I won't go in to extensive details about what we saw on tour, as superlatives will sound ridiculous. Friends of mine at home, prior to my departure, recommended Hearst Castle as "worth seeing." I realize now that their understated approach to suggesting we make a stop there on our jaunt along coast was due not to their being unimpressed, but rather, to their inability to describe splendor and beauty of this place.

As we wandered through buildings, past marble and carved walnut and gold inlay, we had progressively less ability to express our wonder. The beauty of final stop, indoor swimming pool tiled in lapis lazuli blue and gold tiles - not gold color, but actual gold - left me overcome. I really thought I was going to cry.

Back at visitor's center, I contemplated taking next tour back up hill. Instead, we opted for 40 minute IMAX movie about building of Hearst Castle. (The movie is included in Experience Tour. If you choose a different tour, it's separate, but worth it.) The film contains some footage of Hearst and his architect, Julia Morgan, at site while castle is under construction, as well as a number of clips of Hearst's many famous guests. There are some stunning aerial shots of site, which give visitors a chance to grasp size of compound as well as magnificence of its location.

At campground that night, we had new neighbors who were compelled to share with us (and most of campground) their love of rather obscene rap music. Meanwhile, neighbors opposite were burning what must have mean a tire as it was putting out so much smoke as to obscure sight, but not muffle sound of rap-loving campers. I was unperturbed. I put in earplugs (I never travel without them) and dreamed myself a guest at "Castle in Sky."

When I woke up in middle of night, I stepped out of tent to sound of ocean and sight of stars.

Hearst Castle is CRAZY BUSY! Go first thing in morning if you want to avoid crowds. We left a busy but not too crowded visitor's center at 11 a.m. and returned to a mob at 1 p.m.

You can buy tickets in advance online at Hearst Castle Web site. There are plenty of ticket windows at Visitor's Center, but lines get long QUICK and if you've purchased your tickets in advance, you'll have more time to enjoy your visit.

In addition to campground, there are plenty of little hotels just down road in Cambria. Reservations, even for camping, are recommended, though we were able to get a tent site upon arrival.

We spent about five hours, all told, up on hill. That's movie, tour, some time at Visitor's Center, and a coffee break on patio. We're real dawdlers, though; you could probably get your money's worth in about 3 hours.

The Hearst Castle Evening Tour program begins a new season each September. Visitors to Castle are able to experience evening reflections from 1930s heyday era. . Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/globe02/usa02/CA/hearst/hearst.html

By Pam, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

The hotel was renamed Great Southern Hotel in 1925 with merger of various railway companies in southern Ireland, now called Great Southern Railway Company. Then in 1933, another famous pilot and his wife arrived after landing a seaplane near Mutton Island. Charles and Annie Lindbergh visited Galway as part of a Pan Am aerial survey. During my two day sojourn at beautiful hotel, I didn’t realize celebrity status of charming edifice. That’s what so great about staying in historical hotels.

During Second World War years people didn’t travel as much as before. Rationing of butter, tea, and sugar was enforced, even at hotel. But after war, in 1946, pent-up demand for discovery saw hotel over run with tourists, and often times people even slept in lobby. While soaking in Canadian hot tub on fifth and top floor in hotel’s Square Spa & Health Club, I had a bird’s eye sunset view of Galway Bay and dockyards that still flourish with arrriving and departing passengers at rail station and tour buses grinding out of bus station to take present day adventurers on their voyage of discovery.

After railways came under public ownership in 1945, hotel was owned by CIE. In 1952 General Manager, Brian Collins, began Galway International Oyster Festival that is still a regional legacy.

Other celebrities that have rested their bones at hotel include: Queen Salote of Tonga Islands; British Paratroopers, Sergeant Chay Blythe and Captain John Ridgeway, who arrived as first to row across Atlantic Ocean. Presidents that have stayed at hotel or at least lunched there include: Sean T. O’Kelly, Eamon de Valera, Erskine Childers, Patrick Hillery, Cearbhall O’Dalaigh, Mary Robinson, and Charles De Gaulle. Lord Oranmore and Browne took over 5th floor for two weeks during shooting season for many years, with members of peerage including Lord Longford and Lord Killanin. Now that blood sports such as fox hunting are banned in England, more sports shooters are seen at hotel.

Actors who have stayed at hotel include: Siobhan McKenna, Ray McNally, Rex Harrison, David Hemmings, Bing Crosby and his wife, Cathy, Michael Mac Liammoir, Hilton Edwards, John Ford, and David Lean. Lunch visitors have included: Richard Harris, Fred Astair, Jack Nicholson, Anjelica Huston, John Huston, Paul Newman (who starred in Mackintosh Man nearby Burren region), John Wayne, and Maureen O’Hara (both starring in The Quiet Man). Yes. I was in fine company while dining a la carte in Oyster Room Restaurant. O’Flaherty’s Bar in basement of hotel is named after writer, Liam O’Flaherty, who often stayed at hotel while pounding out screed in 1940s. So as a Scottish writer myself, I had to toast my Irish counterpart. Well, maybe more than one toast!

Although hotel bedrooms on lower floors are not overly large, they are appointed with modern amenities, including modern baths, internet email access, personal fax service, TVs, and lovely and comfortable beds. Some of these bedrooms are more traditional. The fifth floor is only elevator accessed with your room key, and offers plushest rooms in house. The hotel underwent a renovation of €8 million in 2003, so you are assured a very high standard. During renovation, many of Victorian features were enhanced and restored.

The hotel is still in heart of Galway, with Eyre Park on one side and Galway Bay on other. Just a short stroll away is wonderful streets filled with bargain shopping that ends at River Corrib.

Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/ireland/greatsouthern/galway.html

By Kriss Hammond, Editor, Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com