No, this is not a foody post.
I just need to get it out there, and maybe complain just a teeny bit.
When I was younger my family lived in Arizona, but because my parents grew up in San Diego we often vacationed there. We traveled to San Diego every summer, as well as during many holdiays.
After years of visiting California, we finally moved there, not quite to San Diego, but we still found a beautiful place in the Monterey area. My family spent 11 years in Salinas, California.
Salinas is about 2 hours south of San Francisco and is very close to the coast.
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| Only 12 miles from where we lived in Salinas to the ocean! (as the crow flies) |
So, my life experiences have taught me that the beach/ocean is a wonderful, beautiful place. It is one of my most favorite places to be and swimming in the ocean is one of my most favorite things to do. I absolutely love it!
In San Diego the water was warmer and it was a little more fun to swim there than in Monterey. I could swim and boogie board all day long. The exhilaration of catching a wave and riding it all the way into shore is so amazing. Yes, I know its not surfing. I've been there and tried that and maybe with practice I could catch on, but boogie boarding is more my thing. So fun! Plus laying in the sun on the hot sand feels so good and is so relaxing (as long as you remembered your sunscreen).
In Monterey you can swim and boogie board too. Its a different experience, but still fun. However, in Monterey I preferred walking along the beach (barefoot of course!) and watching and listening to the waves break on the shore, and most likely catching a glimpse of an otter or seals playing, pelicans diving, and quite possibly whales. Bon fires on the beach is another activity I adore in Monterey. Just smelling the salty air is relaxing to me.
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| Younger all of us :) We love our seaweed! |
I have so many amazing and wonderful memories of things that happened at the beach.
When I was a little girl, my twin (Larissa) and I always celebrated our birthday at the beach. We'd barbecue hotdogs and hamburgers and play in the water the whole day.
When I got older the beach was sometimes a hang out place for my friends and I. Sometimes we just walked along the beach, other times we had bon fires, once in a while we'd bring a blanket and stargaze, and every now and then we'd swim!
My little sister (Jessica) and I once randomly picked up some popcorn chicken from KFC and went to eat it on the beach. She and I have some pretty exciting memories at the beach, remember Jessica?
So, as of late, I haven't been able to visit the beach. Why? Because I'm living in Idaho! I love Idaho. It has its own beauty and so many places to explore. Plus my hubby is here :).
But recently, I've been feeling so land locked. I just want to go to the beach, and not a "beach" at a lake. The Beach. With the ocean.
Ya know?
Its just different from a lake beach, not the same. I miss the beauty of the beaches around Monterey. Because its a little closer to Norcal, its less populated, less touched and bothered. It feels clean and perfect. Just beautiful.
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| See that blue blue water?!?! |
Of course its not just Monterey beaches that I miss, San Diego too. The warm sun and perfect boogie boarding waves.
Also, lets not forget the amazing sunsets we see over the water. It's not a view you can easily forget.
I miss the beach terribly. I miss burying my feet in the warm sand. I miss digging my hands into the wet sand at just the right moment to catch a handful of sand crabs.
I miss diving into the waves. I miss the salty taste of the water. I miss boogie boarding. I miss finding star fish on rocks. I miss seeing my footprints in the wet sand. I miss being sandy. I miss laying in the warm sun on a beach blanket.
I miss hearing the seagulls. I miss chasing the seagulls away.
I miss being at the beach when it's raining (Jessica). I miss being exhausted after a day at the beach. I miss watching kids play at the beach. I miss watching the fireworks on the 4th of July at the beach.
I miss giving seaweed to Estin. I miss pretending to see a jellyfish to scare Jessica. I miss swimming to the buoy with Larissa and Adam. I miss surfing with Kristen. I miss bon fires in the sand.
I. Miss. The. Beach.
So, whats a California girl to do? Hopefully sometime soon Mr. Hubby and I will be able to take a trip to the West Coast and relax at the beach together. Anyone want to buy us airplane tickets or pay for the gas?
