From Washington DC to LA and surroundings

So, we left DC on a clear, crisp morning, about 0 degrees Celsius.  Sad to leave our 2 bedroom apartment, but excited to be heading back to LA for new adventures.

Got to Union Station, and had to buy tickets for the MARC train to BWI Airport - Eric wasn't too sure how to get the tickets we needed, but managed it, and we got on the train with just seconds to spare before it headed out - if we had missed that one, we would have had to wait 50 mins before the next train, and that would have added stress to our time at the other end.

We flew to Detroit, then to LA.  Detroit had snow on the ground, and was below zero outside. Eric & I saw Lake Erie flying to Detroit, frozen in places, and mum & I enjoyed watching the changing landscape as we flew to LA - snow, huge round paddocks (irrigation circles), canyons and valleys.

Picked up our vehicle and found our hotel in Buena Park quite easily  - a single room with 2 king beds and a sofa bed.  Dinner at a Farmer Boys across the road, then bed.

Pita's salad bowl was huge!

Friday, we hit the Outlet Stores at Orange County - everyone bought something apart from me!  Sneakers, tops, shorts and a soft toy for Robin found their way to our car.  Drove past Disneyland so mum could at least say she has seen it - think she has seen more going past Knott's Berry Farm, but at least she has seen the top of the Matterhorn!

We then headed to Long Beach so Eric could pop into the New Balance store (yes, he did buy a new pair of sneakers) then we drove around a marina opposite the Queen Mary - she would have been very stately in her time, I'm sure.  Drove around the coast and stopped at a Walmart to check out a few things (I got a top there, and new socks too!) then to Hermosa Beach and saw the sunset out on the pier.

We also saw lots of small oil donkeys in amongst suburban settings.  Not sure if I would want one digging for oil that close to where I lived or worked or shopped!

Dinner that evening was at a local Arby's, so we could try their curly fries - very tasty.  The weather had been very pleasant all day - up to early 20s, so only one layer of clothes!

Saturday, we headed out of the motel quite early and hit the interstate, off to Palm Springs.  On our family holiday in 2014, we had driven past Palm Springs on our way from San Diego to Joshua Tree National Park, but hadn't gone into it.  We drove past huge numbers of wind farms near Palm Springs, and had fun looking for "fake trees" - cellphone towers made to look like the local trees.  Palm Springs is only 1hr 45mins drive from LA, so it was quite an easy drive, but was quite foggy and hazy on the way.

Stopped at the Visitor Centre on the way into town, and decided to go to Indian Canyons, the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, who have thrived there for thousands of years.  We explored two areas: Andreas Canyon and Palm Canyon.  In the Andreas Canyon, we did a walk through the canyon, passing groves of stately California Fan Palms, unique rock formations and the actual Andreas Creek.  The Fan Palms do not loose their fronds, withstand fire and are used to make shelters.We saw the bedrock mortars used centuries ago for preparing foods.  We also got to see lots of lizards.  Andreas Canyon is named after "Captain" Andreas, one of the Cahuilla Indians, not after the San Andreas Fault.

Palm Canyon had the largest stand of Fan Palms in the world, and was quite cool/refreshing walking under them.  One way their seeds are spread are by coyote eating their berries when they fall to the ground, and then the seed being dispersed in their excrement, which could be seen in places along the valley floor.  There were lots of tiny hummingbirds in the area, and we also saw a red-tailed hawk.

Coyote droppings with California Fan Palm seeds within it

Our last walk there was only 5mins return - to see the West Fork Falls - a small waterfall in amongst huge rocks.

We then headed into Palm Springs itself and drove past the house where Elvis Presley had his honeymoon.  We were not the only people cruising into the cul de sac for a look at what perhaps was a romantic getaway location back in the day!

Then, a walk along the main street, which was closed off for the finish of Tour de Palm Springs, a 100mile bike race (160km).  We did splash out for a Ben & Jerry's ice-cream (Pita's first!) and Pita & I did look at a clothing store - lots of long flowing dresses and short, flowery dresses - they seem to be the rage at the moment.

Then, back to LA, dinner (curly fries at Arby's again!) then rest and bed.