when in Rome

In an attempt to beat the heat, we headed out to the beach yesterday. Oddly, we were not the only people to have this idea. The highway along the coast was bumper to bumper as we approached our destination. After sitting almost still for 20 minutes, so close you could see the water and smell the salt, but still miles from our dream-beach, we pulled off onto the side of the road to sulk and try to quiet the squalling baby (what, you don't like to be strapped in 5-point restraints for 2 hours, kid? What's wrong with you?). We were almost as grumpy as in our own 3rd floor sauna of an apartment. But then peering over the cliff towards the water, we glimpsed a sliver of sand below and a path that was only mildly inappropriate for carrying a child down. We decided to go for it and felt ever so superior to all the goons idling their engines on the road to paradise as we hoisted cooler (with picnic inside), baby, blankets and all other manner of accoutrement for the trek to water. It was beautiful. And it was full of naked people. Yes, we had discovered the nude beach.
And what do you do at the nude beach? Aside from an extra-special good job of applying sunscreen? Of course! The water was freezing, but delicious. Gabriel had a few wee dips, but was mostly excited to crawl around on the sand with the rest of his crab-like fellows. We ate chicken and brownies and had the most marvelous time. I'm going back, I swear, if I can just find it again. Brigadoon of Northern California.