I was fortunate to spend a few weeks in Salinas over the Christmas period – the city Mrs IKIMASHO grew up in, and also the birthplace of one of my favourite writers, John Steinbeck. It was amazing to immerse myself in the landscapes that feature so heavily in his work: the cacti standing emerald green against the bone-dry earth, and the constant play of light and shadow across the rolling hills. Every night, a freight train would pass through the Valley, its horn blaring in the distance.
My wife’s parents were already in the US, reconnecting with old friends, so we were lucky enough to stay with them. Her brother flew in from Kentucky, and it was nice to just live like a local for a bit, enjoying lazy days and family meals together. I’m grateful to have a connection with this part of the world, especially since Steinbeck’s grandparents were also from Northern Ireland. On the last day, I picked up a first edition of Cannery Row as a memento of the trip.
An overnight flight meant we landed in San Jose just in time for lunch. We met some friends of the family at this cute diner which was a great way to start the trip. American vibes right from the off 🇺🇸 
Salinas is about an hour south of San Jose. The neighbourhood we were staying in was nice and suburban. 
There was a massive Gold’s Gym not far from our house. It was nice to train at a place with so much space and equipment. 
A canvas of blue… 
And broccoli as far as the eye can see. 
We took a trip out to San Juan Bautista, a small town with a population of about 2,000. 
It was actually a former Spanish mission from 1797. Fun fact: a good part of Hitchcock’s Vertigo was filmed here. 
The rolling hills of the Salinas valley 
The California coastline in this part of the world really is beautiful. Point Lobos… 17-mile drive… Carmel… Pacific Grove… I will remember these places fondly. 
Hanging out at the Monterey Bay Aquarium… 
And at the birthplace and childhood home of John Steinbeck. 
Many Steinbeck family pictures and memorabilia decorate the walls… 
And the ground floor has been turned into a restaurant run by volunteers. 
First edition, 1945. There was a nice written inscription by someone on the inside cover – they had bought it for a friend on the year of release. I got Mrs IKIMASHO to inscribe it on the next page, 80 years later. 
Our Steinbeck adventures continued at the National Steinbeck Center – a museum and memorial dedicated to his creative legacy. 
It was a lovingly designed exhibition – with a space devoted to each book. 
In Salinas, 80% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. That means authentic Mexican food is never far away. 
We also couldn’t resist pigging out a little at In-N-Out Burger 
I always knew Americans liked to decorate their homes at Christmas, but I didn’t truly understand it until I saw it first-hand. This was one house out of about 20 fully decked out on a single street. 
This was my second visit to Salinas, the first being back in 2019. I look forward to the day I can see these sunsets again.
IKIMASHO! 