Palm Springs or Agua Caliente, its native name, means Hot Springs. Boiling mineral waters still bubble up in the heart of the city, many acres of which are owned the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians. The band's few remaining members are wealthy descendants of the native peoples who originally roamed the bleak, strangely beautiful desert. White settlers also sought the hot, dry climate and today this beautiful oasis is prime property and home to many of the rich and famous among whom was Bob Hope.

Bob Hope's home atop one of the rocky hills of Palm Springs. photo by G. Wilson

Water is everything in the desert and fortunately for its residents, when we were there in 1996, it was watered by an acquifer beneath the the sand and sagebrush which according to the experts had sufficient H2O to serve the community for the next 200 years. Cautious residents were told, however, to conserve, conserve, conserve and they were quick to warn visitors with printed notices to shut off taps while brushing teeth.

Notwithstanding the relative poverty and pricelessness of water in this dry, hot, desert area, there were then some seventy golf courses in Palm Springs. The high demand of such a rare commodity for these places of pleasure was possible only because the golf courses are constructed to catch and recycle much of the water they use - or so they said. Any increase in permanent residency is closely monitored and restricted largely to the wealthy few simply by virtue of the high cost of land, of living expenses and taxes in this desert paradise.

Golf's Great Oldtimers on Golf Course in Newport Beach Left: Lee Trevino; Centre: Chi Chi Rodriguez & Gary Player Right: Jim Colbert photos by G. Wilson

While we were in Newport Beach, the Toshiba Senior Classic took place at the Newport Beach Country Club. We attended one of the days of the tournament and watched Jim Colbert win.

The sun shines on the average 350 days a year in Palm Springs. Winter temperatures range from a low in the 70s to high 80s, while the summer sun sizzles with highs above 100. Low levels of humidity generally make high temperatures quite bearable, but during the summer residents spend their time in air-conditioned comfort in businesses and homes. Nights are cool enough for jackets.

The tall stately date palm trees which distinguished the city were originally introduced from North Africa. Where 50 trees are planted for agricultural purposes, 49 are female and one is male which is sufficient for their fertilization. A good tree can yield up to 300 pounds of dates a year. Eaten ripe off the tree the dates were soft, succulent and delicious. When new palms are needed, they are purchased as mature trees, perhaps 50 to 60 years old, placed in a hole, watered and shortly take root and grow. Roots are shallow.

Date Pine Trees photo by G. Wilson

The hotels were luxurious. The most outstanding was the beautiful Marriot Hotel in Palm Springs whose grounds were picture-perfect. To step inside it was to visit another world, one in which small boats circled about right inside the hotel. Since it is located on a major fault line, the hotel floated on ball bearings that permitted it to sway up to 15 inches either way in the event of an earthquake.

Marriot Hotel photo by G. Wilson

Marriot Hotel Flamingo Pond photo by G. Wilson

The homes of Hollywood stars abound in this lotus land and tour buses did a land-office business chauffeuring star-struck, rubber-necking, nosey tourists about town to see the houses called home by stars we once saw on the silver screen long ago. Bob Hope's home outshone them all situated as it was high on a hill overlooking Palm Springs. It was cut into the side of the hill and its distinctive mushroom-shaped roof was visible for miles around. Accessible only by invitation, the road to it was closely monitored for any mad movie-goers. Other stars were less fearful of prying eyes and their homes were closely scrutinized by all. Some seeking a closer look took out binoculars to better penetrate their privacy. In Kirk Douglas's home a large Mercedes was parked modestly in the driveway. Lena Horne protected her mansion with mirrored windows and all moaned when we saw only ourselves peering back at the bus. Many of the homes are no longer owned by the stars, but the following once housed these stars of the silver screen.

Hollywood Homes Top: Jack Benny's home; Middle: Clarke Gable and Carol Lombard's home; Bottom: Marilyn Monroe's home photos by G. Wilson

Frank Sinatra Drive intersects Bob Hope Drive which parallels Dinah Shore Drive. Gene Autry Trail is a major thruway. These street names likely designated stars who gave generously to their community. Bob Hope donated acres of prime land to the city on which the Barbara Sinatra Clinic, was constructed, paid for by Barbara Sinatra, Frank's wife. Gerald Ford Drive is a short distance from the Betty Ford Clinic.

Homes of the Stars Top: Liberace's Den where he died; Bottom: Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy's hideaway photos by G. Wilson

Homes of the Stars Top: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans; Bottom: John Wayne photos by G. Wilson

Nestled in a fertile valley a short distance from the California coast is the historic city of Capistrano. It has a number of claims to fame one of which is the Mission San Juan Capistrano constructed in 1776. It was the seventh of 21 missions built in California over a century by 142 grey-robed Franciscan priests sent by the King of Spain to evangelize the native peoples.

Priests were joined by pirate bands led by a Frenchman named Hippolyte Bouchard whose cut-throats terrorized the coast country. He sailed under the flag of Buenos Aires in a ship called Argentina and his motely crew pillaged and plundered San Juan Capistrano leaving little but the mission's walls in their wake. Rebuilt the mission's cathedral-like church was designed in the form of a cross with vaulted ceiling, seven domes and a massive bell tower. Used but for a brief six years, the structure was destroyed in a minute by an earthquake in 1812. Its complete restoration was underway when we were there, still the focus of numerous fund-raising projects. San Juan Capistrano attracts thousands of tourists annually to see the the little adobe chapel and the massive remains of the great stone church in a beautiful courtyard with splashing fountains and flower-filled gardens.

Capistrano is perhaps known best for its tiny cliff swallows celebrated in story and song, the latter a popular ditty, When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano written in 1939. As they have done for thousands of years, the birds still wing their way back annually but in ever-decreasing numbers for like other endangered species, their food supply has dwindled and nesting sites are slim. The traditional date of their arrival is dawn on March 19th, St. Joseph's Day. The main flock is preceded by 'scout' birds that check out the lay of the land. Their close association with the Mission results from their dispersal by townsfolk who tired of their high-pitched chatter and messy nest sites. A mission padre noted this and invited them to nest at the Mission which many did.

While the miracle of the migration is not lost on the locals, they prefer the 'dirty' birds to construct their 'mud-mixed-with-syliva-nests elsewhere and many at the first sign of mud and spit, hose down the highrise of the harried birds. As meat eaters the restless swallows swoop and dive from dawn till dusk to catch airborne insects for the broods of babies usually numbering four or five. The swallows do not all leave at once and some remain all year if enough food is found. However, the majority of Las Golondrinas (the Tiny Swallows) start to migrate in mid-October when they commence their long flight - 6000 miles - to Goya. Argentina where they spend the winter.

San Juan Mission in Capistrano photos by G. Wilson

Geri - Captivated by Capistrano photo by B. Wilson

Tower of Hope photo by G. Wilson

Crystal Cathedral

When we arrived with our group at our residence for the two week stay in Newport Beach, California, we all gathered in the large waiting room of Oakwood Apartments to get our cabins and keys. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and there stood Doug Campbell who had been a teacher at the school of which I was principal some 34 or 35 years before. Standing beside Doug was Lois, his wife, who was also a teacher there. They taught there during the years 1961-64 and left to take up teaching positions elsewhere before I left in 1966. Geri knew Doug from high school.

We walked almost daily for dinner to a small restaurant up the street from our residence where we were surprised and very pleased one day to meet our son Jason who had flown to LA on business and rented a car to drive down to see us. It really made our day.

Oakwood Apartments at Newport Beach, California

Standing on the lawn at Marriot Hotel in Palm Beach are left to right: Eva and Hans Van der Sluis Lois and Doug Campbell Geri and Bill

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