Los Angeles & San Diego
Spring 2006
Los Angeles was the first domestic flight I took in US. Even before we got off the flight, LA amused me. For the simple reason, our flight had to queue up behind a series of flights all wanting to land at the LA Airport. Air Traffic ... for the first time I experienced it.
Our very first day of the trip was Universal Studios. The whole day was spent in this one single place. Rides and rides and more rides. All inspired by movies ... Back to the Future, Shrek, Jurassic Park ... My favorite ride was the Mummy. The whole ride was in darkness with mummies and scary things popping out of everywhere. It is so easy to just 'boo' me and I ll get scared. This ride had made my heart beat real fast. Although nobody was keen in the beginning. In my pretext, everybody thoroughly enjoyed the day.
The second day we drove from LA to San Diego. On the way, stopping at 2 or 3 beaches. Strolled on the sands, played volleyball at the beach, witnessed dancers dancing around the fire for some African music and finally at the end of the day, we hit the dance floor at some random club in San Diego. The beaches unlike near Seattle's pebble beaches had long sand shores. The waters were not very cold too. The day ended with a friend of mine from Seattle driving the rest of us back to LA. He was the only one who was awake.
The third day, we drove around in the car all day long. Again, one guy drove ... the rest were just sitting inside and doing nothing. Drove through the Mulholland drive. It was supposed to be a really scenic drive. Ah well! did we care? That day I had received a call from a good friend of mine from Singapore. She had come to San Diego for 3 days and was returning to Singapore the very day I spoke to her. I cursed her for not calling me earlier. I was in San Diego and didnt meet her. What a disappointment!!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Deception Pass ...
Deception Pass
2006 Summer
Deception Pass is easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. The whole Deception Pass experience starts at the look out point a few feet ahead of the bridge (or is it the pass?). The scenery from this look out point is like a painting in the true sense. A painting with a back drop of the ocean, the ocean hitting a beach, the beach ended by the mountains, the mountains where the waves collide as fast as they can, the waves with the sun's rays glittering on them, the sun rays blinding my eyes and my eyes ... in for a feast.
From this look out point we could also admire the confused waters below the bridge. It is here that the waves running in from the ocean and the back waters merge. The waves clash with each other and move on directionless. The stream is neither stagnent nor does it flow in any particular direction.
The drive continues over the bridge to the top of a small hill. At the bottom of which is the pebble beach. There are defined tracks to reach the bottom. But trekking on the rocks is a lot more fun. The waters near the beach were not very deep and I could see people swimming a little deeper to find the right spots to swim. Finally sitting down at the edge of the beach with all the land behind you and only waters in front and seeing the sunset had made my day.
Whidbey Island is the next destination from Deception Pass. The island is pretty deserted and far from civilization which makes it look very natural and Australia like. An interesting incident that happened at Whidbey Island was our whale watching. We went to an Espresso to drink some coffee. The owner of the cafe was able to see a whale far far away inside the ocean through her binoculars. We got to see it too!! The whale watching was more worth it than the Espresso coffee.
Returning from Whidbey Island, we took a ferry ride back to the mainland. The ride lasted 20 minutes. From the darkness of the waters, I enjoyed watching the city lights as we returned back to normal life.
2006 Summer
Deception Pass is easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. The whole Deception Pass experience starts at the look out point a few feet ahead of the bridge (or is it the pass?). The scenery from this look out point is like a painting in the true sense. A painting with a back drop of the ocean, the ocean hitting a beach, the beach ended by the mountains, the mountains where the waves collide as fast as they can, the waves with the sun's rays glittering on them, the sun rays blinding my eyes and my eyes ... in for a feast.
From this look out point we could also admire the confused waters below the bridge. It is here that the waves running in from the ocean and the back waters merge. The waves clash with each other and move on directionless. The stream is neither stagnent nor does it flow in any particular direction.
The drive continues over the bridge to the top of a small hill. At the bottom of which is the pebble beach. There are defined tracks to reach the bottom. But trekking on the rocks is a lot more fun. The waters near the beach were not very deep and I could see people swimming a little deeper to find the right spots to swim. Finally sitting down at the edge of the beach with all the land behind you and only waters in front and seeing the sunset had made my day.
Whidbey Island is the next destination from Deception Pass. The island is pretty deserted and far from civilization which makes it look very natural and Australia like. An interesting incident that happened at Whidbey Island was our whale watching. We went to an Espresso to drink some coffee. The owner of the cafe was able to see a whale far far away inside the ocean through her binoculars. We got to see it too!! The whale watching was more worth it than the Espresso coffee.
Returning from Whidbey Island, we took a ferry ride back to the mainland. The ride lasted 20 minutes. From the darkness of the waters, I enjoyed watching the city lights as we returned back to normal life.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
New Year's at Alki Beach
Place: Alki Beach
Time: New Years 2006
New Years never seemed like a big deal earlier. I was either at home seeing some stupid movie on Sun TV or preparing to get back to college .. back to my campus life. This time it was different. I was not home for New Years and there were a few loser friends of mine who werent either.
We decided to go to Alki Beach ... to see the new year fire-works. Fire-works ... hah well .. didnt excite me much. But hey ... it is a beach and how can beaches ever get boring. We drove around in packed cars. Even the trunk was packed ... with cameras, huge lenses, tripods. You guessed right ... we had a few expert photographers along with us.
I was in for a surprise again. There was no sand on this beach. ?? Made me wonder if I was at the right place. Hell ya .. I was. The beach was a pebble beach. We couldnt walk around much on the beach, but you think anyone was interested? Especially in the freezing weather? Again ... I was the only one in the whole crowd who wanted to touch the water. Everyone else were busy setting up their cameras and tripods and waiting silently for the new year fireworks. I went closer to the waters. This time, my roommate came along. Her motive was mostly photos. And going closer to the water .. was creating a pretty good background for the photo.
Fire-works finally. The fire-works originated at the Space Needle. For the first time ... the Space Needle looked more magnificent than the qwest field and the safeco field. At all other times, the lighted quest field took control of the sky line. It started at mid-night sharp and lasted exactly 8 mins. (oh ya, I remember 8 mins). It seemed less to me and very repetitive. But others found it pretty good.
The photographers also managed to get a few shots. Some of them shook too. Apparently the cars driving on the road were shaking the tripod and so the photos shook. That explanation surprised me. Well, what the hell do I know about photography (other than to pose ofcourse ;))
The Seattle sky line looked pretty good. Ever since ... I have wanted to go back to Alki and see the sky line both during the day and during the night. I guess I will go back sooner or later.
ps: the photographers know to take snaps but they dont know to share them. I never got the snaps that were taken that night. :(
Time: New Years 2006
New Years never seemed like a big deal earlier. I was either at home seeing some stupid movie on Sun TV or preparing to get back to college .. back to my campus life. This time it was different. I was not home for New Years and there were a few loser friends of mine who werent either.
We decided to go to Alki Beach ... to see the new year fire-works. Fire-works ... hah well .. didnt excite me much. But hey ... it is a beach and how can beaches ever get boring. We drove around in packed cars. Even the trunk was packed ... with cameras, huge lenses, tripods. You guessed right ... we had a few expert photographers along with us.
I was in for a surprise again. There was no sand on this beach. ?? Made me wonder if I was at the right place. Hell ya .. I was. The beach was a pebble beach. We couldnt walk around much on the beach, but you think anyone was interested? Especially in the freezing weather? Again ... I was the only one in the whole crowd who wanted to touch the water. Everyone else were busy setting up their cameras and tripods and waiting silently for the new year fireworks. I went closer to the waters. This time, my roommate came along. Her motive was mostly photos. And going closer to the water .. was creating a pretty good background for the photo.
Fire-works finally. The fire-works originated at the Space Needle. For the first time ... the Space Needle looked more magnificent than the qwest field and the safeco field. At all other times, the lighted quest field took control of the sky line. It started at mid-night sharp and lasted exactly 8 mins. (oh ya, I remember 8 mins). It seemed less to me and very repetitive. But others found it pretty good.
The photographers also managed to get a few shots. Some of them shook too. Apparently the cars driving on the road were shaking the tripod and so the photos shook. That explanation surprised me. Well, what the hell do I know about photography (other than to pose ofcourse ;))
The Seattle sky line looked pretty good. Ever since ... I have wanted to go back to Alki and see the sky line both during the day and during the night. I guess I will go back sooner or later.
ps: the photographers know to take snaps but they dont know to share them. I never got the snaps that were taken that night. :(
