CALIFORNIA: MONARCH OF THE FAR WEST

[Music] good evening ladies and gentlemen this is jack douglas tonight's armchair vacation covers a lot of ground so we'll really have to move along when we think of the american west we're inclined to think of states such as texas montana wyoming arizona and new mexico but when we speak of the far west we think instinctively of that land of spanish missions rugged mountain peaks giant waterfalls the pounding pacific ocean and hundreds of square miles of burning deserts ladies and gentlemen this is your armchair vacation and mine two california the monarch of the far west [Applause] our vacation trip to the far west state starts in the sierra nevada mountains a range of primitive beauty that forms a massive rock wall more than 400 miles long in east central california this mountain range is known as the great western divide and through it runs a road named the generals highway entering sequoia national forest we're surrounded by clusters of huge green trees the only sign of civilization is the roadway its pavement cleared by a snowplow weeks before the first people we see here are these two young men who are tourists all the way from argentina and their truck bears the insignia of their ranch located near buenos aires well already they've driven 10 000 miles to accomplish their purpose to see what america is really like well they couldn't have picked a better spot to find america's unspoiled beauty the beauty of this mountain forest looking up at a giant sequoia like this one we can only stand in awe of its immense size and towering limbs that seem to grasp at the sky the sign warns us to stay behind barriers and goes on to explain why where the roots of sequoia trees are very fragile and close to the surface all the more wonder then that these majestic trees have continued to live in this modern world in giant forest which is a part of sequoia national park a sign directs us to the general sherman tree this methuselah of the mountains is the largest living thing on the face of the earth about 3500 years ago this great tree was just the seedling today it stands 272 feet tall yes it's that tall that old a living reminder of the wonder of nature and the miraculous ability of a living thing to survive the ages of time yosemite national park a few hours drive northwest from king's canyon is breathtaking in its scenic splendor from inspiration point we can see some of the many scenes described by john muir the great conservationist he found here in yosemite and i quote the noblest forests the loftiest granite domes and the deepest ice sculptured canyons and quote and always anywhere in the park were surrounded by rugged natural beauty it may be the park store or the elegant owani hotel lodge the iwani looks like a baronial mansion and it once played host to the late president john f kennedy during a western states speaking tour not far from the hotel el capitan rises 3 600 feet from the valley floor like the prowl of a great stone ship in the distance the rounded summit of half dome looms up to a height of 4 800 feet the highest point above the merced river in the yosemite valley reflected in the still water of the river half dome takes on the appearance of a great shimmering granite fortress its sheer walls are awesome in their beauty and the dome dominates all that surrounds it spilling over the rim of a great cliff bridal veil falls cascades 620 feet to the canyon below and here's a spellbinder the white water of the upper and lower yosemite falls pouring over walls of light brown colored granite the total drop from the crest of the upper falls to the base of the lower falls is 2425 feet it's a never to be forgotten site in this yosemite this magnificent park that abounds in unsurpassed scenic grandeur if yosemite is mostly glacier-carved peaks forested green slopes and cold mountain streams then death valley california with its shifting dunes of sand is a world apart it's a land of bone dry prehistoric lake beds that were deposited here five to ten million years ago the panama indians called death valley tomisha which means ground the fire and in the heat of summer the name is certainly appropriate a temperature reading of 134 degrees fahrenheit in the shade has been recorded here now at this spot bad water we find the lowest point in the western hemisphere 282 feet below sea level and up there on that jagged rock is a little sign that indicates sea level the devil's golf course is an area in death valley that covers hundreds of acres it's one of the most forbidding areas of land we've seen anywhere in america here interbedded salt and water bearing gravel is more than 1 000 feet thick beneath the devil's golf course the barren ridges and pinnacles we see here resulted from erosion caused by wind-driven rains devil's golf course a fantastic barrier to both man and beast but there is an oasis in this land of erosion and forbidding desert the furnace creek ranch the spanish-style buildings and the cluster of palm trees come as a stunning surprise in this great expanse of treeless wasteland just a swimming pool well in death valley every drop of water is literally worth its weight in gold what an amazing place it is this death valley miles of sand and wind shaped to change their form daily like the waves of an inland sea there is no better way to enjoy the rugged california coast than driving along highway 1 on a warm sunny day a short drive north of san luis obispo and we're at morrow bay state park this is morrow rock it rises 576 feet above the water of morro bay and is sometimes called the gibraltar of the pacific this quiet seacoast town is well known for its delightful climate the pace is leisurely and there's always time to fish or just take a stroll along the miles of uncluttered beaches and if your youngsters are in the mood to build a castle in the sand then bring them tomorrow bay standing on the beach with a tang of salt in the air and the warm sun overhead you'll find it hard to tear yourself or them away this charming scene reminiscent of holland or scandinavia can be found 35 miles north of santa barbara at the town of solvang better known as america's danish capital although small in population solvang is a community of charming homes and quaint little garden houses with architecture typical of that found in the countryside of denmark almost every home has the figure of a stark on the roof a symbol of good luck to the danish since the early days of their recorded history and yes solvang has a real little old red schoolhouse this one the ballard school was built in 1883 and it still serves the needs of about 30 children from the solvang area old world architecture predominates in solvang and along streets such as copenhagen drive we're treated to a display of danish shops that is probably equaled only in copenhagen itself for example the dana broad shops dealers and fine iron art and scandinavian gifts the danish inn an excellent restaurant the figures on the roof are taken from hans christian anderson story the shepherdess and the chimney sweep here's a rarity an antique beer wagon this one was imported from denmark where it was in use since 1903 and through the years it delivered five million gallons of danish beer in copenhagen at the little mermaid restaurant we're going inside for a real treat our hostess is pouring the batter for danish abel skivers each round pancake-like ball is cooked in its own metal mold and then when they've browned to just the right color they're carefully turned over to cook on the other side then they're sprinkled with powdered sugar and served to hungry visitors like ourselves who want the taste of a real danish breakfast and man that's one recipe well worth having in denmark there is a folk tale about a boy who asks his girl to make him two pairs of leather stockings but the young lady is absent-minded and makes only three stockings altogether well they have a lover's coral and that's the substance of this charming old danish dance let's watch and listen [Music] as we leave solvang the sign says tak komigen thank you come again and come again we will to solvang one of the most enjoyable and charming villages to be found in this state of pleasant surprises the state the blue of the pacific is matched by the beauty of the rolling green hills and the billowing white clouds that paint the skies over the city of santa barbara by car it's only a two-hour drive from sprawling los angeles but in their way of life and the pace of living the two cities are worlds apart santa barbara has retained much of the charm of its spanish heritage and one of its handsomest old buildings is el presidio on the site of the royal presidio or military fort of spain in early santa barbara the adobe building was constructed in 1840 and six years later during the war between mexico and the united states captain john c fremont attacked and overwhelmed the presidio's mexican soldiers commandeering this building for his guard house and yet the charm of mexico and old spain permeates this small seaside city adobe is commonplace and under the shadowed arches here's a brilliant splash of red hibiscus that might just as well be a part of a garden in spain and bougainvillea and the county courthouse with its classic moorish arch a romantic touch of madrid or barcelona or seville there are more reminders of espanol in this building the santa barbara historical museum the saddle of a spanish soldier and a wealth of other antiques and artifacts that recall the history of early california behind the museum stands a rambling adobe house the casa cova rubius it was built by indian labor in 1817 for a spanish landowner named don domingo carrillo his descendants lived in this hacienda for over a hundred years el paseo in santa barbara is an area of quiet charm devoted to shops and restaurants on sunlit promenades and secluded courtyards here the vacationer can find a variety of stores and cafes to suit almost every taste [Music] the santa barbara mission is called the queen of the california missions and on the front lawn of the old church stands across in memory of the father sarah of whom we spoke earlier the true pioneer of the church of spain in california establishing the first nine of these spanish outposts in this raw land the grounds of the santa barbara mission are spacious and comprise a memory lane of two centuries ago an old wooden cart and across the courtyard the bell towers of the church nearby a shaded wok and a garden decked in red and white flowers and walking through the garden we paused to listen to one of the padres father virgil as he told us more about this historic place this mission was built primarily for the indians in fact the indian village was just on the other side of the mission and things flourished very well here the indians centered their whole life around mission santa barbara not only spiritual life here they worked here they played and sometimes they naturally played a little too much as all of us do the elevation padres wore gray instead of brown but the general makeup of the half is about the same an old rove that was popular used at the time of saint francis a quarter on the center to keep the role in place and then these three knots would speak of the three vowels of dedication every franciscan makes in the open sandal perhaps you're interested in santa barbara today so we told you a little of the history of santa barbara well we like to know and believe and i think rightly so that we are the center of a city that proudly retains much of the rich heritage of the past the santa barbara is known for a number of things the spanish architecture for example it's old spanish days fiesta the occurs in august the many events that take place both here at the mission and downtown say under civic auspices [Music] the flags are flying at historic de la guerra plaza for this is that day of days in santa barbara la fiesta and here where the settlements first city hall was erected the flags of california and mexico and the usa wave side by side around the plaza booths are selling everything from huge paper flowers to handmade mexican potholders to brightly colored ceramic fish and even a dinner napkin celebrating old spanish days in santa barbara well just before the start of the fiesta parade we hear music from the plaza so let's watch and listen as the young senorita dances to the music of old spain [Music] you know when it's fiesta time in santa barbara everyone gets caught up in the excitement of the day this young caballero is even sporting a mustache now the pageant parade is about to begin and there's an air of anticipation and then the sound of spanish guitars signals the start of this exciting event that tells in music and pageantry the romantic story of santa barbara's golden era here's a caballero on a prancing jet black horse and now a spanish galleon of the type that sailed up the pacific coast bring the explorer juan cabrillo to discover california more writers and beautiful costumes a group of semen from yesteryear and the senorita and her flowing blue skirt astride her favorite mount these are just a few of the colorful scenes from this pageant in santa barbara the pageant they call la fiesta later at the earl warren showgrounds the old spanish days are celebrated in a different way in a background of blooming daisies chrysanthemums petunias and roses the sign announces the fiesta rodeo and stockhorse show even the man who sells us our program is dressed like a cowboy well inside the big arena the show has already started these wild button broncos are just a sample of this first straight rodeo [Music] [Applause] in santa barbara sunday afternoon wouldn't be complete without a stop at the polo grounds and santa barbara is one of the few places on the pacific coast where this fast-moving eye-catching game is still played [Music] this lovely pond of blue water surrounded by green trees is part of the andre clark bird refuge it's on cabrillo road near the intersection of highway 101 just outside of santa barbara and here your children can while away a whole afternoon if you let them happily following a flock of geese and ducks and with a background of mountains and clouds like this the view alone makes the visit certainly worthwhile west of the city the palm fringed parks and clean sandy beaches make santa barbara a favorite with sun bathroom for a day or an entire weekend well after a day on the beach seafood comes to mind and if that's to your liking we can stop in at the harbor restaurant this rusty old anchor just outside the door has a history that goes back to a stormy night in the mid eighteen hundreds the vessel sank off point vincenti and the old hand forged iron work is all that remains of a once proud ship today there are other craft in santa barbara small but protected harbor and weekend sailors of all descriptions respond to the age-old call of the sea and sitting here by the picture windows of the harbor restaurant we can look out at one of the loveliest sunsets we've ever seen and what a better way to end our vacation in california mission san luis obispo de tulosa was the fifth in the chain of franciscan stations founded by father junipero serra the father of the california missions the day was september 1st 1772 today the shaded verandas and the quiet mission garden invite the vacationer to pause and bask in the peace and serenity left to us by the early builders of california's missions the city of san luis obispo like many california cities has a long heritage of spanish influence and customs but it also has a fascinating story to tell about an old chinese gentleman a story that is not well known outside of this section of california standing in lonely dignity on a busy street corner is the a lewis store today it's been designated an historic landmark and this gentleman mr al lewis built it back in 1884 with bricks he made in his own backyard several years earlier he had come to america as an immigrant he settled in san luis obispo and erected a small wooden shop on the same site here he sold chinese herbs and general merchandise and as al lewis prospered he moved the wooden store across the street and built this brick building in its place to prevent both robbery and fire al lewis ordered these green iron shutters and doors from england they were delivered to him after a trip around the horn and today his store serves as the center of chinese art and gifts for san luis obispo among the items on display here are these beautifully fashioned green and gold wine viewers from hong kong and this ornately decorated dragon face with its contours hand painted in shades of lavender green orange blue and white the alluis shop san luis obispo is proud of it and of the dignified chinese immigrant who founded it next week more faces and places somewhere in america until then this is jack douglas saying thank you so much and good night ladies and gentlemen boys and girls [Music]