Getty Art Museum

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Well what a fantastic day. Heatwave for us poor NZ folk. Two bus rides and a tram ride later we were at the Getty Art Museum. We stood in front of Monet's, Van Gough's, Cezane's Rembrant's etc original paintings. We were able to get within a meter of them and even take photographs. The building itself was amazing. Huge scale, full of beautiful art and priceless objects. And it was all free!!
We rode the 2 buses home and took another 1 hour bus trip to the Famous Venis Beach. As we got closer the atmosphere changed from a happy friendly clean place to an angry, loud, dirty cinister place. When we got off the bus we were instantly caught up in a large tight crowd of people aggressively talking loudly with much swearing and swaggering. We were very much the minority age and colour wise. When we got to the beach front it was really grey with grime, rubbish and old tacky stalls everywhere. Loud gangster-rap coming different directions. We felt intimidated enough as it was. Then the next thing, two black teenage girls within a couple of meters of us started a fight (slapping shouting, hair-pulling) and their friends moved in to help and the crowd started to make a circle. Everyone was shouting. We just escaped being caught up in the middle. The noise was deafening. That's when we turned tail and headed for the safety of the other end of the beach. We did stop to see four black Americans aged from 30 to 45 roller-skating to gangster rap doing these amazing moves, people doing tricks on bikes, Muscle Beach displays of strength and gymnastics as well the odd busker. We didn't feel safe enough to stop and take photos though. As we went the crowds changed from young and angry at Venis to family and festival at Sata Monica Beach. Best thing we saw were four break/hip hop dancers that were amazing, busking in the square.
I just can't believe loving parents would let their teen-age kids hang out un-supervised in a place like that.

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Photos

Vincent van Gough
This is a pic of the real Lillies Painting. Priceless. Beautiful

The Getty Centre
The museum building was worth a visit for its own sake. Huge scale, beautiful..

Tissot
My Favourite painting of the trip.

Huge Vase
Scale is unreal

Car for Penny
This guy was just posing.

Colourful Busker
This guy shows a typical splash of colour we saw.

Favourite Sculpture
So much to see.

Comments

[Claire and Phil and Penny]

Car for Penny?
We're enjoying following your blog :) It looks like you're having a great time. Still no photo of PP with Steve Jobs? Also - I'm hoping you mean the car is for Penny the Penguin... Claire, Phil and Penny

[Phil]

lol
I wonder whos writing the entries, dad, I like the creative spelling. Venice beach sounds curious, I'm pretty sure it was the set for Baz Lurhmans romeo and Juliet. But yeah would have been scary in that sort of atmosphere.

[Eugen]

car for Penny
Yeah Phil, I was confused for a second there too: which Penny gets the car :-)