the cliffs at big sur drop straight into the ocean, whose waves build strength and come crashing against the rock; the rock is black and creates a bluff, and looking toward it from the house — past the flowers that look like purple corn stalks, but softer and muted in color like a polaroid — it’s just sky, and water, and a glowing horizon.
and there are mountains too, that shoot straight up toward the clouds. they are steep — i should know since we hiked one for five hours. these mountains are covered with the greens of redwoods, of pines, and of wild grass. there are waterfalls and creeks among them, with small sturdy wooden bridges that help you cross.
at night, the fog can cocoon the area, and you feel isolated, cut off. at the restaurant, which teetered at the edge of a cliff, it was a wall of mist outside the window, preventing us from seeing out to the moon or the ocean. another evening was spent in hot springs, this time it was clear, and the moonlight shimmered on the water, and everything looked a very dark blue-gray. from these same hot tubs, during the day, we saw a lone sea otter, a whale coming up for air, and birds gliding over the water.
it’s beautiful here.