Monday, April 6, 2009

Huntington Beach, April 5, 2009

I went to Huntington Beach Pier to satisfy my curiosity about a paintball tournament that was being held there. I had no idea what this tournament was all about; I thought this was as good time as any for me to find out.

I parked my car several blocks away from the beach (to save the $10 beachside parking fee - an economic recession move on my part or... I am just cheap LOL) and walked 10 minutes through Main Street (shown above) to the pier.

A fisherman patiently waiting for a bite

Beach volleyball, a popular activity at the beaches in Southern California

I zoomed in slightly left of center of the previous pic. Isn't a camera with a 10x optical zoom great?

The paintball tournament was right at the beach so I have to go down to the sand level to check it out.

At the SW corner of this pic showing the concrete pier posts, is a homeless man (we have them, too!) who covered himself with a white sheet to continue his sleep undisturbed. Cops usually ask them to leave the area whenever they see them.

One of the tournament venues

Members of two opposing team try to "kill" each other with paintball guns. They advance toward each other, sneaking behind those blue and red plastic covers and shooting at their opponents whenever they get the chance. That's as simple as I see the game.
Some of their play guns are more expensive than the real Macoy! I saw several at vendor booths for sale for more than $300! I can buy a decent semi-automatic handgun for less than $200 at local gun stores in California.

I don't think this is a popular sport to watch. Only the participants apparently enjoy this game as you can deduce from the number of spectators, most of them their friends and relatives. I'd rather go to a gun range and watch shooters drill holes at paper targets. But that is just me. A lot of young ones want to experience the feel of armed combat without actually killing or getting killed. I noticed that right there at the tournament venue, there's a huge booth for US army recruiters and I saw many young men talking to them.

10 comments:

Missy said...

I lived in Long Beach CA for 8 yrs but I've never been to the beach of Huntington (I just visited my boss' house there near the mall but didn't go to the beach hehehe). Thanks for sharing your photos, now I wanted to go to CA again and visit my friends and the beaches there. My daughter misses her friends in CA too :-)

I wanted to try paintball game but we didn't have the chance to do it. I still wanted to try that one maybe when we come back to the US hehehe. It's my first time to see it here :-)

Unknown said...

i've been wanting to try the paintball game. it's a great way to vent those killer instinct (haha). there's a camp in fort bonifacio but some friends tell me it's expensive. oh, beach volleyball! you naughty boy!:D

Sidney said...

I think Beach volleyball is more interesting...;-) too bad you camera has not a 25X zoom ! ;-)

docgelo said...

when we were in LA for a 22-day vacation years ago, my uncle drove us to Redondo & Long Beach & told us not to zoom in our video/camera on those bikini clad ladies; avoiding hassles, we submitted to his warning. after viewing your post, "pwede pala!"

off topic : we've been to sanfo, la & san diego to las vegas &
i do wish to go back whenever possible. my wife's a nurse & already completed her requirements for CA-BON, & is just waiting for her visa.

bertN said...

Jennifer, thanks for dropping by.

Missy, what to do you think about Long Beach? I don't live there but I worked there for many, many years and I learned to love the city. I was a part of it when it grew from a honky tonk Navy town to a world class city that it is now.

You will never go wrong spending time in California. It is the next best thing to heaven LOL.

Luna, I don't know how much it costs to play the game. I imagine it is expensive considering the equipments needed. I'd rather watch volleyball at the beach though. It is physically less demanding and cheaper LOL.

Sidney, 25X zoom! I don't think my heart can take the excitement. I am talking about bird watching and you know it LOL.

docgelo, taking pictures at the beach is not prohibited. As long as you are not blatantly intrusive, nobody will mind.

I hope you and your wife will be able to revisit or perhaps stay here for good. I think you will like it here.

Dennis Villegas said...

Wow 10dollars for a parking fee?

Nice pictures--very colorful images!

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter bertN! :-)

bertN said...

Dennis, parking is never cheap here. You have to know your way around or you'll pay through your nose. At some hotels, they never tell you that parking is extra and it can costs you an additional $20-40 per day in addition to your room rate. Sometimes it is cheaper to park in parking restricted streets and just pay the fine if you get ticketed LOL.

dyosa, thanks! Happy Easter to you, too.

Joy said...

Very interesting shots. You tell a story. Lovely shot of the pier.
Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and leaving your comment. Come back tomorrow!


joy
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bertN said...

Joy, thanks for visiting as well.