Top 10 Things They Have in California That We Don't Have in Virginia

1. Sunsets on the Pacific Ocean

2. Seagulls That Enjoy the Sunsets on the Pacific Ocean

3. Deserts - like this one, the Anza-Borrego Desert

4. Pesky Ground Squirrels - we have squirrels, but they aren't as pesky (or photogenic) as the ones in the California deserts


5. (Lots of Naturally Occurring) Palm Trees - sure, people plant them in the South, and, yes, there are some at the beach in Virginia that naturally grow, but they're simply everywhere in California



6. Large, Friendly Cacti - again, we have cacti here and there, but the key is that they're numerous and naturally occurring out there, and they'll even become your friends if you give them a pair of sunglasses to wear

7. Grapefruit Orchards - like this one in the Borrego Desert, where they grow the world's best grapefruits, Seley Reds

8. Other Unusual and Hard-to-Grow Fruits - like this persimmon...

...and this cumquat tree:

...and this lime tree:

9. Statues of Sailors' Wives Being Doubled Over at their Husbands' Homecoming - like this one, next to the U.S.S. Midway

...and...

....drum roll....

10. Tuna Boats - like these sitting in Coronado Bay