Photo by: N.L. Belardes
One Bakersfield Woman's Blog to Mankind
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Dreaming of cooler climates…
It’s July in Bakersfield… that means that we are in the middle of a 20-day unrelenting heat wave of temperatures in the triple digits. It’s supposed to be 111° today! And tomorrow too, just like it was yesterday! We’ve been experiencing rolling blackouts and not daring to move from beneath the air conditioning vents in our homes. Every time I step outside my house I feel sweat dripping on my neck, down my back across my forehead and feel like I need to go skinny dipping or at least strip off my sticky clothes. UGH! It is down right miserable in Bakersfield these days. It’s too hot to walk or exercise. I am not motivated to do anything besides eat ice cream.
Lately I’ve been dreaming of cooler climates…
I picture myself walking along the central Californian coast and around little beach towns like Pismo. Where the air is cooler and there’s a breeze coming off the ocean. Where surfers gather bobbing in the water and bikinis line the beach. Where fishermen fish from the pier. Where people line up for clam chowder bowls and cinnamon rolls. Where some days it’s hard to see the sun through the overcast skies. Where I always find peace in my heart. It’s supposed to be 83° in Pismo Beach today… much cooler than Bakersfield.
The pier at Pismo Beach, California
Take a stroll on the beach...
Surf's up...
I picture myself on the black sand beach in Maui Hawaii along the road to Hana wading in the white surf. Walking through tropical rain forests, hiking down cliffs and next to waterfalls. Where the weather is perfect every day. Where surfing and snorkeling is a way of life. Where the people are laid back and wear grass skirts. Where the word Aloha means sincerity and the present moment and represents the spirit of the Hawaiian people. Where bamboo trees, banana bread and pineapple champagne are staples. Where the water is turquoise blue, the sky is even bluer and everything else is lushly green. Where I wanted to stay forever. It’s supposed to be 84° in Maui Hawaii today… paradise compared to Bakersfield.
Black Sand Beach on the Road to Hana
Maui, Hawaii
Go on in... the water's warm
Waterfall at the bottom of a cliff
Wailea Beach, Maui Hawaii
I picture myself riding horseback across green hills through the mist at the top of Haleakala Volcano Mountain in Maui Hawaii. I feel the wind in my hair, the mist on my face and the strength of the horse beneath me. Through the mist I see the green valley below me, and the Pacific Ocean lapping the white beaches of this tropical paradise. This is how I was meant to spend my days not cooped up in an office and suffering this heat wave in Bakersfield.
Riding in the mist on Haleakala Volcano Mountain
I picture myself walking in the vibe through the streets of San Francisco, California. Where the Bay meets a concrete city in an architecturally artistic way. Where culture abounds. Where as Mark Twain said: “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” Where Ghirardelli chocolate and street performers rein supreme. Where you turn a corner and enter an entirely different world in Chinatown. And around another corner you find yourself in the land of top fashion designers like Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, and Louie Vuitton in Union Square. Where quaint shops and seafood restaurants line Fisherman’s Warf. Where commercial fishing boats dock in the harbor. Where people live in districts and public transportation is something useful. Where I had fun walking in the rain. Where I feel strangely alive… It’s supposed to be 73° in San Francisco today… the place to escape Bakersfield’s heat.
The Bay Bridge - San Francisco, California
Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, California
Fishing boats
The best chocolate in the world...
A Street Performer
Chinatown San Francisco, California
Chinatown shopkeeper
The only thing keeping me sane in this Bakersfield heat is my dreams of cooler climates...
Before I could even post this blog… the expected temperature for Bakersfield today went up to 112°! UGH! It’s freaking HOT!
It’s July in Bakersfield… that means that we are in the middle of a 20-day unrelenting heat wave of temperatures in the triple digits. It’s supposed to be 111° today! And tomorrow too, just like it was yesterday! We’ve been experiencing rolling blackouts and not daring to move from beneath the air conditioning vents in our homes. Every time I step outside my house I feel sweat dripping on my neck, down my back across my forehead and feel like I need to go skinny dipping or at least strip off my sticky clothes. UGH! It is down right miserable in Bakersfield these days. It’s too hot to walk or exercise. I am not motivated to do anything besides eat ice cream.
Lately I’ve been dreaming of cooler climates…
I picture myself walking along the central Californian coast and around little beach towns like Pismo. Where the air is cooler and there’s a breeze coming off the ocean. Where surfers gather bobbing in the water and bikinis line the beach. Where fishermen fish from the pier. Where people line up for clam chowder bowls and cinnamon rolls. Where some days it’s hard to see the sun through the overcast skies. Where I always find peace in my heart. It’s supposed to be 83° in Pismo Beach today… much cooler than Bakersfield.
The pier at Pismo Beach, California
Take a stroll on the beach...
Surf's up...
I picture myself on the black sand beach in Maui Hawaii along the road to Hana wading in the white surf. Walking through tropical rain forests, hiking down cliffs and next to waterfalls. Where the weather is perfect every day. Where surfing and snorkeling is a way of life. Where the people are laid back and wear grass skirts. Where the word Aloha means sincerity and the present moment and represents the spirit of the Hawaiian people. Where bamboo trees, banana bread and pineapple champagne are staples. Where the water is turquoise blue, the sky is even bluer and everything else is lushly green. Where I wanted to stay forever. It’s supposed to be 84° in Maui Hawaii today… paradise compared to Bakersfield.
Black Sand Beach on the Road to Hana
Maui, Hawaii
Go on in... the water's warm
Waterfall at the bottom of a cliff
Wailea Beach, Maui Hawaii
I picture myself riding horseback across green hills through the mist at the top of Haleakala Volcano Mountain in Maui Hawaii. I feel the wind in my hair, the mist on my face and the strength of the horse beneath me. Through the mist I see the green valley below me, and the Pacific Ocean lapping the white beaches of this tropical paradise. This is how I was meant to spend my days not cooped up in an office and suffering this heat wave in Bakersfield.
Riding in the mist on Haleakala Volcano Mountain
I picture myself walking in the vibe through the streets of San Francisco, California. Where the Bay meets a concrete city in an architecturally artistic way. Where culture abounds. Where as Mark Twain said: “The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco.” Where Ghirardelli chocolate and street performers rein supreme. Where you turn a corner and enter an entirely different world in Chinatown. And around another corner you find yourself in the land of top fashion designers like Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, and Louie Vuitton in Union Square. Where quaint shops and seafood restaurants line Fisherman’s Warf. Where commercial fishing boats dock in the harbor. Where people live in districts and public transportation is something useful. Where I had fun walking in the rain. Where I feel strangely alive… It’s supposed to be 73° in San Francisco today… the place to escape Bakersfield’s heat.
The Bay Bridge - San Francisco, California
Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, California
Fishing boats
The best chocolate in the world...
A Street Performer
Chinatown San Francisco, California
Chinatown shopkeeper
The only thing keeping me sane in this Bakersfield heat is my dreams of cooler climates...
Before I could even post this blog… the expected temperature for Bakersfield today went up to 112°! UGH! It’s freaking HOT!
WoW! Well said! The photos you take are quite amazing, and the heat goes on.
we need to escape this heat!
those are awesome pictures... i especially love the black sand beach.
OMG your chinatown pictures remind me of this one time at band camp..... ok it was this one time my husband I went to San Francisco and we wanted to go to Chinatown. Soooooooooo we got directions, and headed out. We circled and circled the streets trying to find a parking spot. And I don't know how many minutes later.. I swear it had to have about 36 hours later.. we gave up and went back to the beach. hahaha. So yup. I have never been "to" Chinatown, just through it. I love Pismo, though! Splash Cafe.. I can't get enough of their clam chowder! You are one lucky girl to have been to all those places!
Splash Cafe is overrated. Their lines are too long and chowder tastes like shitty Miracle Whip.
The one photo with the street performer looks like it has Kenny Mount standing and taking on the phone...
Wow. Now I know where to go to see the sights! Thank you for taking such beautiful pictures!
But, the heat thing, I don't get it.
Today, as I did yesterday, in my feeble attempt to become healthier by losing a pound or 40, I walked 45 minutes in my HUGE Ohio State hoodie with a heavy tee shirt on underneath it. And pants. And socks. And shoes.
What gives? I was sweaty, but I wasn't near death. And both today and yesterday I went walking at noon- noon-thirty. . .
Is it a different kinda heat in Bakersfield? I just moved to Sac-town from Central Ohio. . .
Holy crap it's hot everywhere in the country... but when it's 113 and there is humidity, you just know Satan is going to spring from some brimstone streetcorner...
The lines are long but worth it. I guess everybody's tastes are different.