Day 13. Monday 5th October
The seemingly constant travelling of long distances between cities ended yesterday on reaching Los Angeles. From now until our departure we were based in Anaheim, approximately 20 miles from the 'centre' of the 'City of Angels'. The term 'centre' is a bit of a misnomer, as the vast urban sprawl that is Los Angeles stretches 80 miles from Malibu in the west to San Bernardino in the east and 50 miles from San Fernando in the north to Santa Ana in the south. After a brief breakfast, however, we were back onto the tour coach to begin our tour of the city.
The relatively small volume of traffic that we experienced yesterday, leading me to believe that the reports seen on the news and in the media were exaggerated to some extent, had grown with the rush hour traffic to combine to slow the traffic on the main freeways through the area around the city centre to an almost dead stop. Passing by some of the elevated sections of freeway, Hilary pointed out the art work on the support columns, sponsored by the city government to bring a touch of cheer into the lives of the hapless motorists. Whilst in the jams, a few of us spent the time looking for personalised automobile number plates, surprisingly common here. Some of the many and varied registrations we saw are YEL OOO, TV GAMES, C MOVIES, TO SEXZY, GRIN POO, IM GOLFN, ILV LIFE, DANNY T, TRACIE 3, CHEE IF, MUZIK 88, BONGO F and CROWN IT ... and more too numerous to mention.
Our first stop, with Frankie, our guide for the morning, after negotiating the freeway system, was the Hollywood Bowl, a white half domed structure in a natural amphitheatre in the hills. The stage area looks out onto, first, seating provided with tables and separated from the next area by low partitions. The remainder of the seating slopes ever more steeply back towards almost the very top of the hill, on top of which a small number of houses overlook the amphitheatre. From one of the homes at one time a small dog could be heard to join in with one of the singers performing in a concert. From the Bowl, one can see the 'HOLLYWOOD' sign away in the distance.
The next stop we made after leaving the Hollywood Bowl was Mann's (once Graumann's) Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, the location for the famous hand and footprints of the stars in cement flags, as well as the 'Walk of Fame' passing by the theatre. This 'Walk of Fame' is the setting into the sidewalk of an increasing number of gold stars, each with its own symbol relating to the branch of show-business, and sponsored by fans in appreciation of the person named. We drove along Sunset Boulevard, one of the most evocative street names in the world, yet, for all its fame, one of the most unkempt that we had seen in the whole of our travels through this small corner of the U.S.A., the litter strewn about reminding us that Los Angeles isn't all the city of dreams that I get the impression of it being portrayed as.
Leaving that area for a tour of Beverly Hills, and the elegant shopping area of Rodeo Drive nearby, almost restored the image previously mentioned, the spotless streets and sidewalks and the glamorous people passing in and out of the shops coming as a marked contrast.
Reaching El Pueblo De Los Angeles State Historic Park, we came upon an area in which the shops, market stalls, cafes and restaurants are all Mexican in style and content. After wandering around the tree fringed plaza we ventured in between the closely packed stalls to look at the produce and merchandise on offer. This area is actually used by Mexican families on weekends and Mexican holidays, as it reminds them of the 'Old Country', so is not just another tourist attraction. Here we stopped for a rest and a coffee in a shady open air cafe.
In the afternoon, after a swift wash and brush-up at the Holiday Inn, we left for the tour of Universal Studios, a vast area where the general public can take a tram ride around the actual areas that have been used in films past and present. Hilary asked us all to remain in one group until we'd got to the departure area for the tour trams. Reaching the top of the slope, we were confronted with reputedly the second longest escalator in the world. This we descended to await the ride. During the time spent getting everybody seated, various larger than life horror story characters 'entertained' the people, including Frankenstein's monster, Dracula and the like.
Amongst the things we saw on the tour were: the Bates Motel and Mansion, the 'A' team's van, Jaws rising up from the lake that we'd just passed through after it had been parted like Moses in 'The Ten Commandments'. We experienced 'The Big One', a simulated earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter Scale, with collapsing columns, an exploding petrol tanker, the heat from which is intense, but brief, a crashing subway train AND a flood. We saw King Kong rise up by our side with a deafening roar and eyes flashing red. The tram travelled from a 'typical' New England street, through a 'typical' 1940's French rural street, which was being prepared for filming, and along a deserted 'typical' New York thoroughfare.
The overriding impression given on the tour is that of a working studio, not solely a tourist attraction, although the tourist side is performed extraordinarily well. Leaving the tram, we had a quick look around the lower level, then decided that the upper level might suit our tastes to start with. The heat here was really intense.
I then headed for the shows. First, we headed for the 'Wild Wild Wild West Show'. This stunt-laden cowboy and cowgirl was preceded by 'Charlie Chaplin' 'greeting' the people gradually filling up the stadium by creeping up behind them and tapping with his cane, then swiftly turning round, as if nothing had happened - you really had to be there. The spectacular action, complete with performing horse and collapsing, exploding buildings. Next, the 'Miami Vice Show', more of the same really; stunts and spills, complete with helicopter appearing above the main building on the 'baddie's' island. Really, the whole show is nothing to do with the TV show, apart from the dress of the two heroes, but, all the same most spectacular. Next the 'Conan The Barbarian Show', inside a darkened auditorium. More stunts, this time with a 'Swords and Sorcery' theme.
All too soon, however, we had to leave for the return journey to the hotel. Deciding to stop in this evening, we got a copy of the Los Angeles Times newspaper, as another souvenir of our stay here and a couple of chocolate bars and drinks each from the little kiosk in the hotel, planning to conserve our remaining energy for the full day at Disneyland on Tuesday, but changed our minds when given the opportunity of seeing the 'Disneyland Dancing Waters' sound and light spectacular at the Disneyland Hotel, close to our Holiday Inn. Thinking that this would be the ideal introduction to Disney, we jumped at the chance.
Asking Marvin, the driver about the mileage we'd travelled brought the answer that he'd not taken the exact figure, but the total was certainly in excess of 2500 miles since leaving San Diego. Hilary and Marvin, having finished their 'tours of duty', and having received our gratuities in thanks for their excellent commentary and driving, respectively, and courtesy and humour at all times didn't go with us, instead, we were transported by the hotel's courtesy bus. The show, after the extravaganzas of the past two weeks seemed a bit flat, being only dancing jets of water accompanied by music. The effect was, I'll admit relaxing.
Awaiting the transport back to our hotel, we sat in the lobby of the Disneyland Hotel, alongside the bust of Mickey Mouse. Reaching the hotel, we looked at the notice board where Hilary had promised details of the flights home. True to her word, there were flight times and numbers for the two flights home, and the departure times from the hotel. Eventually, we got to bed, tired, but happy, some hours later than originally intended due the unscheduled evening out.