Half Moon Bay

Inna and I decided to explore Half Moon Bay, which we have been neglecting. She has made a lunch reservation for 13:15 at the By The Teashore teahouse (which had recently opened to rave reviews).

We started our drive to Half Moon Bay at 11:15 on a lightly drizzly Sunday morning. Traffic was light, and we parked on Half Moon Bay's Main Street at around 12:15. On the way there, we saw some demonstrations and some unexpected police activity, but nothing to worry about. The weather in Half Moon Bay was much better than in San Jose - it was chilly (55 F) but sunny with a few clouds.

Since we had arrived quite early, we decided to walk to Francis Beach (on the Pacific Ocean). I did not realize that this was a long walk, and it took us about 28 minutes to reach the ocean. On the way there, we saw some beautiful murals and tastefully decorated homes with beautiful gardens.

We really did not have much time to explore the beautiful beach, and we returned to downtown Half Moon Bay for our lunch. After being seated at By The Teashore teahouse indoors (outdoor seating is for walk-ins), we looked at the menu and ordered the following:

• Tea for Two
• Sandwiches: 
• Curry chicken
• Roast Beef & Horseradish
• Egg Salad
• Ham Fig Cheddar Dijon
• Scones (with clotted cream and jam)
• Earl Grey
• Strawberry/White Chocolate
• 2 x Hot Teapots

The sandwhiches were delicious, and I especially liked the Curry Chicken. The scones were good (but not at the level found in England). I find that scones are best when they are freshly baked and served out of the oven. We had a wonderful time, enjoying our tea. 

After lunch, we walked on Main Street, stopping at the nearby bookstore, and then returned to our car for a short drive to The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. 

At first, we had difficulty finding parking, but we waited for a spot at the Ritz Carlton's garage for hikers and managed to snag a spot.

We had planned to walk along the beach, following the long Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail northward (heading toward Redondo Beach and Poplar Beach). The walk was pleasant (though we were frequently overtaken by e-bikes). We saw horses, rabbits, and beautiful wild flowers everywhere. We probably should have also rented bikes, as the trail was perfectly suitable for bikes.

I spotted one beginner surfer on a Wavestorm trying to surf beach breaks, but he was having a difficult time getting through the surf.

After walking for about an hour, we rested and turned around. We never reached Poplar Beach, as it would have taken another hour (round-trip).

When we returned to the Ritz Carlton, we rested by the beach. There were public chairs and restrooms with beautiful views of the coast. I downloaded Mark Twain's first book about travels to the Holy Land - The Innocents Abroad - and started reading it.

Links

• By The Teashore teahouse
• The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
• Francis Beach
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