More Danish America or American Danish

Not sure whether I could not work out how to carry on with a new entry to make it look as if it was one or I fell asleep.  I do know I slept the clock around.  Did I know it had rained (HARD AND HEAVY) during the early hours - NO!  I must have been sound asleep. Anyway, back to Solvang.

 I cannot believe I did not go inside this shop - it has a sale on!

Everything was so tidy and so clean - wherever you went you never saw litter and it was quiet too.  So peaceful.

Chas got chatting to a lady and I joined them - she came originally from Buckinghamshire.  She was telling us how happy she was living in Solvang and what a lovely way of life she now had.  She was telling us how the possums and other animals come up to her patio window and looked in on them.  It was really interesting to hear about her way of life and how different it is now that she has left England.

Two more views down a different street.

All too soon it was time to leave Solvang and head back to Ventura but with a stop at Santa Barbara.  Just before we leave though I will show you this plaque that I took a photograph of

and some of the figures that preceded it

Mary took us to see The Mission when we arrived in Santa Barbara and the sun was just right to give it a golden glow

Isn't that just beautiful?  The 10th of the Califonian Missions it was founded by Franciscan Friar Fermin de Lasuen on the Feast of St Barbara on 4th December 1786.

This is a view of the houses opposite the Mission.  Do you see those peculiar succulents?  They are quite huge and grow up and curl back down again making arch shapes.  These were to be seen all around this area and fascinated me.

It was getting late by the time we left The Mission so we did not stop in Santa Barbara but I managed to take a couple of snaps through the window of the car

Sorry Sam, that's all I got

Next morning, before we set off back for Sylmar and home, Chas and I went down to the beach at Ventura.  Perhaps I will blog that one tomorrow.

Denmark Anyone?

Thursday morning (yes, I am running late with my blogging) saw us heading for Santa Barbara but bypassing it by going further north to a place called Solvang.  (Sunny Meadow)

"Solvang was founded in 1911 by three members of a group of Danish educators whom a year earlier had formed the Danish-American Corp.  Their plan was to form a Danish village where the arts, crafts and customs of their homeland could be created anew and to build and staff a Danish Folk School similar to those which were successful in Denmark.  To begin they purchased 9,000 acres of the old Spanish land grant, Rancho San Carlos de Jonata and Old Mission Santa Inez, which had stood so long by itself on this remote mesa, was to begin seeing great changes with the birth of Solvang."

Having spent a holiday in Denmark many years ago when I was in hospitality courtesy of the Girl Guide/Scout Movement I was particularly eager to see the buildings and what the town had to offer.  It was breathtaking.  The buildings are amazing, the people are lovely and the shops are works of art.  The way they display their wares shows how much pride the people have in their town.

The first place we saw when we parked was this Antique Shop - and what an antique shop it was.  We spent ages inside - it was clock heaven having so many grandfather and grandmother clocks - some of which showed that the movement had come from places such as Blackburn and Preston.

This is the outside of the shop

The entrance above and to your right is the room below

This was a moving scene in a globe

Pity neither of these would fit in my suitcase

Mary & Chas outside The Mole Hole (gift shop)

and one of the displays inside

I could have spent a fortune here

A Courtyard leading to more shops

Looking down one of the streets

and a peek through a doorway

Mary & Chas strolling along

A sock with a difference

  A thatched roof

and a water wheel

Looks as if I have reached my quota for the day of photographs as Blogger won't let me upload any more - I'll try to carry on with another blog entry.  If not I will carry on tomorrow - there's the old Mission at Santa Barbara to show you - beautiful!