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Showing posts with label Santa Monica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Santa Monica. Show all posts

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Los Angeles (USA) - Hey, are you going to pay our tourist tax?

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.