Christmas

I came to the conclusion that leaving this tropical paradise for cold and rain would be a good idea. Well, I guess it rains here a lot so I just traded too hot for too cold. Of course, the real reason for my trip had nothing to do with weather, but was to see all my loved ones for the holiday season (and eat sandwiches).

Erin picked me up at LAX and took me to her place in Brentwood. L.A. was a culture shock, to say the least. Freeways, lots of lights, malls, skinny people - it was all very strange.

Luckily, Erin had a friend getting married in Monterey, so we skipped the big city for nicer, quieter environs. Winter storms had dumped a few feet of snow on the grapevine:

We left L.A. early so we could spend some time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Me enjoying the jellyfish exhibit:

I forced my traveling companions into viewing John Steinbeck related sights, such as Ed "Doc" Ricketts' Western Biological Laboratory on Monterey's Cannery Row:

The morning wedding (great idea, by the way) was located at Spanish Bay off Pacific Grove's 17-Mile Drive, a beautiful setting to get hitched. It seems good Samoan living has caught up with me as demonstrated to me by the fit of my suit-pants. Luckily, the chilly weather allowed me to keep my jacket on the whole time. Erin, me, and my ill-fitting suit enjoying the view of Monterey Bay: