Tuesday, May 04, 2004
California
The past week has been an interesting week of "firsts"
1. Salsa dancing
2. Riding in a convertible with the top down (Karen's red mustang convertible!!)
3. Sailing
4. Attending a live punk rock band concert ("16 Hour Drive", the night at Mission Beach, after sailing, http://16hourdrive.com/)
5. Going to a casino on a Native Reserve (out in El Cajon) and watching "I Dream of Jeannie" slots being played
6. Watching the sunset into the ocean atop cliffs by the beach
7. Taking pictures of our shadows on the sand
8. Riding the LA Metro
9. Eating chicken fajitas at McDonald's (at the McD in Malibu, $1USD each, and it tasted good!)
10. Watching a sunrise (though intending to do again at Grand Canyon)
11. Seeing a bush fire first hand
Overall, California is a fun-loving state, with miles and miles of beautiful beaches and weather warm enough to enjoy the ocean. It's a great place to get a tan, even if it's a driver's tan from driving north up the coast in the middle of the afternoon, and there are tons of photo ops with the ocean all around and daily sunsets.
But there is something different. The college students that we interacted with at the hip hop competition were both more "ahead", yet more immature than students in Canada. There seems to be a loss of innocence, without any compensating addition of maturity. As well, California is a land of plenty. Plenty of people, cars, freeways, shopping, etc. Even when driving well outside of the city it it hard to find an area that has not been developed or commercialized.
We are on the road right now to Grand Canyon from Vegas, and Arizona is pretty much the opposite of California. The vast desert is a harsh land, with rare oasis of gas stations and fast food. But the landscape is still beautiful, with gently rolling hills with some shrubbery, or bouldery hills with a red clay base showing.
JCL 11:45am MST
The past week has been an interesting week of "firsts"
1. Salsa dancing
2. Riding in a convertible with the top down (Karen's red mustang convertible!!)
3. Sailing
4. Attending a live punk rock band concert ("16 Hour Drive", the night at Mission Beach, after sailing, http://16hourdrive.com/)
5. Going to a casino on a Native Reserve (out in El Cajon) and watching "I Dream of Jeannie" slots being played
6. Watching the sunset into the ocean atop cliffs by the beach
7. Taking pictures of our shadows on the sand
8. Riding the LA Metro
9. Eating chicken fajitas at McDonald's (at the McD in Malibu, $1USD each, and it tasted good!)
10. Watching a sunrise (though intending to do again at Grand Canyon)
11. Seeing a bush fire first hand
Overall, California is a fun-loving state, with miles and miles of beautiful beaches and weather warm enough to enjoy the ocean. It's a great place to get a tan, even if it's a driver's tan from driving north up the coast in the middle of the afternoon, and there are tons of photo ops with the ocean all around and daily sunsets.
But there is something different. The college students that we interacted with at the hip hop competition were both more "ahead", yet more immature than students in Canada. There seems to be a loss of innocence, without any compensating addition of maturity. As well, California is a land of plenty. Plenty of people, cars, freeways, shopping, etc. Even when driving well outside of the city it it hard to find an area that has not been developed or commercialized.
We are on the road right now to Grand Canyon from Vegas, and Arizona is pretty much the opposite of California. The vast desert is a harsh land, with rare oasis of gas stations and fast food. But the landscape is still beautiful, with gently rolling hills with some shrubbery, or bouldery hills with a red clay base showing.
JCL 11:45am MST
