Weather in California is also very beautiful right now!  The temperature was just right, and seems like there is always an ocean breeze around Long Beach.

Landed at Orange County airport around 4pm local time - nice drive up Pacific Coast Highway... could see the ocean.

I got a nice ground floor room - that faced into the courtyard of the hotel.

I was right in theback corner of the courtyard. My patio had this very strange tree root growing there.....

This looked like a dracena - from the foliage - but I never saw one that big in my life!

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 Tuesday afternoon I drove down to Seal Beach, less than 3 miles from the hotel.

The main street is mostly tourist shopping and eating places.  Shortly after I parked, people started to gather - turned out there was a 9/11 parade.  It was several fire trucks and other equipment - and so many motorcycles you could not count them!
Must have been well over 300 bikes... interesting to watch them go by - most of them were older people - not young "biker" kids... riding expensive Harley Davidson's for the most part!

Last firetruck in the parade had a "rolling memorial" on the side of it with a list of firefighters lost in NYC on 9/11.

It is a pretty little town - reminds me a bit of Venice, Florida.

 Thursday - drove into Long Beach - along the coast drive - "Ocean Drive" I believe it is called.

 This is the actual "beach" looking north in toward the center of downtown.

 I parked across from the beach in front of this house.....

The roses were nearly 5 feet tall!!!!

I cannot imagine what a house like this costs with a view like the one above out the front door!!!!

I also thought it was amazing that

BIRD OF PARADISE were blooming everywhere!

Gardens -- and along the center of highway divides!

This pretty patch was in a garden near the base of the ferris wheel in downtown Long Beach.

All for now!  Will post some more pictures tommorow.....

Cheryl