So the wife and I pack the kids and take a ride to Northern California (San Jose, Santa Cruz, Monterey)... BEAUTIFUL Place. If it wasnt for the oversoaked liberalism there, I would seriously consider moving there. We got away from the 'rat race' here where we live for a few days.

One of those days we went to the Winchester Mystery House. This is one of the most BIZARRE homes I have ever seen. For those who dont know, The wife of Mr Winchester felt that the spirits of those who have been killed by her husband's rifles were haunting her. So by a 'psychic's' advice she was to continue building the house forever as long as she lived. This house has stircases that lead to nowhere, doors that open into brick walls, doors that open to the outside (which is on the third floor with no steps leading up to them) Just a bizarre place.

Needless to say I was QUITE disappointed that they did not give out free samples of their rifles. However they did have a nice display of firearms made by Winchester in a museum.

the OTHER place we visited was "The Mystery Spot" Now THIS was weird. There is something weird about the land that gravity is tweaked in such a way that balls roll uphill and you can lean off of a table at (what seemed to me) close to a 45 degree angle and not fall.

They say that some people actually get nauseated and some even pass out or faint. I did feel a little dizzy. As soon as I got back to "Terra Ferma" I felt better again.

Real cool places to go if any of you ever visit Northern California.

I grew up in the area and have been to both. The House is odd, thats for sure. But I think the Mystery Spot is all an optical illusion. Is the cabin they bring you in still sit at a 45 or so degree angle?

Did you get to Seacliff and see the cement boat?

I lived near there for a couple years (some time ago) never made it to those places.. ( I think we went, but they were closed at the time, or somethin')

Visit the "mystery spot" in the UP of Michigan and you will know exactly why it seems odd in there.  They don't try to conceal it at all.

Quoted: I grew up in the area and have been to both. The House is odd, thats for sure. But I think the Mystery Spot is all an optical illusion. Is the cabin they bring you in still sit at a 45 or so degree angle? Did you get to Seacliff and see the cement boat?

No I havent.... maybe next trip up there... I WILL GO AGAIN!!

There is a restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf called "Domenico's" It is possible THE BEST food I have ever eaten. My wife, myself and another couple went and with tip we ended up dropping 280.00

BUT!!!!!

You sit right over the water as seals/ sea lions are playing right under your window, a raccoon walked right by us on the ledge outside our window. they make a Ceaser salad right at your table which was the best I have ever tasted, We also had Oysters on the halfshell, steamed Maine lobster, top it off with coffee and desert.... JUST a great dinner... with a view.

Any of you get a chance and like seafood... YOU GOTTA try this place. I have gone twice now. YEAH its a little on the pricey side... BUT DAMN WORTH IT!

I went there with the wife in 95.
They served my wife a salad with not one but two tie-twists in it.
We got a $90 meal for free.

Quoted: There is a restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf called "Domenico's" It is possible THE BEST food I have ever eaten. My wife, myself and another couple went and with tip we ended up dropping 280.00 BUT!!!!! You sit right over the water as seals/ sea lions are playing right under your window, a raccoon walked right by us on the ledge outside our window. they make a Ceaser salad right at your table which was the best I have ever tasted, We also had Oysters on the halfshell, steamed Maine lobster, top it off with coffee and desert.... JUST a great dinner... with a view. Any of you get a chance and like seafood... YOU GOTTA try this place. I have gone twice now. YEAH its a little on the pricey side... BUT DAMN WORTH IT!

Quoted: There is a restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf called "Domenico's" It is possible THE BEST food I have ever eaten. Any of you get a chance and like seafood... YOU GOTTA try this place. I have gone twice now. YEAH its a little on the pricey side... BUT DAMN WORTH IT!

I've eaten there. It IS very good. Those sea lions get a little cranky when you get too close

Quoted: The Mystery Spot is a very odd place.  For example, they have a weight hanging from a chain, making a pendelum.  Now, everywhere else on earth, if you take a weight that is hanging straight down and pull it back 1 foot and release it, it will travel through the center point (where it was hanging) and go past about 1 foot.  No so at the Mystery Spot.  The weight goes about 2 inches past the center point, then rockets back at you.  Yet, it eventually comes to rest at the center point.  I too assumed this was an optical illusion, but testing, using a marker to indicate the "at rest" position proves this is not so. Another one: they have two pieces of steel about 4" wide and about 18" long cemented into the ground parallel with each other.  They have a number of bubble levels that can be placed at any angle or combination, turned around, flipped over, etc., and all show these to be level.  They let you do all of this testing, and one guy even brought out his own small level.  Then, they pick out two people, one to stand on each rail facing the other.  "Okay, what's your point?" you think.  Then they tell you to switch rails, and suddenly your relative heights are radically different.  I was even with the person opposite me, then when we switched, I was about a foot taller. Oh, and then there's the "spout" that you'd swear was running down hill, that the bubble level showed to be level, but caused a golf ball to roll UPhill. It's a strange place, all right. -Troy

Oh that pendullum was strange as well.... I forgot what it is called but things here (Northern Hemisphere) rotate at a counter clockwise rotation. (ie. toilet flush, pendullum etc) but the pendullum here has a natural clockwise rotation.

Mystery Spots Explained

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Sarah Winchesters house in on my list of places to go, but in about a week or so I'm probably gonna visit the old abandoned Winchester factory.

Quoted: Mystery Spots Explained

Oh no doubt that the house is at an angle... You can see that but its not the house that freaks you out. Its like what "Troy" said. You stand on a LEVEL area next to one person. Then you have the two people switch sides and the one that was taller is now shorter than the other.

They even tell you that the house EXAGGERATES the phenomenon. They prep you for that at the start.

W

Hit all the touristy spots, huh?

When I lived in that area I hit the Winchester house on Halloween. It was OK, except the place was infected with poser gangsta Latino types and wasn't exactly the family atmosphere.

The wharf at Monterey is far better, IMO, that Pier 39, and it doesn't cost you a fortune to park either. Besides, there's a place in Monterey by the aquarium that rents sea kayaks and all the gear you need for something like $30/day. It's pretty cool to paddle around Monterey Bay and have the sea otters and seals play with you.

You should also have gone up to the Marin Headlands, on the north side of the GG Bridge. THE BEST view of San Francisco, bar none. And a little trip down into Sausalito for kicks, too.

Personally, I'd have left Pier 39 alone and would have gone over to the Washington Square area and eat REAL GOOD Italian food. Or take a VERY scenic drive down the coast on Hwy. 1 and hit The Charthouse in Montara.

And I'd have left out Santa Cruz, too. Except for the rides, I'm sure you noticed the plethora of dirtbags on the streets. There's a little town about 6 miles south of there called Capitola that has better resturants, beach and overall atmosphere than S-C.

It IS beautiful there, no question about it. Next time you're gonna go, though, ask some of us ARFcommers and we'll steer you to some of the less touristy spots.

Ano (Anyo with a tilde) Nuevo State Park on Highway 1 with the Elephant Seals (although this time of year almost all are at sea) Watch the reactions you get when you start talking about "What kind of round you think need to penetrate all that blubber?" "Nah, go for head shots."  

Pompeii's Grotto, not overly fancy, not too expensive and the daily specials are usually a good deal.  Special the pasta with shellfish.