Lynn knows that one of the popular spots in the LA area is Venice Beach - it has a long history and seems to capture the popular imagination about what "Southern California" is all about. There's a wonderful beach, there's muscle beach (a place where people lift weights just between the beach and the shopping area, and there are tons of tacky shops.
In terms of history (at least recent history), Venice Beach was the home of Jim Morrison of the Doors.
There are also a number of murals. This one seems to capture the spirit of the place.
By the way, notice the guy with a guitar on rollerskates (just to the right of the woman's left leg). You'll see more of him later. Lynn says he's something of a fixture here. Any TV show that shows a short segment on the activity at a California beach seems to include this guy.
Here are some other selections.
Did I mention tacky shops? Lots of bikini shops, but it was in the mid-60s, so no one was wearing them!
California also has legal marijuana and there were a number of shops (with "health professionals" dressed in green) where you could either get a prescription or actually get your "medicine." (Not sure about the details since we didn't check into the details.)
There were lots of t-shirt and sun glasses stores.
And, of course, surf boards.
There must have been something in the water because Bill got wild and wacky.
The musician on the beach thought he had found his long-lost brother. Well, maybe soul brother.
In getting into the spirit of the beach, Matthew and Bill did some bike riding. Check out the video in a separate post.
There was also some filming going on. We think it was "Master Chef," from the Fox Network.
All in all, we had a great day at the beach. Unfortunately, the drive back to Glendale was in the middle of rush our and we got a first-hand experience of another aspect of life in Southern California.
This was our last day in LA so we bid adieu to Lynn and Ronda, with many thanks for their time in showing us around the town.
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