updatin'

We've gotten into a rather nice routine. In the morning after usually having a free coffee that tastes like water and used coffee grinds, and a piece of toast or an apple at the hotel, we head to the beach. Our first few days here in Encinitas we drove to Cardiff, an iconic Calif surfing spot jealously guarded by locals - as there is only one workable peak and usually at least a dozen surfers out waiting to catch a ride on it. But then we discovered Beacon's beach. We can walk there from our hotel. Victor, here at the hotel, told us how to get there: walk up the flight of stairs that leads to the upstairs of the hotel, but then instead of taking the next flight up to the second story, there is a little wooden staircase going off into a corridor of greenery and flowers that leads to a quiet residential street. From there, as Victor said (Victor loves us) you go "right, left, right" - like a soldier. After about 5 minutes of walking down a street lined with beautiful mediterranean-style houses, you come to the beach. You've got to walk down a steep trail zig-zagging down a sandy bluff, and then, MILES of sandy beach. Our first day trying it out we just happened upon a random spot, because I was looking for a spot with shade. And this spot had waves breaking that no one was surfing. They didn't look too good. But then when Shawn and Darren paddled out, turns out it was a wave better than Cardiff, and definitely better than Tofino - and no one seemed to know about it. They called it secret spot. next time we went, we met a local who told us that that spot actually was officially named "secrets". Anyway, we've been going there every day since.

We didn't end up going camping, because it's almost as expensive as the hotel.

We're not actually staying IN Encinitas. We're in the community right beside it, called Leucadia. I've learned since staying here that Leucadia was one of the original surfy-hippy spots in the 70's. It's really cool here in that chains are not really allowed in - and thus there is AMAZING food just up and down the street. It's the kind of place full of hole-in-the-wall looking restaurants that serve unbelievable food. There's a donut shoppe that looks almost like an abandoned building that has a line-up out the door every single day. Laura would be in heaven here. I say that because I know that Laura shares my penchant for trying out the new and edgy when it comes to food!

Today we went to Beacon's in the morning, 'till about 1, and then to Carlsbad where we'd heard there is a big outlet shopping mall. I was really excited bout it, but it was kind of disappointing. Mostly they were the same prices as anywhere else, aside from their sales. I only spent $40. On a pair a jeans and a pink hat with the california bear on it. I'm happy with that. That's what I wanted as a souvenir: something with the calif. bear on it.

One week left….*sob*