Exploring Los Angeles - Day 1

Today was rather a late start.  Karl and Robin slept until about 9:30am, with Pita surfacing only a little before that.  I had already had my shower, made sandwich packs for everyone (cheese and sliced turkey) and Eric had been for a run around the neighbourhood.

So, 11am, we headed off and went to Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame.  We saw a number of stars of people we know and many more of people we do not know!  Whilst walking along, we were approached by a salesman for a tour company, and Lo and behold, we end up in a limo doing a tour along Sunset Boulevard, through Beverly Hills and past a number of houses (read mansions) owned by stars (Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley, David and Victoria Beckham, Lucille Ball, Justin Beiber, ...), along Rodeo Drive (and none of us were tempted to go and shop there).  We stopped for a photo at the Beverly Hills sign, which was built 102 yrs ago when there were only 5 or 6 houses there!  We also had photos taken outside the house that was in the movie Hocus Pocus.  Whilst the cost of the tour was a little more than we were comfortable with, it was an experience and it did mean that Eric could look around and not have to drive.

Gene Autry - only person to have a star awarded for all 5 categories 

Balcony of the room where Michael Jackson died

House used in Hocus Pocus

Following on from that, we drove up to Griffiths Park and past the Observatory, where Pita and I leapt out and took photos of the Hollywood sign (each letter is as tall as a 3 storey building, and it originally said Hollywoodland and was built as advertising to sell land when this area was oil rich).

Then, down the hill again and over to see another Mission (continuing our theme from our last USA trip 4 yrs ago), San Gabriel Arcangel, which was established in 1771.  It had thousands of acres of land, and was credited with providing a quarter of the grain and stock for the California missions.  It had a 6-bell campanario, and the largest bell can be heard 8 miles away and weighs a ton!

By then, it was about 5:30pm, and starting to get dark, so we decided to go to Santa Monica and see the pier in the dark and grab some dinner.  The pier was initially built as a cover for the sewer that lead into the sea, but that sewer has now gone from there.  We got tacos, etc from a van on the side of the road - tasty, but not overly substantial - then headed back to our apartment to do a load of washing, make lunches and get ready for bed.  Still no feedback from the accommodation providers as to how they think 5 of us can sleep in beds for 4.  We are coping.

We traveled part  of Route 66 on our last USA trip - this is at the pier