April 8, 2021 — Story by David Laws. Photos by Linda Abbey and the author. I drove into Point Lobos State Reserve, looking forward to our first hike in this crown jewel of California state parks since the pandemic shutdown. My wife Jean and photographer friend Linda often worked together to capture images of the bird life of Monterey County. Today they planned to photograph…

Stories of Culture, Travel and the World publishes stories written by members of the Bay Area Travel Writers professional organization. Titles and links to all articles published are listed chronologically below. Submission Guidelines Link to Submission Guidelines Fall 2023/ October Issue A Spiritual Core That Ties Assi Ghat and Machu Picchu by Lalit Kumar Restaurateurs Travel…

A Photo Essay of Superbloom 2023 — Story and photos by David Laws Every springtime since I moved to California, I have photographed the glorious kaleidoscope of wildflowers that fill our meadows and mountain slopes. In superbloom years, I have driven hours to the Carrizo Plain, the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, and beyond. Heavy rainfall delivered by the more than one dozen atmospheric…

A photo essay on Merced, California — Story and Photos by David A. Laws From its beginning as a stage stop and trading post 110 miles southeast of San Francisco, the city of Merced grew into a regional hub of agriculture and transportation for the San Joaquin Valley by the late 19th century. While ag products — almonds, cotton, and dairy — remain important…

“This garden allows me to stay connected to a part of my past and to so much of what made me who I am” — Gwyn De Amaral Gwyn De Amaral’s father, Major Charles F. De Amaral Jr., served as a helicopter pilot and died in Vietnam in 1965. The…

Fleet Numerical Weather Facility (FNWF): The NPS and Point Pinos Era — Established on the Monterey Peninsula in 1961, the Fleet Numerical Weather Facility (FNWF), known locally as Fleet Numerical, was chartered to apply the newly emerging processing power of digital computers and communications technology to provide accurate weather and ocean condition prediction services to the U.S. Navy. Based on the Naval…

A photo essay on popular activites for visitors — Story and photos by David Laws Just over 100 miles south of San Francisco, the Monterey Peninsula has been a magnet for those seeking activity and relaxation since the Hotel Del Monte opened in 1880. While social norms of behavior and dress may have changed, the fundamental appeal of the striking coastal landscape coupled with welcoming…

More than just a canvas for whimsical critters overlooking the ocean — Story by David Laws A concrete bunker-like structure built in the 1950s by the U.S. Navy to train Cold War pilots in aerial combat today stands as a controversial nexus of art, culture, history, and science in the otherwise sedate, seaside resort of Pacific Grove at the western tip of California’s Monterey Peninsula. Its…

By David Laws Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Bardeen and Brattain's Transistor “We should tell Shockley what we did today.” — Walter Brattain While driving home from Bell Telephone Laboratories Murray Hill facility in New Jersey during a “Miracle Month” of intense activity culminating in their demonstration of the first…