"The Bench"...

Today we are starting out with a drive up the coast to La Jolla. Erica's friend and former co-worker lost a daughter on April 20, 2007 in a boating accident. She was 25 years old. Her name ... Morgan Meredith Rohde. I remember when Erica told me about this sad story so many years ago and how her friend, Laura, (Morgan's mom)..worked tirelessly to have a bench put in this special place on a hill...in La Jolla, overlooking this beautiful view...in memory of her beautiful daughter. Erica said that if she ever goes to La Jolla, she wants to see the bench. Here we are...we found "The Bench". It's a very unique, moving experience. First of all, the location...as you can see from the photo..Beautiful! Then, there is the plaque and finally, the box under "The Bench". The box contains a journal with photos, clippings, writings and history from Morgan's life. There are memo pads and pens for visitors to " The Bench" to write notes, there is a box of tissues for the tears, and a small box with small memory cards with photos of Morgan, her info and a saying on the back.

Laura also put Morgan's photo along with notes, history and her (Laura's personal information) in a bottle and put it in the ocean. Here's what happened:

There is a lot more to Morgan's life and also to this story...if you ever go to La Jolla...make the journey and visit "The Bench". You will be glad you did!

From here our plan is to go to LaJolla Cove. To our delight we found it and the seals waiting for us. The ocean, the colors, the cliffs, the wildlife ...exactly the experience we were looking for. We walked, and walked and savored every moment. Mother Nature at her best!

We also milled around town for a bit, lots of shops....and the only thing we bought.....here's a clue: what are the Swiss famous for?? You guessed it ...chocolates!

Dinner back at the hotel ... this concludes the first leg of our trip. Check out is tomorrow, onto Newport Beach and many more adventures!