August 1st. Redondo Beach.

After a wonderful sleep, and about time, we went for a stroll down the pier. First stop was a late breakfast of fish and chips and then down to see the fisherman casting from the end of the pier (they aren’t allowed to overhead cast for obvious reasons), I didn’t see anyone catch anything and there were enough health warnings around about the various types of fish you shouldn’t eat because they are poisoned with dioxins – I hope my bit of fish came from farther out in the Pacific. I then bought a Hawaiian shirt, I’d always wanted one so put your sunglasses on. Then up to Kilkennys Irish bar for some research and try their cider, strange taste. I went off for a siesta, first one this trip and arranged to meet Willy later, he was off on a mission for more footwear, you really have to make the most out of a place where they have everything in your size AND style. We met up back down the pier and hit Tony’s, a historic bar and restaurant on the pier. Tony passed away last year but his legacy lives on, the barman, Billy, has been working there for over thirty years in fact, most of the staff have been there since the last century. It’s a Hawaiian-style cocktail bar with food and so, I sipped on a rum something and gazed out over the pier and the Pacific washing up on the beach. There’s another bar upstairs shaped like an airport control tower with a circular bar in the middle. The 360º view around Rodondo accompanied by whatever concoction the barman produced and a competent musician playing acoustic guitar (He played Mason William’s ‘Classical Gas’, one of my favourites and the first time I’d seen it played) provided a wonderful ambience to enjoy the setting sun. Enough, back to Kilkenny’s bar for the band, stopping off for more shrimps and noodles on the way, the band (Inhale) were an eclectic mix of reggae, rock, screaming guitars and someone playing the trumpet and trying to sound like Sting. It didn’t float my boat. It was at this point that we began to ask ourselves if there was any alcohol in the drinks. We had spent the evening quaffing beers and cocktails and ne’er a glazed eye to be seen or a naughty thought to be had. Back to the crib and raid the fridge.