We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures,we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
Total agreement with Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.
Mark Twain said
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines,sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore, Dream, Discover.
Here are some interesting sayings about travel.
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. St. Augustine.
There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign. R.L.Strenson.
A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles. Tim Cahill
So my dear friends as I am on my last 30's (scale1-100), I am in hurry to make my journey long & pleasureable wheather it is in terms of friends or the number of places countries I visit.
Though I have visited San Francisco number of times as my scientist brother and his beautiful attorney wife reside there. But on my last visit they took us to a exquisitely beautiful place named Filoli.
Filoli was built for Mr. & Mrs.W.B.Bourn. Filoli - an unusual name was given by Mr. Bourn - combining the first two letters from the key words of his credo:"Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.
After the death of Mr. & Mrs. bourn in 1936, owner of Matson Navigation company Mr. & Mrs William P. Roth purchased it. In 1975 Mrs Roth donated 125 acres, house & formal garden to the National trust for Historic preservation.
The House
Designed by W.Polk and noted for its elegent interiors, the House is an interpretive museum exhibit for an extensive collection of 17th &18th centuary English antiques.
Portico
The entrance to the House
Kitchen
The large electric stove, destined for one of the Matson ships, was installed at Filoli during World war two after original oil fired stove could not be repaired. Framed pictures are menu covers from MNC.
Butlers Pantry
From the staff viewpoint, the BP was the operational heart of the house. The call board still bears the names of the Roth family. A family member would press a button which would ring a bell and light up the board, indicating the room location.
Dining Room
The room is paneled in dark stained Oak with carved moldings. The Oak wood floor is laid in an alternating herringbone pattern to create a changing effect of light and dark stripes depending on the position of the viewer. The Isfahan patterned rug was hand woven in Agra, INDIA for Queen Victoria's home Osborne House, on the isle of wight. It was purchased in England by the Bourns.
Study
It is the most intimate room in the downstairs area and was a favorite room of the Roth family. the walls are oak paneled. The fire place is white carrara marble surround. The floor is Oak. Over the fire place is a portrait of Mr. Roth, painted in 1981 by Lloyd Sexton, a well known Hawaiian painter and
friend of Mrs. Roth.
Ante room to Ball room
Stairwell
Most important architectural element at the northend of the transverse hall. It is unseen from the main entrance so it's impact is stronger. on the wall by stairs hangs a flemish tapestry depicting the end of the greek tale of the sabine women.
Staircase
Ballroom
Largest Room in the house 70'x32' with a ceiling height of approximately 22'6". The five murals were painted by Ernest Peixotto in his New York studio on canvas from sketches made in a visit to Muckross. The walls are a lovely water green with gold decoration adding a feeling of richness & warmth to the stateliness of the room.
Gold decoration on water green coloured walls.
One of the huge mural painted by Ernest Peixotto.
Ball room walls are a lovely water green with gold decoration.
Beautiful gold decorated wall.
The gardens of Filoli are exquisitely beautiful.
Front Lawns
Lower North Lawn
Our warm hearted beautiful host.
Thanks all my known and unknown friends . I relived the visit just because of you.
Sharing is fun too.
