A Walk Along the Foreshores

Having been quiet for a little while I think it wise to confirm I'm still alive, though I've shifted location. Right now I'm Santa Barbara a little north of Los Angeles on the Pacific Coast and I'm here for a conference of the Western Regional Science Association, of which I'm a member, beginning two hours from now and for the happy event some of you will have heard about a few days ago. That was the arrival of Flynn Sorensen Castle in Mountain View, California - about 450 km up the road up highway 101. Rather serendipitous don't you think.

Anyway, I arrived here two days ago thanks to my colleague Ralph McLaughlin who works at San Jose State University near Mountain View and who ferried me to see Flynn, Emily and Greg on Friday when Flynn was only a day old. Yesterday I took the opportunity of a walk along the Pacific Coast and I attach come pictures of the location. I have to say that from what I have seen of it ... and I was last in Santa Barbara in 1984 (apart from a dash through it on 101 last year en route to LA) ... it's a rather laid back city and home to a somewhat alternative culture.

Here are some first visual impressions, arranged in no particular order
The groounds of the Fess Parker Hotel where I'm staying.:

Skate-board park on the beach. Max would have been at home here.

Why do so many cities have quaint public transport like these electric trolleys?

Stearne's Wharf - a tourist trap!

Santa Barbara from the Wharf ... nice location, eh!

Boat Harbour

Coastline to the south-east!

Arts and Crafts Sale. Numerous stalls we laid out over a km long next to the shore-line selling local creations of various kinds: paintings, glass-ware, jewellery, pottery and so on! Very interesting.

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Bike hire was popular and this model looks like the one reported on these pages a month ago.

A close-up of the mountains.

I walked faster after seeing this!

AS