This is inside the grand Santa Barbara Courthouse. We stopped for a coffee and a cruise around the Courthouse. We had a great coffee and enjoyed the 100 year old building built in Spanish/Moorish style. It had lovely tile floors and high ornately painted ceilings. We even visited one of the courts in session. It was a bit intimidating; as we were entering room a heavily tattooed and handcuffed man was led out.We camped the night in Morro Bay and cooked some mean steaks over the fire. After a good night's sleep on our comfy mattress we were on our way to the Hearst Castle. We had booked a 10 o'clock tour from Australia and we rocked up to catch bus up winding road from the coast to the top of the rolling hills to the amazing edifice. The tour and the castle and the gardens,swimming pools and tennis court were all mind blowing. Hearst might have been a weirdo but it was wonderful to see all the art,sculptures,tiles and tapestries he collected. Entire painted wooden ceilings were imported from all over the world and integrated into the building. It was most impressive - a bit like the Getty Villa on a much larger scale.and with Getty he made an exact copy of an Italian villa but this castle was a vast mismatch of Gothic,Renaissance and oriental. Anything grand! And he called this place his little ranch.
This is one of the many tapestries .
And here is the indoor swimming pool.
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