19/7: Just south of Monterey Bay a piece of land juts out into the Pacific. It’s rugged and the strong ocean winds make the trees grow low, but the dramatic scenery has made it the perfect spot for really rich people with a longing for the wild to build their architectually experimental houses. There is one road running in a loop around the sort-of headland, most of the way just by the oceans edge. And the rich people have, as rich people tend to do, realized it’s potential as a cash cow. They charge money for visitors to enter the road, and call it the 17 Mile Drive. It’s become a tourist attraction, and mom, having read about it in her fancy guide book, wanted to see it.
Sure, it was beautiful. I’ve always loved cliffs and the ocean. But worth the ten dollar per car entrance fee? The money didn’t even go to protecting the rare nature of the area, like it would in a national or state park. It went right into the pockets of the already rich. It felt pretty much like a tourist trap.
Katja Malmborg 