Venice Beach

On sunday afternoon I went with Martina, Olive, Craig and Shaundor to Santa Monica and Venice Beach. We took the metro to Santa Monica first, to go to a real pancake house for lunch. There they make you impressive pancakes with banana and choclate. A calorie bomb!! It was a very sunny day, so we decided to rent rollerblades and go all the way to Venice Beach on them. There is a special path along the beach for bikers and rollerbladers, flat and smooth, and not too full of people. Venice Beach is a crazy place, full of the maddest people. Most visitors are practising sports on or right next to the beach. You see them playing hockey, basketball, volleyball, acrobats on rings or climbing up poles, open air fitness centra (Arnold Schwarzenegger supposedly started there), basically everything you want and more. At about 3pm, every sunday, a giant circle of people forms on Venice Beach. Spontaneously. Alot of African-American people among them who play african drums and sing and dance. You can do whatever you want there, its a gathering of free spirits. Those wanting to smoke pot will find heaven, beach patrol passes by the place all the time and just let it happen. After having returned the rollerblades in Santa Monica we played some beachvolleyball. We couldnt stay untill nightfall as we had to run to catch the last bus back to Pasadena. When you ever go to California, definitely go to Venice Beach and get rollerblading, its the most relaxing thing.