"California dreamin"

"California Dreamin'" is a song by The Mamas & the Papas, first released in the 1960s.

"California Dreamin'" was the first single and first big hit for The Mamas & the Papas and is, in fact, their impetus for being. If not for the song, and the group's talent, they may have never emerged as the important band they became. It is often incorrectly considered to be a "summer" song, even though the lyrics unambiguously state that the events it describes occur "on such a winter's day".

For all who lived my age (and they are many, we were called the "boom generation") that song is the memory of a longing for a piece of Paradise on earth.
I was in California the first time in 1967 and I consider it my second mother country.
My grandfather emigrated to California with his five brothers in the 19th century, before the big earthquake. But he missed so much Italy that he was the only one to come back. That is probably why I was born in Italy and not USA.
I do not think I would have been much different, but my life may be.
When I was very little I used to listen to how great and beautiful California was.
I used to receive letters and gifts, and I used to dream of that far away country where winter didn't exist and they hardly knew what snow was.
Of that place where it hardly rained and the sun was always in the sky.
Of that place where my youth's songs came from and a piece of my grandfather's heart was buried.

Since then California has a special meaning to me, and even more since I was there when I was just 15 and I could visit it from North to South in my three months summer holidays.
If they asked me where I would like to spend my summers I would answer with no doubt: California.
So, what could I suggest to anybody else?
In 1967 the flights from Italy were outrageously expensive and if I hadn't had my family there I wouldn't have been able to afford to spend there three months.
But today you have a wide choice of low cost airlines and
California vacation rentals so you can decide where and when, easily book online at a very good price and spend there the most beautiful vacation of your life.
California is a little bit like Italy.
You can find the most glamorous beaches, mountains, lakes, big and small towns.
One thing is sure: However long your holidays is, you won't have the time to get bored!
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