November 3, 2014
SUMMARY:
On November 2nd, some members of the Gunn Photography Club traveled with a tour group to Napa Valley. Everyone met at around 8:25 as we prepared for the exciting day ahead. Several families, groups, and tour leaders were among us. On the way, we were entertained by kids that stepped up, told stories and poems, and sang songs. Of course, the adults contributed as well. The ride took approximately two hours; we arrived at 10:55.
One of the first things we saw upon arrival was a gigantic blue chair with the words “Cornerstone Winery” popping out near the top. Tourists began to take pictures as their kids eagerly climbed onto the chair. We walked around the souvenir shop first, where we found barrels of colorful glass, dog statues, and fountains on sale. As we exited, we saw various sphere statues lining the courtyard. Benches were also mosaic and shaped like animals. We continued along a path that led to a small grapevine area. The vines were supported by wood poles with sparkly ribbons, though there weren't any grapes, so we continued walking and observed the numerous amount of trees and bird feeders. In general, the place had a calming atmosphere with all the life around, like the small pool near more vines with lots of small fish swimming about. There were also many beautiful sights like the giant metal roses that towered in the sky like clouds, and blue pinwheels that spun around as the wind brushed by. Autumn was also welcomed by the multicolored leaves that fell to the ground. One of the prettiest attractions there was this lantern-like structure made up of wire-shaped flowers with fiery teardrop-shaped beads. The whole structure was on water, and we were actually able to go inside of it by using wooden planks as stepping stones. We had to leave at around 11:35 and drove onward to an outlet mall.
We ate for around an hour and went to Castello di Amorosa at 1:51. The bus stopped at the bottom of a hill right outside of a large black gate. Everyone hopped out and we climbed the sloped path upwards, surrounded by yards of vines. These vines had a lot of grapes, which many people sampled. The juicy ones were sweet and and slightly sour. They tasted amazing. The dried ones tasted exactly like raisins. As we reached the top, a large castle came into view. It looked like something out of a storybook—it even had a moat! It was a large building, and we had to pay around $30 to get in. Inside was a shop that sells wine and various other products like soap. On the trail around it, two peacocks strutted around some tomato and watermelon plants. They seemed calm as several people began to marvel at them. A few ducks were also waddling around that area. This was right across from a small stream that splashed down the rocks like a mini waterfall. There were also a couple other smaller areas like a lawn full of roosters, geese, ostriches, goats, and sheep. The place had a pigpen as well, with one big black pig and a smaller brown pig. They snorted a lot and moved around the edges of the pen, sniffing for food.
However, all good things come to an end, and we left at 4:00. It was a great experience overall, and we got to see so many wonderful things in person. It was so nice to be outside, surrounded by nature, animals, and various other things. We were able to take a great amount of photos that will always remind us of what we saw and experienced. We hope that you all enjoy these pictures!
On November 2nd, some members of the Gunn Photography Club traveled with a tour group to Napa Valley. Everyone met at around 8:25 as we prepared for the exciting day ahead. Several families, groups, and tour leaders were among us. On the way, we were entertained by kids that stepped up, told stories and poems, and sang songs. Of course, the adults contributed as well. The ride took approximately two hours; we arrived at 10:55.
One of the first things we saw upon arrival was a gigantic blue chair with the words “Cornerstone Winery” popping out near the top. Tourists began to take pictures as their kids eagerly climbed onto the chair. We walked around the souvenir shop first, where we found barrels of colorful glass, dog statues, and fountains on sale. As we exited, we saw various sphere statues lining the courtyard. Benches were also mosaic and shaped like animals. We continued along a path that led to a small grapevine area. The vines were supported by wood poles with sparkly ribbons, though there weren't any grapes, so we continued walking and observed the numerous amount of trees and bird feeders. In general, the place had a calming atmosphere with all the life around, like the small pool near more vines with lots of small fish swimming about. There were also many beautiful sights like the giant metal roses that towered in the sky like clouds, and blue pinwheels that spun around as the wind brushed by. Autumn was also welcomed by the multicolored leaves that fell to the ground. One of the prettiest attractions there was this lantern-like structure made up of wire-shaped flowers with fiery teardrop-shaped beads. The whole structure was on water, and we were actually able to go inside of it by using wooden planks as stepping stones. We had to leave at around 11:35 and drove onward to an outlet mall.
We ate for around an hour and went to Castello di Amorosa at 1:51. The bus stopped at the bottom of a hill right outside of a large black gate. Everyone hopped out and we climbed the sloped path upwards, surrounded by yards of vines. These vines had a lot of grapes, which many people sampled. The juicy ones were sweet and and slightly sour. They tasted amazing. The dried ones tasted exactly like raisins. As we reached the top, a large castle came into view. It looked like something out of a storybook—it even had a moat! It was a large building, and we had to pay around $30 to get in. Inside was a shop that sells wine and various other products like soap. On the trail around it, two peacocks strutted around some tomato and watermelon plants. They seemed calm as several people began to marvel at them. A few ducks were also waddling around that area. This was right across from a small stream that splashed down the rocks like a mini waterfall. There were also a couple other smaller areas like a lawn full of roosters, geese, ostriches, goats, and sheep. The place had a pigpen as well, with one big black pig and a smaller brown pig. They snorted a lot and moved around the edges of the pen, sniffing for food.
However, all good things come to an end, and we left at 4:00. It was a great experience overall, and we got to see so many wonderful things in person. It was so nice to be outside, surrounded by nature, animals, and various other things. We were able to take a great amount of photos that will always remind us of what we saw and experienced. We hope that you all enjoy these pictures!
Jady Tian