The Governor and the Hot Springs: May 2015

    So, where would one expect the Governor to relax and unwind?  Governor Jerry Brown is famous for not unwinding(read: he's wound too tight!).  But, since he's been married to Ann, he's made an attempt at least to leave the daily work once in awhile; to step back from the demands of public office and get out of town.  And where would that be?
     As reported by our Minister of Asian Culture and Eastern Philosophy, the Governor of California and his wife, Ann, made a surprise visit a week ago at the Zen temple and Hot Springs of Tassajara, deep in the Santa Lucia Mountains of California's Central Coast area.   This particular site is east of Big Sur, nestled at the bottom of a steep canyon with walls soaring more than 2000' to surrounding peaks, some of which can reach almost 5000'.
      This is the home area of California's Giant Condor, the large bird of prey threatened with extinction and brought back from the brink several years ago.  Wildlife experts were able to build a successful breeding program that has allowed a number to be returned to the wild, albeit, with careful monitoring and control.   Tassajara Creek runs through the temple area, and arrives down stream to Arroyo Seco Creek which is a tributary of the Salinas River a few miles to the east.  The hot springs have been developed for over 110 years, and were well known to local native Americans, some of whom continue to live in the next valley west, the Cuachuga tribal area.
       So, Governor Jerry and spouse, Ann, joined in a reunion of sorts with a number of San Francisco Zen Center followers who gathered to recall another time, in 1977, when Zen practitioners gathered here for a retreat to plan the future for the Buddhist community of the Bay Area.
     As reported by our minister, the Gov stayed the better part of 2 days, enjoying a low key visit w/o the pestering media types who constantly badger him for a morsel of info.
     Next time, Your Honor, come to Tahoe and Tahoma: nicer views and cleaner water without the sulphur smell.