Los Angeles (USA)
15 January - 19 January 2017
Back in Los Angeles, back to Hollywood. The theatre of
dreams and the arena of the ruined.
The bright beaming letters of the Hollywood sign are the
epitome of false idolatry. It represents all that is fickle, all the fools gold
and falsities of promise wrapped up in a destination where the elite cast
shadows of such impossible magnitude that we all, myself included, become
brainwashed by its surreal majesty.
Hollywood is not Los Angeles of course. Los Angeles is
comprised of another 71 suburbs also looking to find a CBD to call home.
I’ve had a personal struggle with Los Angeles. It’s not a
manageable city, nor is it attractive. It’s not a city that seeks the type of love it
commands by default, but with that said, never have I really given it any of
my love previously. I don’t flat out hate it but I would have to think long and
hard about real reasons for liking it.
Hollywood Walk of Fame - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
The Hard Rock Cafe at Univesal City - Los Angeles - USA
Outside Universal Studios Theme Park - Los Angeles - USA
Our first destination when it came to taking on Central America on the cheap was the Banana Bungalow located on Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood.
Some of the comments I'd read of the Banana Bungalow on Booking.com were promising. Things such as free parking (which we needed), great social hostel (like most hostels),
free alcohol and food on Wednesdays (yes,
and kind of cool) and great location
(true too, only 10 mins away from the ‘Hollywood’ we wanted to see). That aside,
our room mates comprised of a Pakistani Uber driver that was literally
calling the Hostel home, a junkie that sweat bullets and lived in a blanket
cocoon for 20hrs a day, a girl who constantly had a fan/heater blowing on her and whose worldly
possessions seemed to exist in the suitcase that was placed under her bed. Then
there was us two, the newly engaged couple with global real estate investments
bunkering down in bunks, all within the one sticky room.
Universal Studios Theme Park - Los Angeles - USA
Universal Studios Theme Park - Los Angeles - USA
Universal Studios Theme Park - Los Angeles - USA
Universal Studios Theme Park - Los Angeles - USA
I treat Los Angeles a little like the Gold Coast in the fact
then when I think of them both the lights in my head flash ‘theme parks’.
Thankfully Inga likes a good theme park as much as I do, so convincing her to
head to Universal Studios on our first day was a breeze.
The oldest and most famous of all Hollywood studios still
in use, Universal Studios Theme Park
in Hollywood is a dedication to the industry that holds this town aloft
globally.
The rides at the theme park are good, in fact very good
and the theme park itself is compact enough to allow you to cover a lot of the
rides in a day plus undertake a back lot tour. As an ice breaker into Los
Angeles I think its fun and the accompanying Universal City acts as the perfect
adjunct for post theme park activities.
Universal City - Los Angeles - USA
Margaritas at Te'Kila - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
Te'Kila - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
Our night in Hollywood existed solely within the confines of
Hollywood Boulevard, in particular, the path that it took to walk from the
Banana Lounge Hostel to a Mexican restaurant/bar where the drinks were good and
the food wasn’t too bad either. Still, this Mexican joint did encounter our wrath one night when we
noticed a 20% surcharge mysteriously appear on our bill with no itemisation. The line just read 20% tax
(or perhaps it read surcharge). When we challenged the staff on the item the
reason we were given, and I quote, ‘Oh,
that a 20% tourist tax that we charge’. Now, aside from the absurdity of
having a tourist tax, which of course we knew was bogus, the issues that a tax of this
nature creates is just mind boggling. So first question, ‘How do you actually know that I’m a tourist?’, ‘Are you assuming this because of
an accent?’. By the same logical deductui wouldn’t that therefore mean that half of Los Angeles would also
now have to pay a 20% tourist tax based upon your reasoning? Did you somehow
discover my place of residency on entry? I don’t recall being asked where in
the world I lived at this moment? Is this an international tourist tax or do
you apply it to people from outside of the state, or indeed, outside of Los
Angeles, or even further, outside of Hollywood? In any case, the surcharge, which I assume
was the value they added for what they considered was their right to acquire a
tip was not paid. Much to the behest of the idiot that charged us. By way of
proof I decided to show him my Wells Fargo card in any case, pointing out that
I did have a piece of land in the US and would not be regarded as a tourist,
not against my will in any case.
Incidentally, if anyone wants to know, the place is called Te’Kila, 6541 Hollywood Blvd – Don’t be a victim! Hold these punks to account!
Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
Pacific Park - Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
Pacific Park - Santa Monica Pier - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
The next day we found ourselves heading out to Santa
Monica pier and doing the walk down to Venice Beach. This ended up being a cool
day. Beaches usually have a great vibe but Venice is like another world, it’s a
catwalk for all sorts, some freaks too, but generally its very chilled and laid
back with a good attitude. We both liked it. So much so that we did consider in
future possibly occupying an AirBnB on Venice for a month or two in our
futures, although, when I consider that I think directly about Rio de Janeiro
and to a lesser extent the Gold Coast,
why would you stay on Venice when those two options have so much more to
offer.
Inga was invited to partake in random dance improv on the beach
It really was as bad as it looks - although Inga was awesome ;)
Santa Monica State Beach - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
Working the rings
Santa Monica State Beach - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
Working the rings
Santa Monica State Beach - Santa Monica - Los Angeles - USA
On our final day prior to heading out to Las Vegas was
spent at Six Flags Magic Mountain
theme park in Santa Clarita. An easy 40
min drive out of Hollywood, this place holds the world record for most roller
coasters in an amusement park and was just the place for a couple like us that
loves thrill rides in general.
I’ve been drawn to theme parks, but more so, roller
coasters, since I was a kid. I love them! And some of the ones they have here
are just insane. In particular I refer to Goliath,
which for a brief period from February 11 to May 13, 2000, was recognised as
having the fastest and longest opening drop (136 kph) from an initial height of
78 mtrs. It is AWESOME! Your stomach ends up in your eye-balls.
Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
Being this close we certainly got a whiff of what THE ROCK was cooking
Check out the stalker with the 'crazy doting' eyes - just over his right shoulder
Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA
Heading to Las Vegas - just about to take a turn over the Pacific
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) - Los Angeles - USA
Other fantastic rides at the park are the Twisted Colossus, Freefall,
Tatsu & Scream. I mean really, there’s too many to talk through them
all other than to say that having a day like this is always a blast and makes
you feel like a big kid.
