On Saturday, September 15, 2001, TheScreamOnline Editor-in-Chief Stuart Vail visited the Santa Monica Pier which, among other things, houses a 75-year-old carousel with 44 hand-crafted horses, and is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. After years of neglect and severe damage from a storm in 1983, the pier was finally rebuilt, and today sports a very festive and busy carnival atmosphere with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, arcade games, restaurants, and plenty of entertainment and fishing.

What you see above is the entrance to the pier off of Ocean Avenue, looking west. The Lobster restaurant on the left commands one of the most spectacular views at the beach. To the right is a cliff-front park which overlooks Pacific Coast Highway, the beach, and the ocean. Down below on the beach to the right of the pier is a large parking lot which is the home of the Cirque du Soleil when it is in town. What follows is a photo essay of a journey from the beginning of the pier to the end, where our Mr. Vail encountered a wonderful surprise.

Click on thumbnail for larger image.		Walking down to the pier
			The crowd
				Pier vendor
	Entrance to the rides and games
				An amazing costume
					Clay sculptor
						Halfway, looking south
			Looking back at the Ferris wheel
		The juggler
					Toward the shore
				Fishing at the end
			More fishing
		Looking north toward Malibu