Back in the melee...
After a nap, necessary but luxurious as well, I was back out in the shopping world. WHAT A CHANGE three hours made!
But I am not really surprised...
Santa Monica is a tourist destination for people from throughout the world, it is also a shopping destination right here within Los Angeles. I think that the early bird shoppers probably all drove to the Valley for those great specials and that is why we didn't see them here in the morning.
Now all the tourists and shoppers are out in force, so much so, it was hard to get a really good picture of the sheer volume of people out there. But this give some perspective.
Getting online this afternoon proved a bit more challenging...the hot spots were still there but the first Starbucks was completely full of people and had a line that snaked out into Barnes & Noble (they don't allow pictures, I tried to sneak one but couldn't do it.)
The next Starbucks had removed all of its tables to accomodate the burgeoning crowds, I decided to join the group and waited on line for ten minutes for a coffee. Numerous people walked in, saw the line and left. I had hoped to eavesdrop on my fellow line standers but the Indian family behind me and the Japanese girls in front of me spoke entirely in their native tongues. It was fun to be part of such an international crowd but I have no idea what they were talking about...except at one point one of the men in the group behind me quipped in mid-conversation, "Wax on, Wax off..." which was mysterious until I got online (FINALLY NOW) and discovered that Pat Morioko (sp?) from Karate Kid had passed away.
Fully caffinated I made my way into the crowds again.
Passing through the crowds I took in a few of the sights in Santa Monica.
