Long Branch - The end of summer

It's the end of summer and we have all pretty much returned to our normal lives.  Whether you journey to an exotic place, down the shore, or just have some time off from school or work, getting back to regular schedules and responsibilities is not so easy after the hot, carefree days of the season of respite.

With Labor day, close of the season is official but for those of us who are lucky enough to have some kind of access to the beach, we can still bask in the lingering effects of the sun, sea and sand.

Long Branch, New Jersey, is a great place in Central Jersey for an outing any time of the year.  Pier Village, right on the ocean, is full of shops and very nice restaurants and a variety of activities.

It is also only six miles away from my office and the 5 miles of walking back and forth on the board walk has been one of my favorite activities since I moved here almost 2 years ago.

Friday after work, I had no where to be and no one to see, so I decided to go to Long Branch.  I was not interested in dinner or shopping, just exercising and inhaling that salty smell of the ocean.

It turned out to be a very satisfying experience...

As I walked along, I ran into three weddings, families out for a stroll with their children, couples sitting and enjoying the beautiful view, people jogging, walking and even a musician playing her guitar as she gazed out to the ocean.  There were bands playing, surfers waiting to catch a wave, happy hours in full swing and an incredible sunset, with scenes that begged to be captured... I felt in accord with my surroundings, that is akin to what I feel when I am walking down the streets of New York, which is a very rare occurrence in my experience for New Jersey.
I don't know if it was the seemingly boundless ocean or the vast sky up above but it felt like we all belonged out there, underneath the same big sky.