We decided to take a ride up to San Jacinto State Park via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. We had done this before, maybe 15 years ago, but the tram system has been updated since then. The cars now hold 25 or 30 people and turn as they climb and descend. Actually, the floors of the cars rotate around a small stand that the operator stands at so that your view gradually changes as you go along. There are no bad seats. There are no seats at all. It is standing room only.
The tram travels a route over two miles long and climbs 8,000 feet from the entrance at about 2,800 feet above sea level to the summit at almost 11,000 feet. It is a little scary, especially on the way up when the car passes each tower and sways as a result. It is not as bad on the way down.
Once you get up there you can see the whole Coachella Valley and, on a clear day (this was one) you can see The Salton Sea. There are two restaurants and a bar at the top, all part of the California San Jacinto State Park.
After some sightseeing and some not so good chili we decided to follow highway 111 through Palm Springs. We visited a store called “Hats Unlimited” and bought Carol a sun hat for walking and hiking in the Arizona sun. We also washed away the taste of the chili with a little dish of ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s on Palm Canyon Drive.
Tonight we picked a Mexican restaurant that TripAdvisor.com rates as the number one restaurant (of all 207 rated) in Palm Desert – Guillermo’s Restaurante. It is not cheap but it is good. When I go to a new Mexican restaurant I try either the chili verde or the chili relleno to see how they do. This time I had chili relleno and it was the best I have ever had anywhere. We talked to the owner, Guillermo, and he said that they roast and peel the chilis in the early afternoon so they can serve them fresh that evening. The sauce was also delicious and I am sure it was freshly made. They served it with rice and a vegetable and cheese mixture that was also very tasty.
Here are some photos from today:
No Comments Yet