12 Hours in Los Angeles

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Flew Orlando to Los Angeles International (LAX) with a 12 hour layover enroute to Sydney. Caught a local bus through the city to Santa Monica Promenade where I wiled away the hours by shopping in the variety of designer shops and trendy boutiques; then strolling along Santa Monica Pier. The pier was eclectic, with things like the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company to The NY Trapeze School (yes, I considered enrolling so I could spend my days dangling on large pieces of ribbon). The weather was comfortably temperate and the people distinctive. There were a variety of international tourists, college students, and families roaming the streets and beach in their Toms, Vans, and other hip footwear. The right shoes was key.

The people were generally approachable, with one traveler giving me bus fare change and a description of her freaky layover in NYC the night before. Apparently she spent the evening helping police find a Ghanese girl kidnapped and taken to a Sheraton. Hmm. Another homeless lady and I had a pleasant conversation about her hygiene habits-she was immaculately clean!

What made the city a definite living possibility-besides the ocean-was the plethora of bikes and cycle shops. I’ll admit a tinge of jealousy when I spotted a lady pedaling a turquoise bike with two wicker baskets flanking her rear tire. This city is pedestrian and cycler friendly-definitely of interest to a girl from Orlando, rated the world’s worst pedestrian city in 2011.

L.A. has my recommendation

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