Driving down on Highway 1

Last weekend was extended thanks to Memorial Day. So we took the opportunity to get away and visit some other place. It's not something really special anymore and now we start to know it very well, nevertheless we had a great weekend in Santa Cruz and surroundings.

Just to mention first, at the Thursday afterwork we ended up in a place where there were some political posters from Switzerland on the restrooms. Anyway, back to the weekend.
After somehow not quite sure how to drive down there, we ended up on two different roads leading to a first stop in Half-Moon bay. We encountered one problem when everybody has a phone. You don't really define where to meet and so it took us a while until we got back together. In the meantime we watch the Mavericks.

At the end we found everybody and had a late lunch in probably the best Chinese restaurant there.
Again splitting into two cars, one staying to surf at Half-Moon bay, while the other continued directly to Santa Cruz for shopping at the sales. The waves were quite strong and wild. Also for quite a while we were the only two in the water. It's nice to be alone, but it's still assuring to have somebody else around. But the waves were very strong and it was possible to just stand next to the board, and once the white water arrives jump on it and stand up without even paddling. It was a lot of fun, very hard to get out and at several points I felt like being in a washing machine.
Well washed we continued the drive to Santa Cruz on Highway 1 and took some stops to enjoy the coastline and later the sunset. For the Sunset we looked for some beach and thanks to the new technology we found a very quite space, that isn't really known. There is only one way to the beach, hidden between some bushes and you have to cross the railway. It was more than worth it!

Next day was surfing day and we got more familiar with the board and I made quite some progress. Standing up gets easier and also the arms don't hurt anymore after being in the water for several hours and paddling like an maniac to catch a wave. Everybody was surfing, so there aren't pictures for proof and you just have to take my word for it. It was a beautiful day and lot of sun. Almost too much, so that even the hands got slightly red.

The last day of the weekend, we drove further south to visit something else. At Pebble beach we found another nice beach and relaxed there a little before the long drive home.