Wednesday, July 7, 2010

My Weekend in Mendocino County, Northern California


By
Wadner Pierre
Mendocino County is located in the north coast of the U.S state California. In 2000, its population was 86, 625. Mendocino County has for its seat Ukiah. Mendocino was created in 1850. Due to an initially low population, it was under administration of Sonoma County government until 1859. The county is noted for its distinctive Pacific Ocean coastline, Redwood forests, wine production and liberal views on marijuana. The county contains several of the original Spanish land grants of Alta California including the Sanel Rancho in Hopland, and the Yokayo Rancho that forms the majority of the Ukiah Valley.
The county derives its name from Cape Mendocino, which was probably named in honor of Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain, 1535–1542 (who sent the Juan Cabrillo Expedition to this coast in 1542), or Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, Viceroy from 1580 to 1583. Mendocino is the adjectival form of the family name of Mendoza.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,878 square miles (10,044 km²), of which, 3,509 square miles (9,088 km²) of it is land and 369 square miles (956 km²) of it (9.52%) is water.[1]
It was 2:30 in the afternoon when my housemate’s friend John came over to pick us up to go to Mendocino County to spend our weekend. Bodgan, is international student from Romania. He and I were both happy to spend our weekend out of Rohnert Park. It was a great time to get to know each other, though everybody has difficult to say whether we recently became housemate and lived together as good friends or as two brothers. We took the highway 101 to Mendocino City. We first crossed Ukiah and then we took the road 128 in the beautiful John’s blue truck. It was where we were going to spend our joyful and wonderful Friday night. We woke up in the morning we went to the ocean, took pictures, visited some little shops in the town.
After spending couple of hours in the coastal of Mendocino city we came back to our place took our stuffs and made it to Ukiah. I won’t ever forget this three-hour trip in the beautiful mountains cover of trees. It was my first time I learned the meaning or one meaning of the word “Turnout”. It was amazing and unforgettable journey.
Finally, we entered in Ukiah after journeying for three hours. My housemate’s friend, John lives. Although Ukiah is not a big city, it is quietly simple and vivid. I like it and I want to spend more than one day there. For lunchtime we went to Wendy’s restaurant, there we ate lunch and talked about our journey rolling in the mountains. I remember John gave us a joke about the two candidates presidential that his father was given him first.
The joke began like as follow, “ Obama, McCain and the Pope were in the little boat, they were thirsty. There is water only for one person. The captain said “we have water for only one of you, which one I should give it to? Every body had to argue to show the captain that it was him who deserved this water. The Pope said, “I am the most important figure in the world, It’s me deserve it”. McCain in the other side said, “I am a warrior survivor, a US hero, I deserve it it”.  Obama, the third person said, “ Because I am young and the next future president of the United States, this cup of water should be given to me.” Finally, none of them won and the captain decided to give the water by asking people to vote for. The Pope had two votes, McCain three and Obama six votes. And then Obama won, that said Obama is in the best position to win the 2008 US election.” We are all laughed at the same time. This joked told by John was interesting related to reality.
Finally, on Sunday morning we visited the biggest Buddhist temple, the hearsay says, it is the biggest one in the world, I don’t know for sure. What was attracted my attention was the respect of the faith, though we don’t share the same faith with them, we could spend time in the temple and we could take pictures freely by respecting the rules of function of this temple.
 My week in Mendocino country was really wonderful and joyful. I wish I could come back there for another exceptional weekend, perhaps before my leaving day. “God bless the Mendocino County and its inhabitants and I hope Mendocino greenly keeps its beautiful landscape.”





[1]- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendocino_County,_California 

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