Skip to main content

California - Day 8

Soniya and Amol came to pick us up around 8 and we started driving towards Clearlake, our first stop was Jelly Belly Factory. Kids enjoyed it a lot, factory tour, games and smelling different flavors.







We picked lunch from there went to Napa valley Winery where we had booking. The tasting was 90mins and kids were not allowed so skipped it and went to a park. Park was beautiful with rose garden and kids play area, picnic tables. Best part was we got mexican fruit stall, we got lots of cut fruit and especially mangonada! Spicy mango. We sat, ate and chatted, it was a nice break.

Next stop was Napa valley sign, the drive through Napa valley was very nice. The next towns were happening and cute. We stopped in a ice cream shop, ice cream was pretty good!!






Amol got figs for me from their garden. I savored many of those for 2 days

We reached Cleanlake and stunned to see the amazing house, its views and yard full of walnut, plum trees. There was lavender everywhere.

We went for walk on hill while Soniya was cooking yummy mushroom masala and palak daal. We watched sunset, it was very clear and came back home. Ate dinner and decided to sleep outside on deck. Weather was perfect!

Day 9

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Canadian Rockies - Day 1 - Waking Up to the Magic of Canmore and the Rockies

After a late-night arrival at around 2 AM, we finally woke up to our first morning in the Canadian Rockies - and what a surprise it was! Since we had reached in the dark, we had no idea what surrounded us. When I stepped out onto the balcony, I was greeted by a breathtaking view - majestic mountains all around, their peaks kissed by the early morning light. It was one of those moments that instantly fills you with gratitude and excitement for the day ahead. We had masala tea, got ready, and decided to explore downtown Canmore. The streets were charming, lined with cozy cafés, boutiques, and local art shops - all against the stunning mountain backdrop. It felt like stepping into a postcard. For brunch, we stopped at an amazing Indian restaurant called Mumbai Local, and oh my goodness - the food was phenomenal! We ordered dahi puri, soya chaap, and triple schezwan fried rice, and everything was bursting with flavor. It felt like a comforting taste of home right in the middle of the Rocki...

Canadian Rockies - Day 2 - The Dream Day: Larch Valley Hike & Moraine Lake Magic

We started our second day in the Canadian Rockies with our little tradition — a steaming cup of masala tea. There’s nothing like that comforting aroma to kick off an adventurous morning. While sipping our tea, we had a great chat with our wonderful host, Jeremy -  a biker, traveler, and author of two books. He’s been around the world on his bike, and listening to his stories was truly inspiring. After breakfast, it was time for one of the most anticipated parts of our trip - the Larch Valley hike and visiting my dream destination, Moraine Lake! We grabbed some Subway sandwiches from Banff downtown to fuel up later on the trail and then headed toward Moraine Lake by shuttle. We started the hike around 12:30 PM, and wow — it was steep and challenging right from the beginning. But every step upward brought more breathtaking views of Moraine Lake below. The turquoise water kept peeking through the trees as we climbed higher and higher. As we gained elevation, the larches turned gold...

Canadian Rockies - Day 0 – Arrival in Calgary

Saturday morning finally arrived — the day I’d been waiting for so long! My big-time bucket list adventure to see the snow-capped mountains, turquoise blue lakes, and breathtaking hikes of the Canadian Rockies was about to begin. We woke up excited and buzzing with energy. I wrapped up the packing, made some food for the kids, and after a quick meal, we were ready to roll. By 2 PM, we were off to the airport from Boston. Everything went so smoothly — hardly any crowds, we were among the first ones to check in, and soon we were relaxing in the lounge before boarding. The flight itself was peaceful. The Wi-Fi worked surprisingly well, so we caught up on some browsing before drifting off to sleep midair, dreaming of mountains and alpine lakes. We landed around midnight, and after picking up our luggage, we headed to the car rental counter. The lady there was super nice — she even shared some great local tips on restaurants and must-visit spots. To top it off, she handed us the keys to a b...