Our search for the Californian dream in LA

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February 26th 2016

Published: February 27th 2016

As with many of the places we've visited in the US, Los Angeles is one of those destinations we've seen on tv endless amounts of times. Hollywood, the stars on the Walk of Fame, homes of the rich and famous and roller-skaters on Venice beach amongst other things. All under the beaming California sun. All of these things were on our list to see and do here, plus more. We wanted that Hollywood feel... Read Full Entry

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CrispyLife

mikesrtw

Hi we're Chris and P. We have quit our jobs and sold our house to follow our dream of travelling around the world for 12 months!!! Let’s jump back about 2 years - We're driving to P's friend’s house for an evening meal when she turns and says "I've been thinking..." And what a thought that was indeed. That thought turned into buying a dilapidated property and spending a total of 2 years 'doing it up' ourselves coupled with a new job and a wedding thrown into the mix for good measure. We even questioned ourselves at times on whether travelling would actually become a reality or be j... full info

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27th February 2016

nancic123
Nanci and David Curry

Welcome to LA?
LA is the center for strangeness in California and it seems like you met a good portion of the odd people that populate our state. Maybe this is why so many people drive cars there and don't walk or use public transportation. Maybe if you are moving fast enough, you don't notice the bad parts... I'm glad you kept your spirits up and still enjoyed your visit. As I'm sure you were told, Hollywood and downtown are not really the hotspots of the city. There really are a lot of nice things to see and hopefully you will get a chance to get back! We are enjoying seeing our own country through your eyes and have enjoyed all of your blogs. Your trip continues to be amazing! Thanks for taking us along!

27th February 2016

mikesrtw
CrispyLife

No problem, we're happy that it still proves to offer enjoyment to others apart from ourselves. Yes, we agree we can not say we touched more than the surface in over 2 days there and would love to explore more on a future visit. You will have to give us some insider tips!! That's what people say about public transport, although at the same time we happily travelled using it without any problems and actually enjoyed using it (except for the delays). Thanks for the lovely comment.

27th February 2016

taracloud
Tara Cloud

California dreamin' on such a winter's day!
So, there you were in your shorts on the beach in the middle of winter--ah, LA! Brilliant to stay in the famous Banana Bungalows and hang out on the beaches after your intense travels around the country. There's a fabulous new metro system in LA, but too bad it doesn't yet go to the beaches, but at least you got to see some characters on the buses. The homeless problem is huge in LA, and in fact not too far from skid row, there are incredible museums and concert halls. The government and NGOs are always working on projects, but little seems to get down. So terrible in such a rich city. But as you experienced, so many sides to that crazy city.

27th February 2016

mikesrtw
CrispyLife

California dreamin' on such a winter's day
Whenever can we say we wear shorts in the winter? Ha. California has perfect winter weather!! It sounds like such a complex problem. It's great to hear that projects are taking place. Big change needs to happen. Such as shame given the area has a lot to offer.

28th February 2016

RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew

Gritty side of things...
If you'd hired a car, you may have saved time, but would have possibly missed out engaging with the very diverse population that LA seems to have. Some cities go to such great lengths to hide what they see as their unsavoury aspects from tourists - clearly, that's not an issue here. Regardless of where I sit in the audience at a comedy gig, I always seem to get picked on! :)

2nd March 2016

mikesrtw
CrispyLife

Gritty side of things
Oh no. So your that easy target hey ?. I hate that moment you make eye contact with them and you know your next. To be fair we was picked on a few times both in NYC (on our complexions questioning what sort of mix P is, then suggesting..all sorts, while stating Chris was plain African) and in LA (on our relationship). In Washington they didn't take much notice of us! Yes it's not something that was well hidden even without passing Skid Row. LA is certainly home to the diverse and like you said public transport and on foot is a great way to witness it.

29th February 2016

D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley

Ha LA... not what movies make it looks like
I believe LA is one of our most unimpressive cities and has been overhyped. Venice is a great town for people watching. Hollywood a contrast as you found. A string of interesting cities and towns surround LA so the trip is not wasted. Overall you've had the LA experience. A wealth of absurdity.

2nd March 2016

mikesrtw
CrispyLife

That wealth of absurdity
LA is one though places that has to be experienced.. to really get to grips with that real sense of absurdity. Glad to have witnessed it though! Would love to visit again to visit the other areas of LA people talk so highly of!

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Our search for the Californian dream in LA

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