Big day

Wow, we must have been tired. No sleep on the plane but we slept for 14 hours last night. Only woke up when the hotel staff came to clean the room!!

Spent the day (or what was left of it) at Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach. Had my first ever ride on a merry-go-round. It was huge and had a real Wurlitzer music machine and it only cost $2 a ride. I am such a cheap date!! Mike declined the invite to join me. I guess one big kid is enough. We have a photo. Will load it on later when we work out how to do it. Check out the real thing on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcKyyVx4yTY

Venice Beach was an eye-opener. There are some very "alternative" characters to be found down there. There are several km's of stalls and shops selling everything you can think of including jewellery, arts and crafts and all sorts of food. Seems like anyone can put up a stall. They have the sides of the path marked out and the sellers set up in each one. There are bands and buskers and entertainers all over the place. And fashion.....well there was plenty to choose from.....none of it you would wear to the office!!!

Apparently the place is open all day and most of the night. The "afternoon shift" were still asleep on the lawn, beach or in any doorway they could find.

A quiet night in tonight. Heading off on a day tour of LA tomorrow then heading east.....or maybe north east......

x Chris