Day 2: Monterey Aquarium and shopping.

Ping awake at 01:30 as body thinks it's still 09:30 UK time.  Force ourselves back to sleep till 05:00 and decide to sort out our bags to a more sensible order.  Showered and dressed and off for breakfast by 06:30.  A beautiful morning on the Monterey penninsula. 



View from hotel.

 Went for a wander round the Cannery area.  

Cannery Row

Our Hotel.

On return we were fortunate to see a pod of dolphins playing near the hotel.



Pod of dolphins playing the the ocean.

Then a couple of Sea Otters appeared.

Sea Otters in the Kelp.

Still with time to kill before the Monterey Aquarium opened, we have a walk around a few more streets.  We were waiting at 09:15 for the aquarium to open and with tickets purchased we entered at opening time at 09:30.

Captured a new photo 7 years later of Meg in a clam shell.

A few hours spent enjoying the exhibits.  The off back to our hotel.




The irony in this photo!



Part of The Monterey Plaza Hotel

Collect our car from the valet and off up to the Great Mall in Milpitas.  It's a 70 mile drive, but a few great outlets. 
Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollisters, American Eagle and a few others.  Loads purchased and back in the car to drive back.  Stopped of at a Walmart in Gilroy (The Garlic Capital of the World) and you can certainly smell it is.

The town the company is named after!

Approaching Monterey Bay, the sea fog has stated to come in.

Sea fog or Harr if your from Edinburgh

Back to the hotel for and grab some tea.  Meg starts to feel ill, she has had a cold for a week prior to travelling.  I have to nip out to a CVS to get some medicine for her as she's been sick with all the phlegm. 

Get back and medicine dispensed, she falls straight asleep.  Cold is being made worse due to the jetlag.

A few cups of tea and type up this blog ready for decampment to Santa Monica tomorrow.