On one of our day trips from Carmel, we ventured out to Big Sur, which is an area along the ocean, with no real demarcation of the area.  There are few homes to be seen and there were some very rustic cabins for vacationers.  There are also a few five star resorts in this area.

There is a beautiful Point Sur Lighthouse that was built of limestone in 1889 that is still maintained by the United States Coast Guard, but the original beacon is now viewed at the Monterey Maritime Museum, as the lighthouse is now fully automated.

As we drove around the area, we ended up having lunch at Ventana Inn and Spa.  This resort has to be seen to be appreciated; it is for movie stars and jet setters.  There are two pools; one which is clothing optional and each pool has a Japanese pool near by.  The spa offers all types of therapeutic services and is very lavish.  We saw many little cabins that guests could check into for their stay as well as the resort itself.

We stopped to have a lunch and to admire the grounds and the view.  Lunch was a very casual affair starting with quesadillas and a plate of hummus.  My Bride enjoyed a vegetarian burger and I had a chicken enchilada with guacamole and mole sauce, which is a sauce that I truly enjoy and always look for when we are out to eat.  We also had a nice bottle of Changala Viognier 2000 from Santa Barbara County which was very refreshing as the day was quite warm in the sun and the spice of this varietal paired well with our dishes.