The sun was almost sinking into the sea, since the coast is oriented a bit too much towards the south. I'm in Southern California for family matters (of a happier kind), and had the opportunity to watch the sunset from out on Balboa Pier. It's always fascinating to watch waves from the back side, and they were particularly rough tonight. It was beautiful. I can't help but hear the words of one of the Eagles' finest songs, "The Last Resort". This especially after spending weeks exploring the wild corners of the Hawaiian Islands, followed by a trip through the urban nightmare of Los Angeles. The beaches around Balboa are almost entirely artificial, having been extensively altered around a century ago. The houses are lined up almost wall to wall, and there isn't much of a natural feel at all. And yet, at the right moment the beauty shines through. The lyrics I selected below are all the property of the Eagles (RIP Glenn Frey).
She heard about a place people were smilin',
They spoke about the red man's way, how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere to the Great Divide
Seeking a place to stand or a place to hide
Down in the crowded bars out for a good time,
Can't wait to tell you all what it's like up there
And they called it paradise, I don't know why
Somebody laid the mountains low while the town got high
Then the chilly winds blew down across the desert,
Through the canyons of the coast to the Malibu
Where the pretty people play hungry for power
To light their neon way and give them things to do
Some rich man came and raped the land, nobody caught 'em,
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes and, Jesus, people bought 'em
And they called it paradise, the place to be,
They watched the hazy sun sinking in the sea
Who will provide the grand design, what is yours and what is mine?
'Cause there is no more new frontier, we have got to make it here
We satisfy our endless needs and justify our bloody deeds
In the name of destiny and in the name of God
And you can see them there on Sunday morning
Stand up and sing about what it's like up there
They called it paradise, I don't know why
You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye
If you don't know the song, I highly recommend it. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdx6oyBOVj0
Wow! One of my all-time favorites, Garry. Thanks for that. And while you're down here, take a walk down the beach at Crystal Cove -- well worth it!
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