DAY 6: Santa Monica and Venice Beach

-
Guess where I spent the morning?


That’s right, at the famous Santa Monica Pier, which is just 2 blocks from the Hostel I am staying at. Btw, this hostel is purpose-built, quite new and very nice. AND only a block from the beach. But back to Santa Monica Pier! Early morning there weren’t so many people, the fishermen were setting up, some rides were not going yet and a group of Falun Dafa were gathering on the grass by the pier. It was a bit chilly and overcast but not bad. I listened to a guy playing the saxophone beautifully and a drummer who was really giving it a go.







 Even saw another Bubba Gump Shrimp Co!! Gotta watch Forrest Gump again....

There were a bunch of flags up on the beach, don't know why? Maybe Sheldon is at it again with his "Fun with Flags"...

And some group was making a point about war.


Around lunch time I took a bus to Venice Beach a bit further south. Now Venice Beach is very different from Santa Monica Beach…. Very bohemian, artsy, vibrant…. What other words are there to describe an area that is more shabby than chic?





Wall-art, bunged up cars, small eateries that smell amazing… that sort of place. By now the sun was out and it had turned into a beautiful day.






I was looking for something to get for lunch and checked out a place with a not so nice name and people queueing out front. They had only 6 dishes, all involving eggs in some way, shape or form and when I asked one of the queue’ees why the queue, what’s their claim to fame, he said they made a mean breakfast! Maybe the “mean name” had more to do with it!! I believe it is a chain of eateries and I read some reviews… nah, don’t think I will try this one.



Instead I went to Cairo Cowboy’s Mediterranean Café and got me some Crispy Coconut-crumbed Shrimp and Baklava for dessert (it is Mother’s day after all). Another nice beach picnic with beautiful food and stunning views.




After such a lunch, ya gotta walk it off! So I walked the 2.22km back to Santa Monica Pier for some more music and my first ever Churro. 




And this is a Churro! It was around 35cm long and lightly toasted. I would say it has the consistency of a donut, is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and covered in sugar and cinnamon. Reminded me of the taste of a pannekoek (South African pancakes), but not as sweet. I liked it.

"Hello my name is Lana!" you can Google her.


A group made up of brothers and sisters playing some really heavy metal stuff.

I couldn’t believe it, the Falun Dafa people were still going at it as I left to go put my feet up.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DAY176 - 178 Arriving in Namibia - Windhoek

-
Image
On Monday I left Fuessen by train, to Frankfurt (2 degrees C). Tuesday I was going to leave my luggage at the Pension and go shopping. Ghmf… no, I had to be out by 10am, no luggage storage facility. So I very quickly went to the closest supermarket at 8am (dressed in coat and scarf and still freezing) and bought a piece of baked cheesecake for breakfast and a "leeeettle" chocolate to take with me.  By 11:30am I was at the airport.... my flight was only at 7:40pm. What a lo ng day that was. The flight was good though, had a window seat and an empty seat next to me.  Landed on time in Windhoek and then the surprises started (which they should not have been!!!)  1. Getting out of the plane and it being super hot and the air super dry.  2. How long it took to process the travellers from 1 plane only through immigration! 1.5 hours I stood in line!  3. How much Windhoek had changed since 1996. Very little looks like I remember it. But some things are exact...
Read more

DAY 179 - 209: Luderitz PART 1: Fish River Canyon trip

-
Image
Being back home is very special! I arrived in Lüderitz Friday 2 November 2018 on Air Namibia via Oranjemund. My first time EVER flying in. I was planning to just lay around, relax after all my adventures and help my brother out with his tourists, if the opportunity comes up. Well, there does not seem to be a lot of rest for the wicked... What I was not expecting was that my lovely family would take me on a 4-day birthday trip through Southern Namibia, via Keetmanshoop (so I can collect my new ID document) to the Kokerboomwoud area and then on to the Fishriver Canyon.  We spent the actual day at the Western Rim of the Fish River Canyon at "On the Edge of Eternity" and went on a sunset - sundowner drive along the rim. It was very special indeed.  For those who are interested in these things: "The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world and the largest in Africa, as well as the second most visited tourist attraction in Namibia. It features a...
Read more

DAY 56 - 57: Knoxville, Tennessee - Asheville, North Carolina

-
Image
I did not really expect much from Knoxville. I was expecting a small town. Turns out it is not that small and is actually quite pretty. And they have these free trolley busses that cover most of the city in 3 different loops. So that's what I did, hopped on and off and got to see quite a bit. The Sunsphere. It served as the symbol for the 1982 World's Fair The Holston Peace Treaty monument An arch made out of bi- and tricycles This is how they catch the pollution coming down a side stream into the Tennessee river. I had left Chattanooga very early and did not have breakfast, so when I got to the hotel in Knoxville, I had a few Pringles and made myself a cup of coffee in the coffee machine in my room... Not long after I was not well at all... I managed to do all the sightseeing I wanted  but slept only 2 hours last night... and was so afraid things would go wrong this morning on the bus to Asheville.  Anyway, I safely got to Ashvi...
Read more