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Cali Fun, Part 3 - Santa Cruz

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We decided to take a day trip to Santa Cruz, so we could fulfill one of Heidi's childhood dreams... to visit the Mystery Spot.  The Mystery Spot is supposedly this area in the redwood forests near Santa Cruz that, for whatever reason, gravity laws are different there.  Perhaps it is just an optical illusion, no one knows.  That is why it is called a mystery!  Anyway, we went on a tour there which was full of all kinds of science experiments.  Honestly, the whole place made me really dizzy and left me feeling rather sick.  So I say they can just take their crazy, weird gravity and keep it to themselves!  Ok, just kidding.  But honestly, it was kind of bizarre to see compasses on people's phones (for people who are cool and have compass apps on their phones) go out of control and not point north when entering the Mystery Spot.  How mysterious.  The tour was fun and we can now check this off of our bucket list.
Gorgeous Redwoods
Our tour guide showing gravity defying experiments,
oooooo.
Heidi in the Mystery Spot house.
Heidi and Julia enjoying optical illusion fun.
The Mystery Spot and all of its glory.
Our next stop was lunch, because we were starving!  We found this fun Italian restaurant called Kianti's Pizza and Pasta in the middle of Santa Cruz.  The pizza was delicious and we found out that their pizza makers had won multiple medals in the pizza Olympics.  I didn't even know such an event existed! How exciting.
Julia!
Heidi!
Me!  I didn't take any pictures once our food arrived, because
 we were too hungry to worry about such things.
Santa Cruz is the cutest beach town.  This mural was across the street
from the restaurant.  There were murals all over town.
Our next stop was the beach and boardwalk!  It felt so great to get our feet in the sand and ocean water.  We also found more treats while visiting the boardwalk.  (Let's be honest, about 2/3 of this trip revolved around food.)  We avoided the rides though, since our heads and stomachs were still feeling the after effects from the dizzying Mystery Spot.

We are a happy family!
Julia and Heidi frolicking in the waves.
We love the beach.
Appeasing my request for a cousin foot shot.
The boardwalk!
Heidi and Julia eating fried Twinkies and Oreos.  I just
couldn't stomach that food adventure.
Pineapple ice cream.  Yum!  It was very pineappley.
Back on the beach, we came across this very cool sandcastle.
Heidi and Julia on the pier.
 I just love these girls.

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  1. ErinJune 21, 2012 at 11:09 AM

    That looks like a great trip! I have never even heard of they mystery spot!

    ReplyDelete
  2. grammawoodJuly 2, 2012 at 7:54 PM

    It all looks fun, except the fried Twinkies. I've never heard of the Mystery spot either, but then I've never been to Northern California.

    ReplyDelete

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