We decided we needed another vacation, so Scott invited us to go sailing on Argan and Gloria's boat in Southern California, and invited Argan to sail us around on said boat. Luckily for us, our nice friends generously agreed to this. We met Argan in Long Beach and had some time to kill before the boat was ready. He asked if we wanted to see a spectacle. Answer: yes, always, yes. Destination: Venice Beach.
(Venice Beach - a.k.a. Muscle Beach)
Muscle Beach proves adults don't outgrow the delight of using playground equipment.
Next thing we knew, Scott was mixing with the locals.
These two beefy strangers were sweet as pie. They seemed not to mind when we interrupted their Sunday workout and asked them to pose for photos, or the fact that we weren't tan.
It was an unusually grey day in LA, which for rhyming purposes is great.
... not so much for swimming in the ocean.
I think skateboarding was born somewhere around here.
I say this with affection, Venice Beach is weird.
This isn't necessary related, but there happened to be a Hare Krishna festival happening the morning we were there, which included an incredible parade.
The peaceful, colorful Hare Krishnas were followed by a group of protestors with megaphones, who were followed by the police. I also spotted a one-eared dog. What a place, what a country, these United States.
At one point we noticed a man rinsing himself and a ladder in one of the beach showers. Huh, wonder what the ladder's for.
We saw him again a while later. Turns out, THIS, this is what the ladder's for. To elevate his snake handling show! I think the snakes were rubber, but everything else was for real.
The next day we sailed. Scott was Argan's deck hand. He learned all kinds of knots and sailing terms, which as it turns out, there are a lot of both to learn.
We went from Long Beach to Newport. Here are the morning views from where we stayed between Newport Beach and Balboa Island.
That's a little sailing school parade, off to race in small circles. Ahoy there!
We took the dinghy to Balboa Island for breakfast. Balboa Island is all nautical charm and summertime ease.
California is good at flowers.
And blue skies.
I think these guys were refreshing the mooring balls. I don't know for sure, because so much about sailing and the industry of the sea is a mystery to me.
Scott, bless him. He fished for days. He caught a small junk fish the first time he dropped his hook in the water, and nothing else the whole rest of the time.
Argan and Scott fiddled with the gennaker sail. I don't know anything except it made for beautiful picture time.
He accidentally let go of the end. Fly free, sail!
I realize I may often be guilty of exaggerating whimsy in the context of my photos, but this is true. Our neighbor in Newport was a seal, who lived one boat over. He lay on the stern most of the day and night, and occasionally barked at other seals. We motored the dinghy close so I could get a picture, after which he bared his teeth at us without opening an eye.
Below are junior life guards on the last day of camp.
They all got to jump off the pier and swim to shore.
When we got back to Long Beach, we toured the Queen Mary, which is a retired cruise ship permanently docked in the bay. She is a grand old ship. During World War II, they painted her grey and used her to transport soldiers across the Atlantic.
I learned that on the audio tour.
We also took the paranormal tour, and learned the Queen Mary is haunted with ghosts galore!
That's all I have as far as photos from my big camera. I am forever behind in uploading my phone photos, so there may be more to come. Argan and Gloria are the nicest for indulging our vacation wishes. It was all so nice.
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