cayucos, ca



these past 5 or 6 years for a week in late summer casa de lopez/bronson relocates to the central coast beach town that time forgot.  we found this beautiful town indirectly.  my mother-in-law was looking to rent a beach house in a community close to tidal pools so that nick, who was a small child at the time, could explore.  she, & anna, found cayucos.  we didn't know about this little quiet beach side community.  cayucos?  what a name.  but when we arrived via highway 1 we took one look at the community & we fell in love.  this is a place to let loose.  open the windows, listen to the roaring surf, smell the salt air, watch dolphins, orcas & whales swim past.  last time around nick & i spent a couple of hours in the surf.  he went ahead back to the house to shower off the sand & salt.  i lingered on the beach for a while.  when i climbed the steps from the beach back up to the city street an older couple sitting on a bench made to admire the sea views said, do you like it?  what, i asked.  all of this, they said.  we brought it for you.  i told them of our annual tradition of renting our beach house.  how i -- we -- have deeply fallen in love with cayucos.  they told me that they are long retired from san francisco & had fallen in love with the community too & bought a house back in the early '90s.  back when buying a house was in the province of the mortals, i joked.  they laughed.  yes, homes are expensive but look at where you are, they answered.  a couple more minutes of exploratory small talk i excused myself so i could take a shower & slough off the sand & salt.  but that the world expands & contracts based on annual traditions.  so i watch this video transported for a little while to the beach town that i love.  i know these places in this video, i know them not as a local, how could i, but as lover who looks upon the artifacts of his love.