We had a great stay in the Double Tree Hotel (by Hilton) in Long Beach. A big thanks to the management for their support of our Peace Run and their generosity.
This part of the country is famous for its beautiful beaches which stretch for miles and miles along the US west coast. We were fortunate enough to be able to run on some of these beaches.
This is Hermosa beach (meaning "beautiful") and it truly embodies the meaning of its name.
Running along those beaches was spectacular. We met many other sportsmen - runners, joggers, beach volleyball players or just people soaking in the ocean atmosphere.
In the background you see the Californian flag. It features a black bear, the mascot for this state.
When we meet people who would like to hold the Peace Torch, we kindly ask them to make a wish for peace which we will carry with us around the world.
We also meet the youngest who naturally embody the Peace Run ideals. Since there is a child in each of us, we love reminding ourselves of how important it is to stay cheerful and playful :)
The cool breeze from the ocean makes the outside temperature very pleasant to run (otherwise the temperature inland in LA would be quite something else!)
...and the next beach was the fancy Manhattan beach!
... a moment of peace is precious at any place.
New animal friends checking us out... We are running for peace so that also these lovely creatures can have a better future.
The sky and clouds cleared up and for the rest of the day we were enjoying blue skies...
And we continued onto another renowned location - Venice Beach.
Some enthusiastic runners wanted to join us - this couple sing in a choir called "Peace".
Just before entering Santa Monica Beach, our local Peace Run Coordinator, Utpara from Los Angeles, joined us and lead us to the Pier.
Sharing the Peace Run torch with many kids and groups along the way.
Sisters from France wanted to join for a couple of steps as well. Who knows, maybe one day they will join the French Peace Run section for a longer time!
This adorable girl called Sophie stopped us first to show us her bike riding skills. When she saw the Peace Torch, she immediately understood the concept and asked many questions to the point.
She said she could join to Seattle on her bike when she grows up.
We all have hidden treasures inside our hearts. Let's explore them and share them with the world.
And here we go - just leaving the world famous Santa Monica beach. We thoroughly enjoyed this section of the route!
Arriving to LA through a hilly area. We are just about to enter one of the most famous cities in the world!
We immediately felt the increase in the temperature when moving away from the ocean. It can get as hot as 40 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) at this time of the year. We cooled down with a delicious meal - huge thanks to Utpara for treating us!
