Day 12: Hollywood Dreams

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Tuesday, 20th January 2015

After leaving my luggage at the hotel, I was ready to commence on my LA adventure. LA has its own fair share of homelessness and crime. Going about free and easy on public transportation is probably not for the faint-hearted. The Hollywood Boulevard while being touristy is probably safe even though I felt uneasy walking back to my hotel in the evening.

My day revolved around Hollywood where most of the chief sites were including the Walk of Fame that was scattered throughout the neighbourhood. There were a few museums and theatres along that same neighbourhood which provided good photo-taking opportunities. In fact, the Highland Centre promised a good view of the "HOLLYWOOD" sign which did the job for me. I couldn't find another nice reason to join a bus tour to get closed to it or visit the celebrities' homes.

Instead, I took the LA Metro to the Universal Studios Station. The Metro trains are fairly clean and safe. Since I was never a theme park person, I was happy to pose some pictures in front of the main gate and had a quick browse at the souvenir stores along Universal City Walk. The crowds were thin when I visited, which enhanced the whole experience.

Back at Hollywood in the evening, I decided to make my way back to the hotel before the skies turned completely dark. For some reason that I couldn't comprehend, there was an increasing air of uneasiness along the streets of LA as the night descended.

Thankfully, my hotel room was comfortable enough for me to stay in as I learnt that it once housed guests such as Marilyn Monroe - before they were rich and famous.

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