Welcome to Cindy and David's 2014 Adventures
Santa Monica - (page 1)
We were pleased with our hotel which had a lovely view over the Santa Monica beach and we spent quite some time exploring the area and enjoying the pier and surrounds.
It was fairly busy everywhere but not quite full season thank goodness so we had no trouble getting into restaurants and joining the crowds around the shops and markets.
David spotted this little crowd filming the blonde lady cycling along the beach and in time we did see quite a bit of filming going on in various places, some tv and some, like this one, an ad of some sort.
We cycled along the famous beach track of course and went all the way to Venice Beach.
On the right are examples of the many canals in the area which gave the area its name. Very pretty indeed.
Lots of beachfront booths full of very "interesting" people and lots of the buildings had huge murals painted on the sides.
We took a tour of LA. Our driver was a Mexican named Abel. (He was very proud of his heritage by the way). He was a lovely man with a great sense of humour and did his best to get this rather wooden bunch of tourists he was driving around to respond to him.
He took us to Beverley Hills to point out the various houses of the stars and we confess to have forgotten every single one. We know we heard such names as Nick Cage, Richard Gere, George Clooney,P.Diddy (or is that P.Daddy???). I do know that the one at the top right is Miley Cyrus'. Apparently it isn't big enough for her so it's coming down and being rebuilt. The largest was the Howard Hugh's mansion which took up acres!!! and had several gates. All very impressive.
He took us to Beverley Hills to point out the various houses of the stars and we confess to have forgotten every single one. We know we heard such names as Nick Cage, Richard Gere, George Clooney,P.Diddy (or is that P.Daddy???). I do know that the one at the top right is Miley Cyrus'. Apparently it isn't big enough for her so it's coming down and being rebuilt. The largest was the Howard Hugh's mansion which took up acres!!! and had several gates. All very impressive.
Hollywood was the longest stop. We wandered along enjoying a very eclectic crowd including a very drugged up gentleman (!) who was abusing all and everyone and we expected a fight to break out any minute. We enjoyed reading the stars' names but there are far too many to do them all. The Beatles and Elvis were next to each other on a traffic island.
The tour included the Farmers Market (huge fruit, like the mangos above) and an amazing array of just about every vegetable known to man). You can visit the Market on the tram (upper left).
We called in to a guitar shop who boasted their famous customers by handprints on the entrance (left).
Of course, the mandatory visit to the Hollywood sign was included. A visit to Marilyn Monroe's burial spot was mandatory according to Abel who was /is a great fan.
We called in to a guitar shop who boasted their famous customers by handprints on the entrance (left).
Of course, the mandatory visit to the Hollywood sign was included. A visit to Marilyn Monroe's burial spot was mandatory according to Abel who was /is a great fan.
However, the Beatles one was very new and shiny compared to Elvis' which was fading fast.
Above is the theatre where the Oscars ceremony is held every year.
Above is the theatre where the Oscars ceremony is held every year.
The miracle of return journey to the hotel was that we reached there at all! A seven lane each way highway in rush hour was no problem to Abel at all and we were in and out of traffic at high speed the whole way. Eyes closed was the only way to cope!
Abel decided he had plenty of time and trusted we did too and took us up a very winding road to get the best possible photo of the Hollywood sign. I should mention at this point that Abel only had two speeds. One was very fast and one was stop. So our journey up and down the winding road was to say the least hair-raising!
David was fascinated in Santa Monica by the Crocs shop, and the shop where all the ancient sewing machines were was a very up- market mens shop.