. ;)
ReplyDeleteI 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 :)
DeleteGorgeous shots! I thoroughly enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment. I am glad you enjoyed your visit here. Hope to see you more often.
DeleteThose trees are absolutely amazing! You got some very beautiful shots of California!
ReplyDeleteI agree, they are quite amazing. Thank you for stopping by and taking time to leave a nice comment.
DeleteThis is real beauty, thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI am glad you liked the pictures. Hope you enjoy all your visits here :)
DeleteI LOVE the lone cypress. Beautiful shot!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteMagnificas imagenes...un abrazo desde Murcia..
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Glad you liked the pictures.
DeleteWow! Beautiful pictures, the one with yellow flowers is a beauty?
ReplyDeleteIts a dream for me too do to Leh on a bullet, Lets see.......
I hope you fulfill your dream soon and share some nice pictures in your blog on the side. Thanks for the compliment.
DeleteThat most photographed tree is very photogenic.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it is. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteSounds like you had a wonderful visit with friends in California. Beautiful images, I especially love the Lone Cypress!
ReplyDeleteMy visit was nice. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a nice comment.
DeleteBeautiful pics.Enjoyed reading your post, especially the about the lone Cypress.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed your visit to my blog. Thanks for leaving a nice comment.
DeleteFabulous shots with nice narration.................
ReplyDeleteYou may also find Kenfolios interesting......
Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed your visit to my blog.
DeleteGood write up. The trees around the place in the 17 mile drive are also fascinating. Am in San Jose right now.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to visit the place. It is a very nice drive with lots of beautiful scenic views.
DeleteWest Coast has amazing drives. I am planning a trip, lets see when that happens. Gorgeous shots!
ReplyDeleteI wish you visit there soon and have a fantastic trip. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteLoved the tree. Nice shots.
ReplyDeletewww.volatilespirits.com
Thank you the kind words :)
Deletethose trees are really interesting :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by :)
DeleteLove the trees!
ReplyDeleteAmazing shots Ramakant!
Thank you Celia. Appreciate you kind comments :)
DeleteGorgeous, the moody skies and water and tree shapes are incredible!
ReplyDeleteProvides quite a few perspectives for photographers. Thanks for stopping by.
Deleteamazing photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you Adriana :)
DeleteBeautiful 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.
ReplyDeleteIt 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 :)
DeleteThank you :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Ashwini. Appreciate your stopping by and taking time to leave a nice comment.
ReplyDelete