Los Angeles – Day 4 – Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Marina Del Ray

I took an e-bike ride from Santa Monica to Marina Del Ray.  There are bike lanes on all the major roads and a bike-only path along the beach.

Everywhere I looked people were out enjoying the day.  There were people on rollerblades, pickleball courts, surfers, skateboarders, and even a yoga class on the grass next to the beach.  And why wouldn’t you go out and exercise on a beautiful 62-degree day (it felt much warmer in the sun).

There was Muscle Beach in Venice, an outdoor fitness center.  What a treat to work out in the fresh air! Even the high school next to where I’m staying has an outdoor fitness center for the students.  At the skatepark I watched skateboarders practicing tricks, and everyone would clap when someone successfully completed a stunt.  I thought about joining in but decided a trip to the ER room wouldn’t fit in with my agenda.

At Marina Del Ray I watched some feisty sea lions hanging out on the rocks.  They had a lot to say, although I’m not sure what they were talking about.

Of all the times I’ve been to Los Angeles, I’ve never been to the Santa Monica Pier, so today I made it a point to go there.  And I finally did it!  I rode the Ferris wheel and have the pictures to prove it!

I did see the depths of despair, homeless people sleeping on the beach, and one homeless woman was screaming for no apparent reason.  However, I saw a beautiful moment of kindness.  A homeless man came into the restaurant I was eating in and said he was hungry, and the owner gave him a giant loaf of bread.  Acts like that give me faith in the good nature that most people possess.