Yesterday, Sunday, we went first to the Palo Alto farmer’s market. Singificantly nicer than the other part of the Palo Alto, although still full of unpleasant people including, I understand, Mark Zuckerberg’s preferred hangout. We bought some highly organic and overpriced steamed dim sum which sadly lacked all finesse and tasted mostly of corn flour. But the produce was excellent so we also got asparagus and nameko mushrooms.
Then off with my aunt and her spouse to Half Moon Bay. A pretty drive there, to arrive at a moderately picturesque seaside town for an American lunch. All American restaurant food seems to me to be over-salted, over-sauced, over-fried amd pver-cheesed. I really don’t understand why it’s so trendy. This goes even for New Californian stuff, really overwhelming.
The next stop was a walk along a beach which first was along a quiet protected bay and then turned a corner to immense waves breaking over craggy rocks in one of the great surfing beaches. The waves was beautiful and terrifying and quite unpredictable – there seemed no easily predictable way of anticipating whether a wave would sweep up the sand to swirl about my toes, so I had to scamper away a few times. At one point I saw what must have been an orca, a long black finned body leaping out in a perfect arc once, twice, then disappearing. Really amazing to see.
This morning we’re back at work though we took out an hour or so to visit REI in search of sandals. None to be found, unfortunately.