Visit While You Can: Jack London State Historic Park

In just a few months, many California state parks will be closed due to budget cuts.  Mr. Hunter has especially fond memories of one of the parks on the closure list: Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen.  It's a great place to go for a hike when you're in Sonoma County.  

The park is home to a number of historic spots, including Jack London's grave and the ruins of Wolf House, the dream home of Jack and Charmian London, which burned down in 1913 before the couple could even move into the house.

Mr. Hunter and the ruins of Wolf House.

The story of how Jack London came to be buried here.

The stone over Jack London's grave.

We spotted a pileated woodpecker
as we hiked down toward Wolf House.

Wolf House doorways, windows, and steps.

Ferns growing in the stone walls.

Plans for the residence of Jack London.

Photographer Eliya Selhub has been visiting many of the parks on the closure list.  Here's her photo essay on Jack London State Historic Park.

Mr. Hunter and what appears to have been the basement.

Wildflowers and ruins.

Visit while you can!  Or... even better... contribute to the effort to keep this interesting and lovely park open.

Wolf House

Jack London State Historic Park

Glen Ellen, California

(Sonoma County)

April 2006

A Traveler Meets a Travel Writer

Mr. Hunter couldn't resist the opportunity to pose with Rick Steves.

We learned about one of our favorite places to eat in Paris (Le Petit Cler) by leafing through the Rick Steves Paris guidebook as we rode the #63 bus back into the center of town after visiting the lovely Musée Marmottan.  The bus took us along the Seine, so we hopped off at a stop near Les Invalides and then scooted over to rue Cler, where we found -- as promised -- interesting shops and a yummy lunch.  (Also recommended on rue Cler: the sweets at A la mere de famille.  You could pick out your own caramels to take home in a crinkly bag... deliciousness!)   

And the Travel with Rick Steves episode about Salzburg inspired us to spend a lovely afternoon in Hallstat, Austria, with a satisfactory stop at an alpine slide overlooking Wolfgangsee.  The blue of the Wolfgangsee lake was so clear and beautiful!  

Thanks for the travel tips, Mr. Steves!  

(And by the way, we quite recommend the Rick Steves radio show.)

February 2012

Call me Hunter

Mr. Hunter toured Arrowhead, the home of Herman Melville. 

 It was at Arrowhead that Melville wrote Moby-Dick.

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

September 2007

Travels with Montel: Shakespeare's Birthplace

Flat Mr. Hunter joined in the rainy-day fun 

when Dave and his wife toured Shakespeare's birthplace.

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Stratford-upon-Avon

Warwickshire, England

United Kingdom

October 2009

Byron. Exactly.

After climbing the Spanish Steps, we headed to nearby Borghese Gardens.  

(We had reservations to visit the Villa Borghese museum.)

On our way to the gallery, we encountered this statue of Lord Byron. 

Mr. Hunter felt perfectly at home nestling himself atop a little skull that sits beside the tempestuous poet.

A bit of Lord Byron trivia for you.  His daughter, Ada Lovelace, is considered by some to have been the world's first computer programmer.

Borghese Gardens

Rome, Italy

June 2008

Roman Landmarks: The Spanish Steps

On a typically scorching and steamy summer day in Rome, 

Mr. Hunter and his companions walked over to the Spanish Steps.  

(Too bad about the scaffolding in front of the Trinita dei Monti church.)

At the base of the Spanish Steps, there's a handy fountain 

called Fontana della Barcaccia ("Fountain of the Old Boat").  We were all quite hot and sweaty and thirsty by the time we reached the Piazza di Spagna. It was a blessing to be able to cool our feet off in the fountain and to fill our water bottles from the fountain's cold, fresh stream of water.  

Even Mr. Hunter wanted to take a sip!

View from the top of the Spanish Steps.  

That dome to the right belongs to the basilica called San Carlo al Corso.  The building just to the left of the steps is where John Keats lived and died.  It's now the Keats-Shelley Memorial House.

Scalinata di Spagna

Rome, Italy

June 2008