Rachel and I jumped on the Pacific Cost Highway and sauntered down the coast to Santa Cruz, a haven of bohos and hobos. It is also, of course, the home of The Mystery Spot. Here, on an unassuming hillside, the laws of physics cease to apply. Things roll upwards, people are shorter than other people who are taller...things are just generally more mysterious (see photos for proof).
After this strange and often nauseating experience we continued on to Monterey, where Rachel convinced me to eat lunch in a place dubiously named "Sly McFly's". Then it was off to the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the biggest in the world and the first place my Dad heard Enya being played (in the cafe).
We stayed for hours, until we were kicked out at closing time. They have such a range of exhibits, talks and demonstrations that it felt like we'd barely scratched the surface. We were shortly back on the PCH, heading to Berkeley. Rachel was navigating which meant we took the scenic route through downtown San Francisco, and the low-fuel warning light dinged on just as we drove up the ramp onto the Bay Bridge.
Family news! (Don't worry parents - it's just a film title...)
Already getting quite mysterious.
Our guide Patrick introduces us to the mystery. From the speed of his delivery, I'd guess he's done this several million times.
A hill that is harder to climb than it looks! Whoa.
Hmmm...now things really are getting strange.
David is confused and amazed in equal measure!
Rachel is just confused.
More mysteriousness.
So here we are taller than each other...
Switch round and we're the same height!!
Rachel marks the spot.
The kelp forest at Monterey Bay Aquarium.
A leopard shark. And some other fish.
A face in the anchovies!
Feeding time.
Rachel in a giant clam (obviously missing the Mystery Spot already).
Cute worms.
Amazing jellies.
Wavy anemones.
A friendly fish.
Let sleeping sea otters lie.
This is the big tank, housing some hammerhead sharks and several ton-plus tuna.
Moon over Monterey Bay.
