A Beautiful Glorious View - Day 4

So it was Day 4, and we were headed out of LA. I wasn’t really ready to leave at that point because LA has been on my bucket list. It sounded like a far-away place that I may never see, but I did get to see it. It was beautiful and busy and crowded and crazy.

But mostly beautiful.

I wasn’t ready to leave our nice hotel room, either, I would suggest that if you are ever staying in the LA area, look into staying at Courtyard Marriott LA/Burbank Airport location. It’s close to shopping, the highway, it’s quiet and well-kept. Here’s the link. And the pictures are spot-on. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/burcy-courtyard-los-angeles-burbank-airport/

Oh, and that's the Challenger there, too. 

 

Our friend, Willow, told us about a good breakfast place in Hollywood for breakfast. On a side note, it seemed like everything we did in the LA area took us back to Hollywood or North Hollywood. Fortunately, The Waffle has on-the-street parking AND restrooms! We sat out on the patio and had these outstanding waffles and eggs. Our server was an actor on a REAL show, was very nice, and we had interesting conversation. Check out The Waffle if you are in the area. They have fantastic food! http://thewafflehollywood.com/

I have to admit it was a little sad to be leaving a place I had wanted to visit for so long, but we had to be in Pismo Beach by 3:15 for our date with Sunbuggy. That meant we didn’t have time to go to Santa Monica Pier, which was another thing on the list in my head. Oh well, we will visit there next time.

We took a little, what I think was a detour, on our drive to Pismo, and ended up driving up and down a mountain pass. With no bathrooms. After drinking coffee. I was a mess! We finally did come upon a small town, and it was a good thing.

When we arrived at our hotel in Pismo Beach, Best Western Plus Cliff Shore Lodge, our room wasn’t ready yet. We checked in, though, and went on to Sunbuggy Fun Rentals in Oceano. We left our car in 2-hour parking (yikes!), went to the bathroom on beach with NO sinks to wash our hands, ugh, got on the trailer and rode out to the location on the beach at Oceano State Park. We weren’t the only people out there that day, and it was cloudy, windy and cool again. 

 

Jim was very excited about this experience, and I was just nervous. We had to watch a video back at the shop about safety, and then the representative on the beach also told us about safety, giving us a printed map, told us where to stay away from, etc. He specifically talked about the dunes that went down at a 90-degree angle. I hoped we would not encounter one of those because it would have sent me over the edge (no pun intended!).

We had helmets, seat belts, etc., and Jim started driving down the sand area. After a couple of turns, we found ourselves about 2 feet (maybe, that’s a conservative guess) away from the ledge of a 90-degree sand cliff down. When I looked over to my right and saw it, panic overtook me, and I said, “No, no, no!” Jim saw it, too, and he said later that it had scared him a little bit. He let go on the gas a little, turned the buggy, and we got out of it.

Then the begging started. “Please take me back to the place! I don’t want to do this anymore! You can go out without me again, but please take me back!”

Jim did take me back, but he left with me. He really had a good time and wants to go again, but it will have to be without me. Not again. I’m just not cut out for thrill-rides like that. 

We went inside a candy shop before leaving the area, and we spent like $30 on candy, caramel apples, candy...

We got back to the hotel and checked in, and the view from the balcony was, well, I have no adequate words. The pictures on the website describe it well, but they still do not explain the beauty of this place, http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/US/CA/Pismo-Beach-hotels/BEST-WESTERN-PLUS-Shore-Cliff-Lodge/Hotel-Overview.do?iata=00171880&propertyCode=05203&cm_mmc=BL-_-Google-_-GMB-_-05203. 

 

We had a dinner reservation at the neighboring restaurant, on the Pacific Ocean, called Ventana Grill. It was a good thing Jim thought ahead to make the reservation because they were busy! Our table overlooked the ocean, and it was beautiful. We hoped to see a sunset on the ocean while we were there, but the clouds really never went away that day. While we ate dinner, we watched the seagulls landing on the railing outside, and one of them was hilarious, walking closer and closer to the window. The food was expensive and so incredible. What a great night!

 

 

 

Afterwards, we walked back through the parking lot, got to the room, put on pajamas and played Canasta. The sliding door was open, and we could hear the seagulls and other animals out there making noises. Jim went to bed before I did, and I just sat there on the sofa next to the open door, listening to the sounds of the ocean. I had been dreaming about this moment since I saw the hotel listing on the internet several months ago. Pictures just don’t do it justice.

 

The birds finally stopped talking, and everything became quiet except for the water rushing in over the rocks and cliffs outside the hotel. 

 

 

To say this evening was glorious is a true understatement. When I think about it, it’s hard to find the words, but I can feel it in my heart.