Day 12 - Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay has been praised by European and Asian settlers for its abundance of fish and underwater riches - and served as a food supplier in the form of sardines for Americans in both World Wars. It's not hard to imagine that after that, everything was overfished.

The aquarium represents the underwater world for young and old and excellently explains the effects of plastic (they are still Americans!) - it makes me sick every time.

Underwater on the Channel Islands looks similar to what is portrayed in the aquarium - of course, everything is even better there (no, there are fewer fish there, seriously).

The day starts differently than planned (things rarely go according to plan... more on that later).

Another German (they are really everywhere here - more on that later) joins for breakfast and we talk about starting a company, stock prices, and the German military.

However, it didn't harm the day ;)

Monterey has truly exemplified the transition from the fishing industry to tourism - however, the fishing is still noticeable. The entire bay is now subject to nature conservation.

On the further drive, I stop in Santa Cruz. (It was Saturday and therefore crowded at the aquarium and on the roads to the beach).

Santa Cruz is basically the party and entertainment mile - arcades, food stands, and an overloaded beach are lined up. I leave again after 20 minutes, parked in a no-parking zone (that's the Munich in me).

In the evening, I arrive in Daly City, about 30 miles south of San Francisco. A new chapter begins, more on that in the next post.