Los Angeles

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Los Angeles was the last leg of my California trip. I had planned for 2 days for LA but had not planned any activity in LA. As one day of my Pacific Coast highway was fogged out, I decided to do drive on PCH from San Luis Obispo to Big Sur and back on the next day. The next day did not have fog but did have clouds and was a bit on the chillier side. As for the weather along the coastal California, I think, it remains foggy most of the summer and it aint too good in winter either. So folks in southern California from San Diego to LA are blessed with good weather all year around.
LA is big and it can't be covered in a day. Hollywood, Malibu, Venice beach, Santa Monica, Getty Centre, Movie Studios, the homes of the rich and famous. There is plenty to see spread over a large area. Driving in LA as a tourist not familiar with roads can be frustrating and time wasting.
I planned on going to Warner Bro studios. It took some effort to find it. When I found it, the security lady at the gate asked me what I was there for. Well Warner Brothers studio is closed to public tours on weekends and I was there on a Saturday. So no luck there. I went on to visit the Universal Studios nearby. They have some special effects stages. Saw some cool or rather hot and fiery 'Backdraft' movie's special effects demonstration. The studio tour in a trolley takes you to, well, the studios where several movies have been shot. They have a New York street there , a rain forest, a flood scene demonstration (water literally gushes out as if floodgates of a dam were opened), a train accident enactment, 'War of the Worlds' movie's crash scene. So being a film studio, they have the means to be in any part of the world. All the four Desperate Houswives' houses are there. The tour was about 45 min.
So if you are a movie buff, a tour to one of LA's film studios is a must. Warner Brother's studio, I have heard, has a longer tour of little over 2 hrs and gives a better idea about movie production.

The other thing I did in LA was take a Helicopter tour of LA area. It was a 40 min tour. The company is 'Adventure Helicopter Tours'. I got a front seat adjacent to the pilot. There was a couple in the back. The helicopter flew over homes of Hollywood's rich and famous. The pilot pointed out the homes of Eddie Murphy, Bill Cosby, Playboy's Hugh Hefner (some party was going on there). The helicopter then flew over Malibu and Santa Monica coast flying barely 100 ft above water. Then we flew over Sunset & Hollywood Blvd. Got to see an aerial view of the Chinese Theater and Kodak Theater. Then we flew over downtown and then we were back. A fun ride.

More full size photos at

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Comments

[anonymous]

no, it's century city west of downtown LA

[james k]

Burbank Skyline
No. That is not the Burbank, CA skyline.