Thursday - On to San Jose

On Thursday we had to get up at 3:00 am to catch the 4:20 am shuttle to the airport for our 6:20 am flight.  When we got there we found out our suitcase was 8 pounds over the 50 pound limit which would have cost us another $100 penalty (on top of the $25 we already paid to fly it).  We quickly opened it at the check-in counter and pulled out newly purchased t-shirts, candy and other items.  We felt like the Beverly Hillbillies carrying armfuls of t-shirts under our jackets.

We couldn't actually take off until 6:30 am since the planes have to fly over the city.  No flights are allowed after 11:30 pm or before 6:30 am and there is only one runway.

We arrived in San Jose and immediately went to by high school friend Leo's house.  After catching up with him and meeting Tom, one of his two other roommates, we went to get some breakfast.

After fueling up, we went to Santa Cruz and drove out on the pier to watch the sea lions and get some fish and chips.  Next we hit the Santa Cruz boardwalk and Leo and I rode the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster built in 1924.  Riding the Giant Dipper is a tradition since the time I visited him when he lived in Santa Cruz.

After that, we went back to San Jose to pick up Tom and go out to dinner at --The Fish Market.  We found out it's a chain with a handful of locations.  We had another good meal and back to the house to relax and hit the sack.

Breakfast with Leo.

Sea lions under the Santa Cruz pier.

Another one.

One swimming in to the pier.

I spotted this sea otter having a snack
about 200 feet off the pier.
The seagull stuck close, hoping for leftovers.

Seagull sitting on a Mercedes.

Karen and Leo on the pier.

Ordering fish and chips.

And here it is.

The seagulls stayed close, hoping for snacks.

Pretty eyes.

Another diner fed one.

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