Thursday 10 June 2010

Good day Monterey

Hannah had the last day of her conference today, and while her physical proximity did much to calm and reassure me I still had to entertain myself for the morning.

The sun was out in a clear blue sky and a crisp breeze blew from the Pacific. I wandered down to the front in the hope of seeing some sea otters, but instead bumped into a beach full of baby seals lounging about in the heat. A few hundred cute photos later I kept walking...and saw them! Two sea otters, languidly floating around, smugly showing off their swimming skills. One of them dived under, came up with a rock resting on his stomach, and proceeded to pummel a shellfish on it until it broke. Clever.

I checked out some charity shops (of course) and then met Hannah and Amanda for lunch. Jack turned up too, and with a little conference badge swapping we all enjoyed a free buffet! You never truly stop being a student. The girls went back for the afternoon sessions so Jack and I decided to wait for them in town. Where there happens to be quite a number of bars...


A seal slick washes ashore.



After a hard day of catching fish.



Identity crisis.


Wake up!


A baby seal walks into a club...



Here's one of the otters, enjoying his tasty snack.



More seaside life.


And dolphins!



I hit the tourist trail too.


Looking out across Monterey Bay.


After lunch, appropriately in Jack's Lounge.



Bar #2, the Crown and Anchor. Another fake British establishment.


They did have a good map on the wall.



God bless you, ma'am.



Back at Jack's Lounge, post-conference.



And now Hannah's holiday really starts.