Monterey, the Pearl of California

Among all my excursions, I can proudly highlight one that has appealed to many tourists and is recognized as one of the best excursions in California - a trip to the cities of Carmel and Monterey. On the amazingly picturesque Pacific coast, between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on the shores of Monterey Bay, these two cities stand out from the rest of the coastal cities, attracting more than 2 million tourists annually. They really stand out among others for their charisma, history, picturesque landscapes and amazing atmosphere of hospitality. I will write about Carmel separately, because both cities deserve close attention, and now I would like to share my impressions of Monterey and tell you what is really attractive in this small but very outstanding town.

It's very simple. Monterey was the former capital of California at the time of Mexico. The city was founded by the Spanish in 1770, and after the Mexican-American War in 1846, it was in Monterey that California joined the United States, when the American flag was hung over its trading house. So it holds an honorable place in the history of North America. The city still has houses in the Spanish colonial style.

Undoubtedly, this fact gives the charm of the city, but it is not only the status of the former capital that makes Monterey attractive. Once the waters of Monterey Bay were rich in sardine, and only the lazy did not fish. Many canned sardine factories were built along the coast, along which the main street of Ocean View Avenue was formed. By the middle of the twentieth century, due to overfishing, resources were depleted, as a result of which the fishing industry went bankrupt. And the factory buildings stayed. Now it is a local landmark of the city, giving it a certain charm. Some of the former factory buildings have the best fish restaurants.

Monterey Fisherman’s Shipyard became famous thanks to two works by the famous writer John Steinbeck “Cannery row” and “Sweet Thursday”. That is how the writer called the main street of the city Ocean View Avenue, passing along all the factories. Fans of John Steinbeck poured into Monterey in droves to stroll through the Canned Row, take a look at the Western Biological Laboratory, buy cigarettes or chewing gum at Lee Chong's grocery store, drink coffee at La Ida. Over time, local authorities came to terms with Steinback’s book and in 1953, with great fanfare, renamed Seaside Avenue the Avenue Canned Row. Now there are many fish restaurants and hotels, shops and souvenir shops.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a separate subject. This is one of the best marine aquariums in the United States, located in the building of a former fish factory. The aquarium stands on the shore and contains more than 35 thousand animals. Here you can see jellyfish, stingrays, sea otters, penguins, many species of fish, etc. A special show is an aquarium with jellyfish, in which a continuous flow from the bottom up is created, supporting jellyfish in constant movement. And of course, a huge cylindrical aquarium, leading all visitors to delight. Most importantly, the water in the aquarium comes from the ocean, allowing you to preserve the natural conditions for flora and fauna.

Monterey is famous for another attraction - the underwater canyon of Monterey. The deep-sea depression, which is 3,250 meters deep, has led to the emergence of a huge variety of animal and plant marine life in a relatively small area of the ocean in close proximity to the coast, so this bay attracts the attention of biologists, geologists, as well as divers from around the world. Extensive fields of seaweed, rookeries of seals and sea lions, water serving as a breeding ground for local underwater life, colorful anemones and decent conditions for deep dives - all this thanks to the underwater canyon of Monterey Bay.

Due to the rise of water from depth to surface, occurring in the canyon, the cold waters, rich in nutrients, move into the bay, providing here a rapid growth of marine flora and fauna. The great depth near the shore provides excellent visibility under water due to the fact that there are no waves. Scattered algae stick on round boulders 3-6 meters high. It is usually quiet if there is no wind and waves, and divers are almost guaranteed to encounter playful seals that live and breed on a rookery nearby.

Monterey is also snow-white beaches, pelicans, neat Victorian houses, clean streets and flowering parks. No wonder the city attracts artists and writers from all over America, and allows us to enjoy its beauty and unity with nature.