MONDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2012: SANTA MONICA

First stop today was the local store for breakfast provisions. Then we'd decided to walk the 2 miles along the shore to Santa Monica.

 Of the 3 SoCal beach communities (Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice) Santa Monica is the nearest to being a community of moderate means. Superstars, with their huge houses perching precariously on the mountains, don't live here. Instead, the Venice Boardwalk, with its stalls and bustle, gave way to cycle-ways and green parks.
The road led to the Santa Monica Pier overhanging the water, with an array of food stalls, a small amusement park, a tiny miniature golf course and a fishing area at the tip of the pier.

The afternoon was to be spent back on Venice Beach, so we borrowed the beach chairs from the hotel and set up camp on the Pacific shore. After a paddle (surprisingly warmish water) we settled down for a good read and relaxation. Great idea, but we hadn't reckoned on the stiff breeze coming off the ocean!