Eureka -- Greeks get Everywhere

If you didn't know already -- it wasn't some gold miner who invented that name -- the exclamation of joy and discovery -- it was Archimedes when mixing gold with other alloys for his Kings crown. Damn those Greeks get everywhere.

It was appropriate here though in the northern most large town called Eureka for the likes of William Carson , who not only started the lumber business in the Humboldt Bay area , but was pretty successful in Gold Mining , invested in shipping and financed the development of steam driven engines for hauling and cutting the lumber. He was a very rich man.

In 1884 he built the Carson Mansion---

 

and no it wasn't in Disneyland -- this mansion was a Victorian example of the highest quality and recognised as the best Victorian house in America.

 

Across the road he built his son a house , not quite so grand but nonetheless pretty impressive.

 

Spent all of yesterday wandering around the historical part of the town and the marina--

 It was a beautiful day and it was Memorial Day this weekend so plenty of activities and families out and about ---

 Eureka also has the deepest natural inlet along the pacific coastline and this has made it one of Americas biggest sea fishing ports
 

 
These 2 clearly found it warmer in the puddle than the Bay
 

 
Lot of very well equipped vessels
 

 

 
The car below -- it's a Dodge BTW -- is one I really want to drive -- actually , to drive really fast -- this was in very good condition-- for me a classic American car---
 

 
Again traditional American architecture for the 30's
 

 

 
There was some sort of event with bikes as alternatives to lorries on this parade -- never did find out what it was all about but I guess the weekend was memorial day so probably around that--
 

 

 
 

 

  Oh and these Oirish do turn up everywhere don't they

 
 
 
 

 

 

Our hotel at the Best Western Plus was very good and had plenty going on -- nice pool , big hot tub , fire pits and armchairs of and a sign to tell me how far to get home--

Topping up the tan for Greece

 Hot tub

 
The sign for miles to many different places-- apparently it is 5250 miles to London --
 

 An amazing mural on the side of the building for performing arts-- 

 
I love the way that the town deal with unsightly electrical cabinets in the pavements---

 

So , impressions we got of Eureka some 10 or 12 years ago where maybe a bit misjudged and I think we did not see this side of town -- probably just hotels on the side of the busy freeway.

 

One last thing before we start the journey up to Portland that I need to find out about --- what the hell has Hawaiian music and singing got to do with the recreational area -- especially when your having breakfast.

 

Aloha -- see , 2 mornings of listening to Hawaiian songs and I can talk like a native.