The four of us, that would be 2 humans and 2 dogs, took a trip down the coast to Monterey.  It was a bit foggy and cool but the perfect weather for walking around and exploring the Cannery Row area.  Not much has changed in all the years that have passed.  Not even the area where my father and his skin diving buddies, The Pokey Penguins, (no, I’m not kidding…that was really their name!) used to dive when I was a pre-teen.  It used to be old rusted out buildings that lined the streets instead of the current businesses but the sand, the rocks and the stripped down cement walls with rusted rebar protruding out of the tops still remain there along with the local homeless and all their belongings stowed in plastic bags stuffed in grocery carts.   The bums used to make mom feel uncomfortable when I was young and it bothered John when we walked by so the dogs didn’t get their play time on the sand.  After walking around the area, John and I had lunch at Bubba Gump’s, the only restaurant that allows dogs to dine outside with their humans.  KatieBug was very interested in the waves splashing on the rocks that she could see between the pier planks below her and she tried to dig her way down to them several times.  Millie just sat and watched the two kids that were sitting next to us in hopes they would drop some tasty morsels.

After lunch we headed down 17 Mile Drive for a short distance and stopped to view the glass bottom boat that was on display.  Memories of sitting in the swan boats, watching the sea creatures below while dad and his buddies were out in the ocean came back to me and I was surprised to find out that these little wooden boats had been used as far back as the 1800’s.   They were no longer used after the 1970’s and the last swan boat sits bolted to the cement walkway a short distance from where they sailed in the ocean.  As the fog rolled in, we made our way back to the LilyPad.