An Afternoon at the Pulgas Water Temple

I ran into one of those Instagram reels recently that romanticizes a certain word that most of us haven’t heard of, and although I typically find this category of content scroll-able, this particular word stuck with me. Apricity- the warmth of the winter sun. Maybe it resonated because we’re in a Spring that still feels like winter, but I thought- how fitting of a time to discover such a delightful verbalization of this delightful feeling, right when we’re feeling most starved of it. Granted, I live in California where the Sun forsakes us lesser than in other places. Even still, this particular cold season seems to extending and over-extending, and I’ve found myself craving warmth in whatever way I can find it, obscure words included apparently.

The word also had the curious effect of vividly bringing back memories of this one fine Fall afternoon last year at this one fine local gem of a place, and it felt so lovely to relive that I decided then and there that it was deserving of a permanent location here on the blog. I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane to beautiful Pulgas Water Temple in my own neck of the woods here in Redwood City. Even more so, I hope you get the chance to go visit it very soon. ❤️

The Temple was built in the 1930s as a monument to honor the workers who built the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, which is an engineering feat in its own right as the supplier of most of the Bay’s water to this day. Built in the Mediterranean Revival style by renowned architect William S. Merchant, the Corinthian columns and beautiful landscaping add up to a European escape in the heart of the Peninsula. Take a picnic and a blanket if possible and find a spot on the well-tended lawn, the gardens are an excellent location to soak in the transporatational peace.

Pro tip- Visiting this place takes a bit of scheduling! Temple grounds are open all 7 days of the week 9am-5pm, however the parking lot is only open on the weekdays. There is no legal parking available reasonable within walking distance to the gates, which means that biking in or a very long trek on foot is the only way to get in on the weekends. TL;DR- if you plan to drive in, a weekday during conventional work hours is the most convenient thing to do. This is the reason it took us over two years to visit a place that’s a very short drive away from us!

Dress: c/o chicwish | Shoes: Thrifted

Is there a hidden gem near you that I should know about? Let me know.😊

Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead!
XO Sushmitha :)