I spent Sunday in Long Beach and Belmont Shore. I was volunteering for the company I work with at the Arts and Crafts Fair. At the Shoreline Harbor (Long Beach), I was walking the area around the docks. Nice walk ways for bike riding, walking, running, rollerblading, etc. And then I spotted this boat. Tug Boat to be exact. As one can see from the picture ... Olympia stands out. I only know one Olympia on the west coast that has a marina and that is hometown where I grew up. Even looks a bit familar to me too. And then a gentleman from one of the other boats came by and saw I was admiring this boat. He tells me, "That's a Nordic Tug. Hardy things they are." I imagine so... making the journey from Olympia to Long Beach. What a hardy lil' tug it is. This was my most exciting spoting for the day.
It was a grey overcast day or rather for part of the day. By oneish, it was clear at Belmont Pier.
Long Beach is quite the place by the harbor. On one side there is the huge places where the freight barges come in to unload/load cargo. Buildings are built right to the shoreline/beach. And the buildings are these high rises and several retirement communities that look more like 50+ some story hotels. There are huge cruise ships including the Queen Mary. Apparently she is famous from what I hear but I am not into ocean liners. But Queen Mary did give out a bellow, and the horn's blast reverbeated through the city bouncing echoes here and there. And then there are these small islands with Palm trees and what looks to be like some sort of oil rigs and such. I am not sure they are still functioning from the famous oil/navy days of the highpoint of Long Beach in its day.I walked two miles to Belmont shore through a residential neighborhood. The houses were very pretty and well kept with gardens. Belmont Shore appears to be a very upscale neighborhood. The clothing folks were wearing were more on the trendy side with the latest fashions to date. And here I thought Manhattan and Redondo Beach were upscale beach towns. I will be going into the heart of Orange County this coming weekend. I think then I can assess more on the LA regions for trends. In some ways "the OC" is the heart of LA and what people report for the stereotypes of LA. The disporptionate haves and the have nots. North OC is more like gansta kind of communities as from what I experienced driving through one day. Many people report to me that Orange County is the pits of LA. So I will see how true this is.
4 comments:
Hi Gipsy,
Very cool tug, leave it to you to find it! I loved the picture.
Looks like a huge harbor and a great place to walkabout, boats are fun to look at, better yet to be in one out on the water!
:) me.
hi mom,
Yes, the tug was quite the find. But perhaps not too surprised to find it among the power boats, sail boats, and other boats. A contrast among these boats, even colorwise.
Long Beach does boast a rather large harbor. I only touched the surface of this harbor.
Hi Ingrid! So far the summer is quite nice here in Phoenix. We have had two cool fronts that have made it quite bearable so far. I am in the second week of summer school and really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of students who are here to accomplish their independent study goals, without me having to worry about poor behaviors.
Swede and I are staying with Frank, Amber's boyfriend. It is wonderful! We have a gorgeous bedroom in his condo, with enough space to do yoga and completely chill out in the AC!
I am really looking forward to visiting you in California! I am serious- the visions from your blog are making huge waves in my mind! I envision myself living there, sharing in the adventures of figuring out ways to travel without using the car!
I am now taking the bus to school, which is a relief in so many ways. Frank's place is half a block from a bus stop that takes me right to school!
Sorry I have been away- we don't have the computer at home, and I try to set a good example for the students and I don't surf the net while I am working. But, today, I have a meeting with the principal and have been waiting for an hour and 15 minutes so far! Ugh!
Love you- keep the pictures coming!
Rachel,
Sounds like your summer is off to a great start. How nice of Frank to offer a bedroom for you and Swede to stay in.
I am amazed how much my blog has been having effects on you. Very glad, though, I am able to share this with you.
Speaking of alternative transportation, there was a huge article in the LA times about commuter woes a few days ago. It is really a huge dilemma around here. The way the suburbs are created do not allow easy accessibility or fesibility for transportation by bus or train. One guy said because of where he lived within the suburbs, he had would have to walk a mile and half to the nearest bus stop. This kind of situation seems to be the issue in Orange County of LA. In Santa Monica (a center for whole living --many yogis are there, center for organics and green living and such--) the traffic is so congested that one woman travels to work by bus and it takes her an hour and half just to go seven miles.
But if that is what it takes (commuting long distances by bus or train or just walking) I would do it in a heartbeat. In some ways I think the real issue here is actually time. People do not want to take the time to commute or walk. Always looking for the fastest shortcuts from point A to point B. So they jump into their cars and vroom down the road causing hazards with their driving... all because they want to get to point B quicker.
And yet people do not realize that the time spent commuting by train, bus or just walking is a big improvement to one's health. Exercise, or taking the time to relax, read, meditate or whatever pleasures they choose for their time.
My co-workers, I think, think I am obsessive about alternative modes of transportation. Kristy thought I was nuts when I walked from El Segundo to Whole Foods down in Redondo Beach. I have not actually found out just yet how far it is. At least four miles perhaps one way? And now I want to go and walk to Santa Monica but need to find out if the beach way is accessible by the airport and the distance is actually farther but not sure just how far.
well need to walk to work~ :)
I will be in touch later.
Ingrid
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