May 10, 2011 Day 6 Sacramento, CA
We started off early, eager to see our state?s capitol. There were about three dozen protestors out front, protesting educational cuts. They were part of the Committee for Educational Quality, and I don?t think they were teachers. However, once we got through security, there were teachers, CTA people, and community people in support of education everywhere. You could tell which were which by the color of their shirts. However, I think it is overkill to shut rooms in the capitol because of calm people walking in the halls talking to their senators and assemblymen.
We had a great tour guide. However, some of the places we would like to visit, like the Senate, were closed today as an increased security measure because of the protestors. We did get to see the Assembly chambers, which have a Spartan feel with little desks. (Picture 1) I loved all of the carved wood throughout the capitol. The capitol has been restored to how it was in the early 1900?s.
There are 2 domes with a walkway in between?an interior and an exterior dome. This allows them to change the light bulbs in the inner dome. The interior dome was quite impressive with art designs (picture 1) and 31 stars representing that we were the 31st state admitted to the union. However, circling the bottom were about a dozen animals which looked liked rats with pointy faces. Our guide told us they were supposed to be grizzly bear faces. They are hard to see in Picture 2 because of the lighting above them. Did they hire an art student to save money?
The portraits of the governors were especially interesting. Ronald Reagan was posed in a beautiful landscape. Jerry Brown?s was very unusual and angular, and it reminded me of a Picasso. I would have never recognized him. He asked that it be unfinished because he wasn?t finished with government service, coming back as Oakland?s mayor, CA attorney general, and now our governor.
When the capitol was designed in the 1850?s, it was supposed to have a grand marble staircase, leading into the main foyer. However, as in future times, they ran so far over budget that they just skipped the steps, left the door, and think of that entrance as a balcony. Picture 4 shows the original ?entrance/balcony) and the outer dome.
We had skipped breakfast, so a trip to Fat City, recommended by RVForumers was next. They say they have never served fried chicken, though my notes said someone had told me that their fried chicken was awesome. So, I ordered the roast chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, and Dean had their burger. Everything was delicious, and the service was excellent. The restaurant is a restored brick dry goods store and has wonderful doors and Tiffany lamps. Even if you just go for coffee and pie (they are known for their banana cream pie, but we were good and didn?t have any), it is worth seeing, just to make a nice step back into history. Thanks so much for the tip, RVForum!
Just a block away was the California Railroad Museum, and Dean has always loved trains. I?ve asked Dean to tell about this part of our day.
Dean: They have a VERY nice collection of old (1800?s mostly) engines and cars, including an articulated cab-forward steam engine (4-8-8-0). Most of them are operable, and some are taken out periodically and run on the weekends or for special events. It is a very complete and well-done museum and worthy of its gem rating.
Linda: While the engines and cars were amazing and in pristine condition, what impressed me was the interesting history of the Central Pacific Railroad. There was one designer genius and 4 financial backers who were intimately involved with the day-to-day operations, one of whom was Leland Stanford. The museum did a great job of showing how they overcame problems, like building a 37-mile-long snow shed to protect an area of the track that received so much snow and so much rockfall that the train snowplows couldn?t clear it. However, while recognizing the accomplishments and hard work of the Chinese, I felt that they really downplayed the ill treatment and discrimination they encountered.
Stayed at Cal Expo RV Park?50 amps, gravel lot, FHU, $30, no trees, so there should be great Internet, but ours is sick and the repairman didn?t call back today.