June 15: San Jose

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Greetings!  As I was giving you my account of yesterday, June 14, I missed letting you know about one special SF landmark, the 16th Avenue tiled steps.  Mosaic tiles run up the risers of 163 steps, located at 16th and Morgan in SF.  Glorious views of the Pacific from the top, and such beautiful plantings accompanied the walker from beginning to end.  A delightful experience!  There...and now my report of June 14 is complete.  

Today, we got started at about 10:00 a.m. and proceeded to take the less-traveled, more scenic route 280 to drive to San Jose, around 50 miles to the south.  Our first destination there was the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Gardens, including the following venues:  Rosicrucian Park, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Rosicrucian Labyrinth, Alchemy Exhibit, Alchemy Garden, Rosicrucian Planetarium, Peace Garden, and the Rosicrucian Temple and Library.  

Rosicrucian teachings are a combination of occultism and other religious beliefs and practices, including Hermeticism, Jewish mysticism, and Christian Gnosticism.  The central feature of Rosicrucianism is the belief that its members possess secret wisdom that was handed down to them from ancient times.  

The grounds are situated on what used to be farmland and orchards.  The museum was inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak, and houses the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts on display in western North America, including objects from pre-dynastic times through Egypt's early Islamic era, and Assyrian and Babylonian artifacts as well.  

The various gardens were spectacular elements of this most unusual site.  There is a labyrinth, gardens with up to 2500 trees and bushes; and a peace garden authentic to the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt.  Paths are surrounded by native plants, and there are oak groves.  In the middle of the site is the Rosicrucian temple built to commemorate the Rosicrucian Order and its connection to the mystery schools of ancient Egypt.  

The Peace Garden is authentic to the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt, and is based on examples of gardens from the remains of the city of Akhetaton, now called Amarna, and filled with medicinal plants and beautiful, fragrant flowers.  The grounds also feature an outdoor temple, arbor, plants, and a reflection pond, as well as the Rosicrucian planetarium and a research library containing rare books.  

After touring the museum and gardens, we picked a lovely spot under a tree for lunch.  Maureen had packed a picnic, and we had chicken salad, crackers, lettuce and tomatoes, watermelon, raspberries, and dark Scharfenberger chocolate.  A mild breeze and cerulean sky made our lunch ever so much more delightful.  

From there, we drove to downtown San Jose to visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, the cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose.  Several structures were built on its site but were destroyed by fire or earthquake, and the present cathedral is the fifth building on the spot.  It is listed as a California Historical Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.  

We spent about 30 minutes walking downtown before getting back in the car and driving to the Hayes Mansion, a hotel resort in San Jose.  It was originally the home of the Hayes family, and the house was regarded as one of the best examples of 19th century Mediterranean Revival architecture in the Santa Clara Valley.  A California landmark, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and was built in 1903.  The square footage was 41,000 sq. ft.  The villa featured exotic woods, imported marble, and ornate stained glass windows.  Early on, the villa was self-sufficient, and had its own power plant, post office, railroad station, carriage stop, and lodgings for 40 ranch hands.  The family sold the property during the 50s, and it was purchased by the city in the 1990s.  Total amount of bedrooms: 214.  We contented ourselves with walking the grounds, taking pictures, and eventually sitting in the outdoor bar area, where we ordered pina coladas and quesadillas with cheese, salsa, and guacamole.  After that we drove back to SF, stopping at a scenic vista about 20 miles outside the city and enjoying the mellow sun as it began to sink over the horizon.  Great day!  Tomorrow, off to Fort Ross, north of SF--can't wait to see the ocean again.  Bye!