Neon Green Hills, Turquoise Blue Water And Elephant Seals

...Continued from yesterday:

    The following morning we discovered a cute little café in town for breakfast.

    Unfortunately it was a weence too chilly to sit outside on the terrace, the weather being sunny but in the mid-forties, ​

     ...but it was nice inside as well.

     The food was great. Romaine ordered a vegetable Panini,

...while I had a yummy spinach and vegetable crepe topped with an egg and home fries.

    Our server was very friendly and sociable, and when we asked her if she had any recommendations as to what sights we should see in the area she suggested that we visit the town of Cambria and go see the herds of elephant seals along the beach. This we decided we'd do.
      However our first destination for the day was Avila Beach, one of the many beach towns along the Central Coast.
        And so we drove 26 miles south on highway 101 from Atascadero to Avila Beach,

...through more beautiful hills in various shades of green, deep hunter,

​...offset by deep  emerald.

    When we arrived at Avila Beach we walked down to the beach,

...then all around the beach.

  Then we walked inland from the beach and around the neighborhood, which kind of reminded me of some of the little neighborhoods I saw a few years ago when I was in Hawaii on the island of Kauai.

​    After Avila Beach we headed about 40 miles north up California Highway 1 to Cambria to see the elephant seals on the nearby beaches,

...stopping first in town for lunch at a quaint little place we found called The Café on Bridge Street,

​...which appeared to be an old house re-purposed as a restaurant.

​    In any case, the place was enchanting, both inside,

​...and outside.

     Our sandwiches were huge. Romaine had a tasty  veggie sandwich,

...and I had a delicious portobello burger.

      After lunch while Romaine took Lucy for a walk I took a stroll up and down the street,

     This street also reminded me a little of a street I saw in Kauai in the town of Hanapepe.

    Hanapepe, Kauai

​Cambria, California

     In the course of my strolling I  came across a little bakery which I decided to check out,

...and mahaps sample some of the yummy-looking wares.

​     I settled for a vanilla iced cookie and an ollalieberry (apparently a local berry) muffin from the day-old bin, both of which were nonetheless delicious.

     Next we headed out to the highway,

...that took us to the beach,

​...of the elephant seals.

​     Romaine and I wondered if after a long day of lolling on the beach  the elephant seals are just exhausted,

​...and can't wait to go to sleep.

​  After we saw the elephant seals we walked a little farther along the beautiful beach,

    Then we headed back to Atascadero, along the way the hills changing color from bright green,

...to bright neon green.

    To be continued...