The Happiest Place on Earth: Santa Monica & Malibu :)

Yesterday was titled "quiet day," today, not so much.  In terms of Fitbit steps (one measure of the day), almost the most of the trip.

First, know that the two couples separated today.  Probably not a bad thing X days in; probably not a bad thing as Barb talked about being at Disneyland (which is 1.1 miles by foot -- it's not good I know -- from this hotel) ALL day.  Two fingers to temple, pull trigger.  I wanted to go to the beach.  Which is definitely NOT 1.1 miles away.

So, to Steve and Karen's "adventure."  We took the car and headed west on a series of large highways (I know one time there were six lanes) and an hour later we were on ground streets in downtown Santa Monica.  After one false start, we had a great parking spot in the pier parking lot.

Here's the link for all the photos -- https://goo.gl/photos/qM5tgmbrG7kn7u7T7

WARNING!  There are LOTS of photos -- I had 40 some for the day, which I pared down, but I added pics from M&B and K.

I thought about which shot was most iconic to post here, but I am going with this one.

This is from the Ferris wheel on Santa Monica pier; that's the complex on the end of the pier in the background.  And you will notice the wonderful color of the Pacific -- it is just so blue here.  Or aquamarine.

I did say "ferris wheel."  The sign said this "those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, back problems, or motion sickness should not..."  Check, check, check, check, check.   I survived.  In fact, it wasn't bad.  I did NOT throw up!  Or have a panic attack!  Of course, we ate lunch AFTER!  :)

[it was the first of 3 times on this day we ignored said signs.  Karen the Wit said at one "I'm trying to collect on that new life insurance policy."  Funny]

We went to the beach.  So there has to be this shot:

The water was warm enough today I actually swam in it.  Funny, though, the kids around me would go in a little, get hit by a wave, scream, and run to shore.  Kids!

And now this picture.

I think I captured the look on Karen's face as she tried to be "iconic."  She wasn't planning on actually getting wet (there's the pre-photo in the link) and then!  Hee hee.  The look on her face was priceless.  Damned!  I got wet!!! in the ocean!  Who knew?

Lunch was pizza on the pier.  Michael doesn't like pizza.  I know, I know, but there you have it.  yelp was accurate again because it might have been 5 star pizza, especially for the location, but the map...well, we only stumbled on the place, as yelp had it on the side of the pier with no buildings.  I actually looked UNDER the pier for it!  Dumb, I know, but...

Then we drove through Malibu and stopped at Pepperdine University.  We'd both heard it was beautiful.  How's this for a money shot?

Looks like the view from Bloomsburg, right?  Or Lock Haven? Or any other PASSHE school.

Then back east.  Noteworthy was Google maps, aka "Googly," trying to avoid traffic on the highways by cutting us through all these back streets.  It was not a fun drive.  It took 2 hours plus to get back from Malibu to the hotel.

We purchased our day pass to Disneyland and our bus pass to get there and were there by 6:30.  Rah rah.

Then stood in line.  I actually counted (I know, I know, this is bad) -- 40 minutes for the Star Wars "Tour" (a ride), that lasted 4 minutes.  It was in 3D.  The woman next to Karen, and Karen, screamed -- the woman incessantly.   Dr. Johnson's suspension of disbelief on display.   Ho hum.

Then we ate.  Picture of our hot dogs.  Yum yum (winning the food porn award today).  I include Barb and Michael's dinner pics in the album -- I don't know what it was but know they were in the 5-star restaurant in the other park (I have no idea what it was, either).  It looks good, even, to some extent, the blackberry shortcake.

Then to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.  (Karen had a wish list, which we covered)  Although they claimed the line was 40 minutes (there's literally an app for that), it was more like 25 before climbing into a boat-shaped vehicle on a rail.  We were in the front seats.  We got wet.  There was screaming, again, as there were a couple sharp drops into water.  The characters and animation were okay.  25 minutes of waiting, five minutes of ride.  Ho hum.

Then next door to the Indiana Jones ride.  An hour of waiting, and, again 5 minutes of ride.  I thought it was the best one of the three, though it was right about both back injuries and motion sickness (prescription 101 for motion sickness: go to blackness and spin the vehicle -- Indiana Jones did this TWICE!).

We came out too late to get a great view of the fireworks, but I got a couple shots.

Then we had ice cream at the Gibson Girl stand; there's no pic!!!!  It was our best food of the day (of course??!?!).

For reasons I am not clear on, we stayed for the parade with the light show.  There are pics.  Such as they are in the darkness.

We were on the last bus out of the park -- the driver declared it so -- which was full.  The Slavins weren't.  We await the story of THAT, and many others, when we rejoin for breakfast momentarily.

In all, a happy day.  And it had nothing to do with Mickey. :)