Under the Boardwalk, By the Sea

What a wonderfully sunny, warm (and at times, hot) day at Laguna Beach. Again, the surfers and swimmers were out in full force. Hard to believe it's February! As Jerry and I walked on the beach this morning. I couldn't resist sticking my feet in the water and walking barefoot in the sand. We spent a good part of the day visiting art galleries where we saw some outstanding paintings and sculptures, including some authentic Asian pieces dating from the Ming Dynasty.

After lunch at a Mexican restaurant (the Halibut creviche was delicious), it was time for more sightseeing at the quaint shops and artist studios that line the Pacific Coast Highway. Laguna Beach is a great place to walk with lots to see against the magnificent backdrop of the mighty Pacific.

Laguna Beach, California

Jerry and I drove over to Laguna Beach today. We booked a lovely room in a quaint hotel with a fabulous ocean view. As I write this, it is evening: the patio doors are open and I can hear the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore.

We had lunch across the beach at Johnny Rockets where music from the 60s, such as Wipe Out, Surf City and Little Old Lady from Pasadena permeated the whole restaurant in a fun and upbeat way. The doors of the restaurant were open allowing us to enjoy the warm ocean breezes and a view of the beach, complete with boardwalk and surfers. The whole experience brought me back to Grade 9 in Moose Jaw and summed up what I thought of then as the quintessential American experience.

The beach is absolutely gorgeous with miles of sand that seem to go on forever. People were taking advantage of the sun and warmth today, as they walked, picnicked, swam, and surfed. The town is literally teeming with art galleries and is a mecca for arts in every dimension - paintings, jewellery, sculptures abound! We visited a couple of galleries and are looking forward to exploring more tomorrow.

After dinner at an Italian restaurant, we enjoyed a leisurely walk back to our hotel under the night sky. All in all, a very pleasant day.