The beach where we had lunch.  Unfortunately, the pictures don't do it justice.

The other side of the same beach.

The next two are of the view from the bus we took up the hill. 

The castle from the road from the visitors' center.  It's so huge you can actually see it from Hwy 1.

One of the guest houses.

We liked the pool. :)

The back entrance to one of the guest houses (there were four but we only saw inside one).

The next two are the ceilings in the guest house.

The towers of the entrance.  You can see them for miles.

Several thousand year old statue from Egypt.

A veiw from one of the terraces.  The strip of land is the other side of the beach where we had lunch.

Mary by the fountain in the entrance courtyard.

The indoor pool.

The bus we took up and down the very long (and very curvy) road.

Views of the "backyard."

The things on the beach are elephant seals.

The big ones were really ugly and the little ones constantly sneezed, which had Krista and Mary in fits.

We went back to my apartment and made dinner.  Krista made a delicious cake.

The light and clouds and green hills were too pretty not to take a picture and share.  Unfortunately, they didn't turn out that great. 

The posters that my roommate Kelsey put up in the apartment.  She thought they were planning a surprise.  She didn't know that my other roommate had told me a week earlier.

I guess I should have explained the last two pictures.  My roommates made me a cake for my birthday.  My roommate Anna decorated it.

I've heard and read a lot of ridiculous things in college but this one tops them all:

"The theory of evolution by natural selection established that bacteria, mushrooms, roses, and robins are all part of a family tree, similar to the genealogies that connect individual people."

What a crazy 2 weeks! 

It's been good so far.  Last week was orientation.  We got to do some fun things like kayaking, a BBQ and bonfire on the beach.  We also we went surfing - or at least we attempted to surf.  I think most of us were able to stand up once or twice for a couple of seconds but most of the time we fell off about the time we got on our knees.  It was still a lot of fun.  It wasn't all fun and games, though.  We had to attend some presentations that made me very thankful that I didn't move to college as a freshman. 

School started Monday.  It's a lot of work and from what I hear, it only gets worse.  But the classes are really interesting.  I've met four other girls who are in my classes and also transferred in this year. 

Last night I went to Campus Crusade and met some girls who I'll be doing a Bible study with.  One of the leaders is from Modesto.  We're pretty sure that our sisters went to the same junior high at the same time.  That was neat.

Today, I studied and hanged out with a girl named Ashley.  We spent four hours on one class and then decided that we were done for a while.  So we watched Gilmore Girls and then went grocery shopping at a health food/ organic grocery and at farmer's market.  It was a lot of fun. 

My roommates are nice.  It seems like they're all gourmet chefs.  We've had some yummy suppers.  But another girl, Breana, and I are finding out that the proportions that we're used to buying and cooking are way too much for four girls.  She comes from a family of six.  Last night we bonded over candy and a 50's chick flick.  This Sunday, Kelsey and I are going to visit a local church. 

So yeah.  I'm stressed out about classes but I'm still managing to have some fun.  I miss everyone at Ripon Grace too but I'll be back twice in November.