"<h2>Hearst Castle in San Simeon</h2> <br/>Did you know that Hearst Castle is only a few hours north of LA?  If you ever end up in LA for a trip, be sure to set aside a few hours for a trip up to see this place.  After you get out of the LA city-scape-area, the terrain totally changes - so does the ""feeling"".<br/><br/>Towards the end of the day, all the tourists had left.  I had an escort with me for most of the day.  This gentleman was a retired LAPD officer who spends a few days per week working up at Hearst Castle.  There are several of these guys and gals that help keep the place secure.  They take the job pretty seriously, as you would expect from any LAPD-type.  After a few hours, I was able to wear them down with humor.  I found they responded very well to anti-lawyer humor, btw.  So keep that one in mind in case you ever get in a pinch.<br/><br/>Everyone there was extremely nice, and I loved the opportunity to capture Hearst as it is meant to be captured.  I kept returning to this fountain time and time again -- until the skies and light was just right...<br/><br/>- Trey Ratcliff<br/><br/><a href=""http://www.stuckincustoms.com/2010/05/14/hearst-castle-in-san-simeon/"" rel=""nofollow"">Click here to read the rest of this post at the Stuck in Customs blog.</a>"
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