Monterey:

Monterey Plaza M onterey today is a city of old adobe houses, white and blue boats in the harbor, a brightly colored fisherman's wharf and modern lifestyles of the twentieth century. It has a lot to offer the visitor and the permanent resident.

In Monterey, the houses are connected in a "Path of History." Many of the houses are open to the public. Among them is the Customs House where the United States flag was first rasied by Commodore John Drake Sloat in July 1846. Colton Hall played an even greater role in the history of California. In 1849, it housed the Constitutional Convention when California, as the first Pacific coast state, was admitted to the Union and where the California constitution was written.

Monterey has beautiful gardens that are in blossom year round. By Colton Hall is "Friendly Plaza" and right below is a little memory garden. The Stevenson House and the California First Theater, both state monuments, have gardens around them.

Best loved is "Memory Garden" in a patio of the Pacific Building, where every year in June Monterey residents celebrate the Merienda, a birthday party for the city.

People who have read John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday" can follow many of the storied in Monterey's Cannery Row. The canneries are closed now, but the spirit of old times lingers. Today it is a popular visitor area that includes the famous Monterey Bay Aqaurium, galleries, shops, wine tasting rooms, a factory outlet center, specialty stores, restaurants, hotels and inns.

Fisherman's Wharf is a picturesque spot for tourists and artists. It is the colorful home base for both fishing and pleasure boats. The wharf is lined with souvenir shops and excellent restaurants featuring seafood. It's quite a sensation to enjoy a seafood plate while a live sea otter stares at you from the bay. Commercial boats provide deep sea fishing for excursions along the coast.

The list of interesting places in Monterey is long and exciting. Try to see them all while stationed here. A good starting point is the Custom House at the foot of Wharf 1, the place where California began.