| People always tell me that Southern California is | | | | February, I got a little chilly just sitting there. |
| just too expensive. Well let me tell you how I | | | | Eventually I needed to get my blood moving so I |
| spent $20 on a fantastic day. It started out a | | | | got up and started walking. Indirectly I walked |
| Sunday morning and I had nowhere to go until | | | | towards the Balboa Island ferry, enjoying the |
| 3:30 in the afternoon when I was catching my | | | | scenery painted by people living the coastal life. |
| flight back to Dallas, Texas. Still being on central | | | | Even at that hour of the morning, the ferry is |
| time I was wide awake at 4:30 in the morning. I | | | | already running continuously. It wasn't more than |
| checked my e-mail messages, jumped in the | | | | three minutes before I was on. One more dollar |
| shower, got dressed and tossed my laptop into a | | | | spent. |
| backpack. I decided to take a revisit of a driving | | | | This was my first visit to Balboa Island by myself |
| tour my wife and I had done during the summer, | | | | as far as I can remember. I ended up walking the |
| this time on foot. | | | | entire perimeter and discovered all kinds of great |
| At 6 AM I walked into the Del Taco on Bristol | | | | houses and scenery. Every home had some |
| Street in Costa Mesa for the two dollar "fiesta | | | | unique character making the stroll all the more |
| breakfast deal". Toss in a large Diet Coke and I | | | | interesting. A couple of homes had really nice |
| was still under five dollars. After breakfast I | | | | landscaping out front, others unique and wondrous |
| walked over to the bus stop and jumped on the | | | | art. One house actually had an 8 foot tall |
| number 57 which goes all the way to the Balboa | | | | Tyrannosaurus rex standing at the corner |
| Pier. Two dollars spent and 20 minutes later I was | | | | watching over their boat. |
| standing on the beach on the Balboa Peninsula. | | | | After completing my perimeter walk around the |
| Since it was still pretty early in the morning, the | | | | island, I stopped at Pain Du Monde for a hot tea. |
| peninsula and the beach were very quiet. A couple | | | | Two more dollars spent, and I was ready to |
| of early joggers were about the only people | | | | cross the bridge back to the mainland. I walked up |
| joining me at that hour. | | | | the hill to the Pacific Coast Highway and took a |
| I decided to grab a seat at the Balboa Pier Park | | | | right turn towards the Newport Fashion Island Mall. |
| and do a little writing with the Pacific Ocean as | | | | By this time I was hungry for lunch. I stopped at |
| the backdrop. I say writing but I have to confess | | | | Starbucks, grab an iced green tea and a yogurt |
| I'm getting quite lazy, I was really dictating to my | | | | parfait. The Starbucks side of the center was still |
| computer using a Bluetooth headset and Dragon | | | | shaded so I went back and found a table by the |
| Naturally Speaking software. Even with the sounds | | | | Koi Pond. |
| of the crashing waves, the dictation was pretty | | | | Since there was free WiFi at the Koi Pond I |
| good. I really can't tell you how long I sat there | | | | decided to open my laptop once again and check |
| talking to my computer, but I realize it must have | | | | e-mail as I enjoyed my light lunch. After I was |
| looked a little stupid when the first person came | | | | finished eating I moved my chair out from under |
| by with her dog very quietly. Then again these | | | | the umbrella and into the sun to do a little people |
| days people standing around talking to themselves | | | | watching. Even though the mall is having some |
| is getting to be pretty normal. | | | | major outdoor renovations completed, it was still |
| Since it was still early morning, and this was in | | | | very peaceful on a Sunday afternoon. |