I visited California in July 2004. The so called "Golden State" is a land going from the lowest point of America (the Death Valley, 850 m under the sea level) to the highest (Mt Whitney, 4553 m). Landscape changes from the arid eastern desert to the green fields in the central and the foggy coast. The population is an incredible melting pot of all the races and religions. Economy and culture are always changing and sometimes it seemed to me to be in the future.