The City of Monterey is located on Monterey Bay, and is about a two hour drive south of San Francisco. It has a long history, starting in with the first sighting by westerners in 1542.
The modern harbour, now protected with breakwaters, and containing a modern marina, for both commercial and pleasure craft, and a "fisherman's wharf" area for tourists (on the left).
The Customs House, as seen from the harbourside walkway. A plaque provides a capsule history of this building thus:
Monterey's Custom House, California's oldest government building, was constructed in 1827 for the collection of duties (taxes) on all imported goods. In the early 1800s, the capital of Mexican California, Monterey served as the only legal port of entry for all foreign ships.
Each ship captain presented his cargo to the custom collector. After inspection and payment of duties, the ship was permitted to trade on the California coast. The Custom House represents the pinnacle of trade during the Mexican Era and California's beginning as an international marketplace.
At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War in 1846, Commodore Sloat officially raised the U.S. flag at the Custom House, signalling a new era of American influence in California.
This building, somewhat hidden by trees, is now the Mayo Hayes O'Donnell Library but was formerly the first Protestant church built in Monterey in 1876.
Walking further towards the breakwater and Cannery Row, this is a view of the harbour. The north eastern part of the shore of Monterey Bay is just visible.
There are quite a few sea lions in the harbour. They are quite noisy, and rather smelly. These were resting near the rock in the foreground of the above image.
A tame pidgeon.
A lone tree further along the walk.
Baylands