Santa Barbara to Hollywood (ish)

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We made it through the jungle that is LA! Set off from Santa Barbara just before noon, and headed to Hollywood to our pre-booked Comfort Inn hotel on W Sunset Blvd; booked it based on reviews on TripAdvisor and the price was good as Steve could get a Senior rate! Drove past the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign, along the 101 Hollywood Fwy, with cars whizzing along in about 7 lanes. Drove past 7 or 8 exits on the Fwy and came off at Alvarado and managed to find the hotel a few turnings and blocks along. Nice enough hotel, bank-grade bullet-proof glass protecting the receptionist like, but nice decor... 'Is the area safe?', we asked the chap in reception. 'Er, the area is full of young people and artists, you know, but we're very close to Hollywood tourist attractions', he replied.

So, what do you do if you've got one evening in LA, apart from call in at the Beckhams' to tell Posh to eat more? Write 'TOURIST' on your forehead and go to Hollywood Blvd of course! Go and see the Hollywood 'Walk of Fame' and the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign. It was actually quite straight forward getting there - we got on the No 4 Metro bus down the road from the hotel and got off at Vermont/ Santa Barbara Metro train station, where we took the underground train to Hollywood/ Highland. All we needed was a Metro Day Pass for $5 each for both the bus and train.

The station exit leads straight onto Hollywood Blvd where the 'Walk of Fame' is - the names of famous people written inside star shapes on the pavements. By the Chinese Theatre, near the station, are the slabs of concrete signed by various stars. We had a look along most of the 'Walk', but got caught in the hub-bub outside of a film premier in the Kodak Theatre, 'Nothing But The Truth' - a flick about skaters and the 'truth' in their lives. Saw a ginger bloke and some other 'skate legends' of the film get out of a tour bus and walk along the carpet into the cinema. Meanwhile, a bloke in a Spiderman costume worked the crowd for photo opportunities in competition with someone dressed as Johnie Depp in Pirates.

We managed to escape the crowds and went up some steps where there's a fairly good view of the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign. Took the obligatory photo of the sign, went for a burger and root beer, and then made our way back to the hotel.

Given more time, I think we would have had a look around Santa Monica and Venice Beach, perhaps spent a night in Santa Monica, but time has run out. LA's a massive city; it's hot, crowded and full of gas-guzzling cars. Good luck to Becks, playing footy in this heat.... but for $1,000,000 a week I think he'll cope.

Onto New Zealand tomorrow......

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Photos

For Lynn
Couldn't find Eric Clapton's

For Mum
Here's your name along the Walk of Fame!

Arnie!
'Talk to the Hand!'