Downtown Monterey

We began the morning in the hotel office for a continental breakfast. I met our innkeepers Ellen and Lauren. Glenda and I had a continental breakfast in our room and set out on a walking tour of downtown Monterey. We idled past some of the stores. Glenda was especially interested in seeing a little photography store where on our last visit here she purchased our very first digital camera. I found a Walgreen's pharmacy that, I think, occupies the building formerly housing the J. C. Penny Store. I remember in 1972 I arrived at the Presidio with only my government issue clothing in a dufflebag. I had been told not to take any civilian clothing. However, when I had to wear my fatigue uniform all weekend long, several guys asked me if I had been given extra duty for some infraction. On a Sunday morning at around 6 AM I left the Presidio to wander downtown (still wearing my fatigues) just to get my geographical bearings. I found the J. C. Penny Store and decided that as soon as I got off work on Monday I would come down and buy some civilian clothing. After work on Monday I walked back downtown and purchased one pair of blue jeans and a white sport shirt with a little black pattern printed on it. I kept those clothes for years until the fabric literally wore out. I remember on that first weekend morning passing the San Carlos Hotel, now a refurbished Marriott. It looked massive in the predawn silence on that Sunday morning. I photographed the Wells-Fargo bank we used for our small checking account. On a previous visit I had photographed its interior, but today the bank officials denied me permission. What is remarkable to me now is that the memories of those events that happened so long ago seem so recent. It is as though no time has passed. Monterey still seems like home.Read more