We were a day or two into our trip when I realized that one of the cameras was still on Okinawa time and changed it, with the result being that the picture files are all scrambled. I flipped through briefly, trying to put them in order, and then decided that it was more of a puzzle than I cared to tackle. So you’ll be seeing the pictures more-or-less as they pop up, without any chronological certainty regarding day or time of day. We were only there Thursday through Sunday, regardless of how it may appear, and we really had a nice, relaxing time.
Small, independent hotels always seem to be either much nicer than the chains or just a little scary; this one was definitely nice, very well-appointed and clean. It was also right next to the island’s only grocery store (just visible on the far right of the second picture), which was convenient for snacks and cheap lunches. Also, you’ll note the golf carts on the street—there is a restriction on the number of cars allowed on the island so golf carts are the way to go!
Avalon Harbor, unsurprisingly, is well-stocked with both yachts and fishing boats.
Wikipedia tells me that the town of Avalon, the only incorporated town on the island, has a total area of 3 square miles and boasts a population of just over 3,000. I’m sure the area where we spent most of our time couldn’t have been more than a single square mile; you could easily walk the whole thing, even with kids in tow. So it was easy enough to saunter down to the Casino (which, by the way, does not involve gambling), snap a picture or two and spend some time
monkey-ing around, before heading out to do whatever else you had planned.
Like ice cream. We always plan on ice cream. The scent of freshly-made waffle cones wafting out of this place was irresistible, and a sprinkling of mint from the bush growing outside took my cone to a whole new level of deliciousness!
Oh yes, the buffalo! So, years ago (think silent picture era) they were making a movie on Catalina that involved a scene with a small herd of buffalo. They brought about 15 of them over and then decided it was too much trouble/expense to bring them home again, so they left them there. The buffalo, of course, multiplied and sometime in the 80’s they shipped 800 of them back to a Native American reservation in South Dakota, leaving 150 or so still running around the island. We didn’t get to see any of the actual buffalo, as they don’t tend to frequent the tourist areas, but the kids got a ride on this statue next to the ice cream parlor.
This was honestly one of the best, most original and challenging, mini-golf courses I’ve ever played.
I’m afraid Naomi didn’t really appreciate the game, however, and eventually decided to practice her photography skills instead. Yep, both of these shots are hers.
The photographer and, oh let’s pretend he’s the golf champ. (We didn’t keep score.)
LOVE adventuring with you and the family! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteLove, Mom