"Photos of Newport Beach and the ocean" Friday, May 21 , 1999
	A view from Dick's balcony a closeup of the shoreline another closeup	I left Corona around noon and met Richard at his place, following him down to the Newport Beach area (well before the height of the afternoon rush hour.) We arrived late in the afternoon. Richard's father Dick has a beautiful home there, high atop a cliff overlooking the Ocean. Dick is a retired lawyer and he lives in the house by himself. He has all of the luxuries that a wealthy man would have: a million dollar home, two Lexus's in the garage, good taste in furniture, etc. Yet, he also has something that few wealthy men have; humility. The saying that the apples don't fall too far from the tree could not be truer in this case. Richard's father was even cooler than Richard is. He is gentle, refined, dignified, and cultured, yet at the same time humorous and fun. He is definitely an extraordinary person. He was also very welcoming even though he had never met me before. Dick's house is small by most standards, but one cannot build a house too large in his neighborhood. Real estate is certainly at a premium here; everyone wants a piece of the priceless view. The inside is beautiful, complete with rich wood floors, beautiful fireplace, spacious kitchen, and all with thoughtfully designed with a vintage taste of class. I was very impressed. I keep talking about the view, and it is by far this home's most impressive characteristic. Dick apologized at one point that it was so hazy, because sometimes, as he noted, the view was exceptional. When he said that, I wondered briefly if he were bluffing, because what I was seeing was pretty amazing to me and I couldn't readily imagine anything too much more beautiful than this (apparently, I must not have much of an imagination.) The view is. . . well, as I've said before. . . priceless. Richard and I borrowed one of his dad's Lexus's and he took me on a mini-tour of the area. After a brief stop at Spyglass Hill, we headed down to Balboa Island for a lengthy walk. We rode the ferry across to the island, which was much more fun than driving. We hung out briefly on the pier and snapped a photo or two, but I don't think Balboa Island captured my imagination like Richard thought it would. It was cold and overcast, and there wasn't too much action going on when we were there. The most fun I had there was just walking and chatting with Richard as we strolled down the generic sidewalks and he told me tidbits of interesting historical facts and such from his endless reservoir of conversational gems. I would have to say that being a good and interesting talker is one of Richard's strongpoints. There was never a dull moment.
	coastline from high atop the cliffs	And as usual, Richard knew all of the spots to take me for the coolest views of the area. From Balboa Island, we went to a local park nearby and watched the surf from high atop the sharp cliffs. If Balboa was a bust, this place was the jackpot! It was my kinda place that's for sure. The water was powerful, the sharp cliffs were striking, the colors were dulled a bit due to the overcast weather, but the beauty was certainly stunning. I was very careful as I filmed, paying close attention to where I stepped and how I leaned. One faulty move and I would be finishing my vacation in the OR, if not the grave. The cliffs were a highlight of my trip to Newport Beach, and by far the most raw power and action I had seen all week.
	it's a long way down	Confronting the power
	beautiful seascapes	the bold surf
	a moment of reflection	the sun made a rare appearence
	Richard and I returned to his father's house and prepared for a night at the local symphony orchestra. Rich had generously paid for my ticket and Dick generously paid for a superb dinner before the show. The evening was a huge success. We listened to Beethoven's 6th and 7th Symphonies. Beethoven's 6th Symphony "Pastorale" has always been my favorite. I first listened to it in 1991 while attending Montgomery College and it always struck me as such a wonderful piece of music. I never dreamed that I would be listening to it live in California. The melodies sounded more beautiful than I had ever heard them before. However, the buzz among the Geib duo was for the 7th symphony. It was one of Dick's favorites and Richard's as well. I had to sheepishly admit that I didn't ever recall having heard Beethoven's 7th to which it was immediately dismissed that this could not be a possibility. I was immediately reassured that I must have heard it sometime and had simply not associated the music with the number. I agreed eagerly and hoped that it would be familiar . . . and it was. The seventh is now one of my favorites as well. In fact, as soon as I got home, I purchased a CD and began appreciating it further. After the symphony, we returned to Dick's house where I spent the night. Richard took me out for a brief tour of the club scene at Newport Beach and we hung out down in the main thoroughfare for a short time. When we got back to the house, I was eager to go out on the balcony at night. It was even more beautiful in the evening. There were so many lights and it was so peaceful, it is definitely a view that I could get used to.
	Friday : Arriving in California, meeting Richard Geib Saturday : Biking through the Azusa foothills Sunday : Hanging out in Corona Monday : Echo Park and the Sunset Strip - Mann's Chinese Theater, Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday : Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Marina del Rey Wednesday : The Getty and a beautiful sunset near Santa Monica Thursday : Avalon, Catalina Island, Casino Ballroom Friday : Newport Beach, beautiful photos of the surf and ocean Saturday : Leaving Newport Beach and conclusion

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