New Port Beach

I tried to take public transit to New Port Beach. I love riding the buses and trains. It's sort of like being on an adventure every time. I try to figure out how to get there using my iPhone and it's GPS and maps. But, sadly, it would have taken some 2.5 hours each way to get to the site. So I ended up driving it (1.25 hours by car).

I went because our Year 6 kids from St. Angela's (one of our schools) have water safety classes there last Monday. (It's weird to get your head around it; we're approaching Christmas and it's beach weather here!) (Plus, the kids are going to be graduating! They start high school in February after the long summer break!)

Anyway, I'd been to this beach before. This past Monday we had the threat of rain early on. You can see the clouds in the sky taken in the late morning (1-3). When I joined the group last year, the minute I stepped out of my car it started pouring! This year we were lucky: no rain at all! (I was ready to call it quits if it rained again when I got there!)

The beach is quite small with rocky cliffs on either end (4, 11). We had the whole beach pretty much to ourselves. They broke the class up into 4 groups of 20 or so. They learn about running on the beach, CPR, surfing and water boarding and how to save someone in the water. The students all seem to have fun (5-6). they like seeing me there, too. I enjoy being with them and being out in the sun. I don't get into the water; too messy for me! But I think it's neat that they get to do this during the school year. How many of our children in the US get such an opportunity?

I love this panorama as it caught our kids running in through the middle of the shot (7). Looking to the far right while at New Port, you can see a house on the cliff side (9, 11, 12). They must be brave! I wouldn't want to live there, but imagine the views are incredible!

Later in the week, I got to go hear first confessions at a church called "Christ the King." (Happy Feast Day, by the way!) It is such an odd looking church that I had to take a picture. I don't mind it…well, take a look (13). Inside the upper part of the trumpet shaped ceiling is some red stained glass, up near its peak. Here is an image of Mary to the left of the sanctuary (14). I liked the stained glass behind her, even though it is abstract. On the right was the tabernacle with an adoration space. Narrow red stained glass windows seemed to pour into the Tabernacle. I wish I had taken a picture of it. You can just barely see it on the far right of photo 13. It was interesting. I would love to have spoken to the architect and asked him the meaning of this trumpet shaped worship space.

Later in the week, I did take public transit into town, saw a movie and then decided to walk part of the way home (about 6 miles). The night was just lovely with a cool breeze. Here is a photo of the dramatic sky (15), a jacaranda tree in all its glory (16) and a close up of the tree's pretty, purple blooms (17).