Arrival in the U.S of A

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CALIFORN-IA - Thurs 27 July - Thurs 03 Aug

Half-way Transpacific we realised the golf balls protruding from Annie's neck were not a symptom that would disappear upon clearing customs. With swollen glands in tow we were allowed entry to the US and sought out a bed quickly to mend our ills. We checked in to the first hotel within our budget from the accomodation board in the arrivals area - no doubt to be dogdy and overpriced - Welcome to the Cadillac Hotel, Venice Beach - right on the beach & atrdeco. Well if purple and yellow paint with mirrored mosaic counts then who are we to critique artdeco?
The room consisted of 2 single beds with your grandma's old bedroom drawer set and a couple of those coloured plastic mesh chairs she had in the sunroom. It was hot, really hot,with no air-con. The only air we got blew in from the breeze coming off the pacific through the open window. Annie collapsed in to bed and Susie walked 5 blocks to the most massive pharmacy (drug-store) ever built and stocked up on a range of medications to make Annie better.

Our hotel overlooked Venice Beach, where the homeless call home and if you don't have half your body tattooed then you definitely don't live here.

We spent the first couple of days lying low at Venice Beach until Annie was feeling better. We walked on the beachfront boulevard, browsing the tourist shops and ate out at the bohemian Candle Café across from the Cadillac hotel whilst Annie regained her appetite. The dreadlocked wait staff were really laid back and the chef often missing in action but it was local, cheap and served ginger lemon tea - an aid in healing Annie’s swollen throat.

At night the homeless contingency who made their home on the sidewalk outside of our hotel would fight and throw empty bottles at each other. Ferrels dogs would join in the ruckus, barking until someone gave in.

We knew we had to get out of Venice Beach as soon as possible.
Luckily the medicine was working and this was sooner rather than later.

We visited the stars on Hollywood Boulevard. Annie paid respects to her dancing mentors Fred & Michael. Susie tried to fit in to Marilyn’s shoes but surprisingly her toes were even longer than Marilyn’s fingers imprinted in the sidewalk outside Mann’s Chinese Theatre.
We made good use of our day bus pass traversing the town from the high end of Bel Air to the downtown district of LA. Checking out campus at UCLA, passing the pink façade of the Beverly Hills Hotel, cruising the palm lined strip of Sunset Blvd, spinning by the Ferris Wheel on Santa Monica pier.

We celebrated Annie’s ability to eat solids again by going to a fancy Japanese Restaurant nearby Venice Beach where we ate the best & freshest sashimi ever.
On the fourth day we were ready to head out of the smog, say goodbye to Venice Beach, and its rowdy homeless crew and hit the freeway north.
The Hare Krishna’s gave us a send off by parading down Venice Blvd following floats of temples adorned with brightly coloured flowers & streamers, incense burning, banging their drums, singing hare hare Krishna - wouldn’t be surprised if we see them in next years Mardi Gra.

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