Thought I'd write a little about a recent stop at Venice Beach. It's worth a visit if you're in the vicinity - but try to avoid the 'tourist' times, i.e. June to August. Parking nearby is relatively cheap, $10 for a few hours if I recall.
The beach itself is picturesque. A huge expanse of soft, yellow sand leads to gently breaking waves on the azure horizon. Nevertheless, contrary to what I expected it was rather quiet even though the day was hot. I assume on weekends it becomes busy, but it seems as if tourists are more interested in the boardwalk than the beach.
The Venice Beach boardwalk is where the oddballs come to convene; a smorgasbord of hippies, artists, street performers, surfers and tourists. Street artists display caricatures and henna tattoos. Shabby shops sell everything from flip flops and sunglasses to drug paraphernalia and funny (and some offensive!) T-shirts. A rastafarian man rollerblades along whilst shredding rapidly on a portable electric guitar in a Bob Marley-esque fashion. A dog lies on its back in the sun, writhing in dollar bills like a girl in a rap video, flanked by jokey signs for 'Free Belly Rubs' and requesting tips...
It's sheer madness all the way, but it's a sight to see. There's a sense of acceptance here, no matter how strange you are - in fact the stranger the better. Individuality seems to be the order of the day. You'll pass the famed outside weights gym, 'Muscle Beach' - although when I took a cheeky look I was disappointed to find no tanned young things pumping iron...more, leathery granddads...
It's not somewhere I'd spend an entire afternoon, as once you've marvelled at the bizarre world that is the Venice Beach promenade you realise after walking a mile or so, that it's the same old stuff. Nevertheless I'd stay for the lovely beach.
