Self-Realization Fellowship & San Elijo Lagoon on New Year's Eve

Even though I have driven/biked/walked past the Self-Realization Fellowship in Encinitas my entire life, I have never been inside to the Meditation Gardens. On New Year's Eve, Anna took me to the cliffside gardens overlooking Swami's Beach. Lush paths wound between Koi ponds, waterfalls and tiny nooks filled with benches. The oddest site is the empty swimming pool sitting right at the edge of bluff. It was a beautiful sunny day.







After leaving the Meditation Gardens, we ate lunch at Swami's Cafe and went for a hike through the San Elijo Lagoon. The recent rains flooded the center path in two places. We took off our shoes and waded across the ankle deep water. It was bearable at first, but the freezing pain hit halfway across.





It took about two hours to circle the lagoon's main path. From the border of Solana Beach, we walked back along the beach to Cardiff-by-the-Sea. It was nice that the last day of 2010 ended with a pretty sunset. Back at Anna's house, we had a nice dinner party with fifteen people and loud firecrackers at midnight to bring in the New Year.