Palos Verdes Peninsula was discovered in 1542, at that time the native inhabitants were Tongva people. The did not write, but passed their myths and legends and their vision of the world from generation to generation. They buit thatch houses and wicker boats, hunted deer and squirrels, and believed that dolphins are travelling around the world keeping the peace.

Spanish traders and settlers stain around 1700s, gradually pushing native people out. Quite a lot happened since - US-Mexican war, landowners fighting for the land, until the last owners - Sepulveda family - started selling the property lots for new development.

Red roofs, white stucco walls, green hills, blue sky and the mighty ocean with white sails below… Palos Verdes Peninsula. It is almost impossible to focus on driving there, you are always distracted by the view… 

So, we pull over, get out of the car and inhale the view of Portuguese Point and Inspiration Point, Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Is it so nice to live there, under those red roofs, next to the cliff,  just a few minutes from the ocean? Light breeze blows in, cooling you down in the summer, cold and dump and fog in the winter, it is hard to believe when you look at this sun-flooded view…

A view from the  Rocky Point, you can see the beach town of, well, Redondo Beach on the horizon. A couple years age you could see the Black Pearl and the film crew shooting Pirates of the Caribbean…

See oats, white tails and sun…

Someone’s black dog, on the edge of  the sky… Rocky Point

 Ocean Trails  - the luxury golf club built by Donald Trump - the pinnacle of landscape design with its 18th hole, destroyed by the Pacific ocean and needed a complete reconstruction. The golf lovers are proudly playing on the most expensive field, the rest of the people are just walking around, enjoing the great views, warm California sun, and  occassional dolphins or even whales playing in the water…

…but, all we got were white sails and container ships shadows headed for San Pedro port. 

The beach - some sand, gentle waves, sunny day - you really want to dive in, but the water is not exactly warm here, and you stay out of it, just sitting down and enjoying the view…

It is hard to believe now, but the first Spanish explorers called this place palos verdes - green sticks - because these hills were covered with quite a forest. Sic transit gloria mundi…

Tags: California

This entry was posted February 21, 2008