With Chihiro in July 2002

Chihiro is doing an internship in a big law firm in Ohio this summer. On her way to Columbus, she stopped for a few days in California. Here are some pictures taken at the Huntington Library in Pasadena, at home, and during our hike to Mt Wilson. The Huntington Library is a place where you can see old manuscripts, like the original Bible printed by Gutemberg (the first printed book). But the main interest is the gardens, they are really beautiful. The hike to Mt Wilson was also very nice, but it is long (about 35km return trip), with 1600m elevation gain, so this is no little walk. Especially when it is as hot as southern California in July (40C in average last week). We started very early and took a lot of water and suncream.

At home	.	.	Toro (japanese lantern) at the Huntington library
The japanese garden at the Huntington library is very nice !	.	House for the tea ceremony.	Bamboo trees
.	Zen garden	Collection of bonsai trees	.
.	Cactus garden	.	Chihiro liked those flowers so I took a picture
In our appartment complex	.	.	.
.	.	.	Free tickets for Magic Mountain (tallest coasters in the world). Yeah !
Starting the hike to Mt Wilson. 7:30, this is too early for being up !	View on Mt Wilson from the parking lot. We are going up there !	View on Pasadena from the trail	.
First rest stop at the Henninger Flats	.	View on Mt Wilson from the Henninger Flats	There is a small museum with stuffed animals. Here is a fox.
Chihiro is feeling better after some rest	View from the trail	Hard to start again in the heat, after a pit stop !	The summit is getting closer
One of those pine trees that produce huge pine cones	.	Almost arrived ! Chihiro is getting tired.	On the summit, we follow a tour of the facilities.
UCLA people explain their observations at the 150-foot solar telescope	The famous 100-inch Hooker telescope (built by Hale in 1917)	This telescope was during 30 years the most powerful in the world.	Diagram of the 100-inch telescope
.	.	The seat where Hubble discovered that the universe is expanding	Picture in front of the dome of the 100-inch telescope
A squirrel	.	Time for lunch ! We brought ham grilled on the barbecue, it's delicious.	.
I'm taking a nap in the shade while my T-shirt is drying in the sun	View on the summit with Pasadena in the background	.	.
Going down is easier and cooler than going up...	.	A falcon	View on Santa Fe
Chihiro is fed up with my taking so many pictures...	Chihiro is "chewing" her sunglasses like I do all the time...	We made it up there !	Back at the Henninger Flats, we see a little cottontail rabbit.
Resting again - we are quite tired at this point.	.	A ranger asked for our help to take soil out of containers.	This soil is going to be used to grow more of those pine trees.
Again in the museum of the Henninger Flats	In the evening we can see the towers of Downtown Los Angeles.	Another view on Pasadena	Back at the car, we are very tired...
This was a nice day, but a difficult hike !