Exploring LA

Walking and Funicular

After a lay in and massive breakfast, we definitely make the most of anything free or already paid for, we headed out into downtown LA.

The only free walking tours we could find were in Spanish and although after 3 months in South and Central America (I think I am now almost half Spanish) not convinced I would understand much. So we found a suggested walk on another blog and followed this.

Our walk included The Last Bookstore which seems to be a famous and hip bookshop with various bits of art created by piles of books. After this we had a ride on the Angel Flight Railway which is a short funicular track up to another part of downtown LA. This was a quick but fun ride.

It was amazing how quickly we arrived in a seemingly posher part of the area but also despite being near midday very strange how quiet everywhere was. Near the hotel the ground level is a bit dodgy but some really amazing old buildings and theatres suggesting at one time it was an excellent area.

We then went to the Los Angeles public Library. This is a great building and hosts art shows. There were two great but different exhibitions one by an ex-prisoner which showed the little things he made including a cigarette lighter which went straight into the mains, it came with a warning "don't become the earth when you use it". There was also a real sized copy of his cell we could go in.

The second was again on the theme of making things but was all about patents. Some were serious and others strange such as a frame less bike, basically two wheels. I also liked the shower in a can and an aerosol driving system!

Both of the above were free and we walked past a few more galleries offering free entry so does appear plenty to do in LA on a budget once you get there and paid for accommodation. We also walked up to the Disney Concert Hall we just looked on impressed from the outside. It was designed by Frank Gehry and is for classical music, jazz etc rather than Walt Disney on Ice.

We wandered past some characters....one bloke in shiny silver pants with a black mankini over the top was walking down the street swinging a palm tree and ranting....just taken from outside a hotel. Random.

Dressing for less and hot chocolate

We also did a bit of shopping at Ross "Dress for Less" for a few bits for the cruise. I wonder how many other cruise passengers will be using such a bargain retailer for their formal evening wear!

We went into a chemist to stock up on toiletries and literally everything was behind lock and key. You press a buzzer for an employee to come and open the cabinet when you want an item. It seemed like we were pressing and getting the same guy on every aisle. We did see two homeless guys get kicked out and someone else trying to nick stuff so I guess it's due to being a dodgy area.

Another walk round

The next morning we had some spare time before switching hotels in readiness for the cruise. So we had another walk we went through LAs Chinatown which was busy with almost everything being sold and very colourful and bustling/ We also walked up to a state park which was very peaceful with almost a village like feel and great views of downtown LA.

We enjoyed our time in LA and despite a slightly dodgy area thought out hotel CitizenM was a decent place o stay and pretty close to lots of interesting places.

We're now at the Marriot, it has a big heated outdoor pool and most of the time I swam no one else was using it. In the morning we had to the boat.