A fancy pool for commoners

I bet you have never seen a swimming pool as grand as the one at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. This is William Randolph Hearst's pool. But as I said in my entry below, the pool was not popular in Hearst's day. According to my tour guide, people weren't avid swimmers then. Today, the pool gets plenty of use, but not by the rich and famous. Nowadays it's used by the employees of Hearst Castle, which is the main attraction at Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument. In the summer, when the daytime temperature can reach 90 and even 100 degrees, employees may use the pool in the evening after the park closes, and they can bring along guests. "I never knew I had so many friends," my guide said. The Hearst family uses the pool on special occasions, too. But, mostly, it's for the commoners now. By the way, the pool is heated by the sun. In the old days, oil heat was used, but that's long gone. When I visited on November 11, the water temperature was only 55.