Something to Treasure

I took my nephews on an adventure this week to visit the State Capitol and it was indeed an adventure. We parked my car at the local Park and Ride for the Light Rail system and rode an hour each way on a great transportation system. The ride by car, after finding parking would have taken about 20-30 minutes less one way, but the relaxation factor of being let off only a couple of blocks from the Capitol was worth the time. Additionally, the fare for three people only cost $9.00 for all day. Frankly, I messed up and purchased the wrong tickets from the automated ticket dispenser and paid $12, but that we can chalk up to nervousness. As I told Sam, the younger nephew, seated on his brother Tom's lap above, it's not really an adventure unless there's a little danger involved, and whether or not I could get us there and back by light rail was an uncertainty in my mind - hence the "danger!"

One word of advice, pay attention to the things they post on the inside and outside of the train. The driver had to prompt me (over the loudspeaker) to push the button on the outside of the train to make the doors open. Yes, it was clearly posted. But there I stood waiting patiently for the doors to open by themselves. Too many movies with New York subway trains in them I guess!

We strolled to the Capitol from the rail stop and it was a truly wonderful walk. The trees, lawn and surrounding buildings left us oohing and ahhing the whole way. Yes, even the 10 and 14-year-old boys were interested the beauty of the place and the historical old buildings.

Then we had to go through a metal detector to get inside the Capitol, but admission was absolutely free! I suppose that’s the way it should be, because after all we pay for it, but I’m so used to having to ante up to get into anything, it was a pleasant surprise.

There are display cases for each of the counties and I was surprised that what's inside most of them is very amateurish, sort of like looking at a high school diorama, but it wasn’t discouraging at all. It was nice to know that everything in California doesn’t have to be “slick.”

The restored Governor’s office and attending rooms were true to the period. Old electric cords hung from the chandeliers, which were apparently the source of power in 1906 and all feeling of stepping back in time was very real.

The elegance of the tiled floors, brass-trimmed elevators and marvelously carved staircases lends a richness and importance to the place. From floor to ceiling, it is a wondrous place, leaving one proud to be a Californian.

I recommend you have your own adventure in the State Capitol as soon as you can. Take the kids. They will enjoy it and perhaps come away with a sense of reverence for the past.