Ever since arriving in Yosemite National Park, Kitty has
been very busy. She has taken it upon
herself to be the watch cat for bears.
Bear safety is a huge concern in the park, and proper food storage is
strongly enforced here, particularly around the campgrounds. Kitty has been on high alert and can’t seem
to settle down for her usual naps. Alas,
Tim and I haven’t seen any bears yet, only a few deer. Wildlife sightings have been scarce, at least
to the folks we’ve spoken to.
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I Really Need a Nap |
We took the shuttle to the visitor center this morning to
check out the exhibits and get my passport stamp. To reduce traffic and pollution in Yosemite
Valley, the National Park Service operates a free shuttle that runs every ten
to twenty minutes. Most of the buses are
electric/diesel hybrids. How nice to
just park the RV and leave the driving to someone else.
Following our exceptional dinner at the Ahwahnee last
night, we made reservations to return for lunch today. We had another memorable meal, with both of
us enjoying the chicken and pasta entrees.
Then there was dessert (there always seems to be dessert!). The pistachio gelato was some of the best I’ve
ever had.
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Pistachio Gelato with a Marble Cookie Tuile |
We had time to explore the public spaces at the Ahwahnee
today and wander around the grounds. The
Ahwahnee opened its doors in 1927 and was built at the urging of Stephen T.
Mather, the first director of the National Park Service. Mather aggressively promoted the national
parks and felt that a world-class hotel would attract people of influence and
money. Mather believed that if these
people could appreciate Yosemite in its natural state they would be moved to
obtain support and funding for his new agency.
The hotel, designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood, is an
outstanding example of National Park Service rustic architecture and harmonizes
beautifully with its setting. Grand
public spaces include the dining room and a lounge that features walk-in
fireplaces at each end.
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The Ahwahnee Is a National Historic Landmark |
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The Grand Lounge |
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The Mural Room |
My only disappointment in traveling with Kitty is that we
cannot spend the night at national park lodges.
I love the history and architecture of these lodges and have stayed at
many of them in the past. It would have
been nice to share old favorites with Tim and to experience new ones. But I can’t have everything and have to admit
that I’ve really enjoyed camping in the parks.
We continued our exploration of the park after lunch and visited
the Yosemite Museum, which is devoted to the park’s Native American
heritage. The design and size of some of
the woven baskets on display was remarkable.
We met with the park’s museum registrar, and she and Tim compared
notes. Tim also ran into one of his
former interns, who now works at Yosemite.
It’s a small world in the National Park Service.
We ended our day with a hike to Yosemite Falls, one of
the iconic waterfalls in the park and the tallest waterfall in North America. There is an upper and lower fall, and both were
flowing furiously today. Spring is the perfect
time of year to view the falls, as most will be dry by summer. People can’t seem to resist crawling around
the boulders at the base of the falls, and in the snow that is still on the ground. Let’s hope there won’t be any accidents today.
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Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls |
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Sarah and Tim at Lower Yosemite Falls |
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Lower Yosemite Fall |
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Upper Yosemite Fall |
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Half Dome |
I didn't realize how big the falls were until I saw the itty bitty people at the bottom of the picture! :-) Thanks for the explanation of the hotel. That's on my bucket list now. LV
ReplyDeleteLV, Yes, the falls are really tall! You can see them from almost every place in the valley. I hope you get to visit Yosemite and the Ahwahnee in the near future. If you have a choice, early to mid-May is a great time to come. Sarah
DeleteI am glad Kitty was on the look out for you. How beautiful the falls are. Also the food looks good too. Love A
ReplyDeleteA, Kitty takes her job very seriously! And yes, the food was almost as beautiful as the falls. Sarah
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