Santa Cruz, CA
After having driven through Santa Cruz I couldn't help but think that I missed something. I promised myself to look the place up when I had an internet connection again. I mean, the place had an amusement park along the beach and a pier with seafood.
Turns out that the place didn't have much in the way of tourist traps, but here are some interesting tidbits about Santa Cruz:
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Fact: Santa Cruz became one of the first cities in California to test the state's medical marijuana laws in court after the arrest of several medical marijuana proponents. The ruling was in favor of the marijuana growers, and Santa Cruz has continued to be a haven for medical and recreational pot smokers.
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Fact: Free Radio Santa Cruz (FRSC 101.1), a pirate radio station, has been in operation for a decade.
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Fact: Santa Cruz was referred to as "The Murder Capital of the World" in the early 1970s, because the town sported two active serial killers and one mass murderer.
Seen on the pier. I have no idea who Bonnie is.
The Boardwalk.
One of the inhabintants of the pier. These birds are completely unafraid of people. Yu can walk up to them and they won't even bother looking at you.
The other major inhabitant of the pier. Sea lions fill the air with their characteristic noises.
They sleep on the beams holding up the pier.
The boardwalk.
More boardwalk.
This train goes right outside the boardwalk.