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Saturday May 17, 2003/Los Angeles (CA)
WARNING : this text has been translated automatically from french
Landing in "International Los Angeles Airport" (LAX), the largest airport of the world. One arrives at the customs where an officer looks at our passports and his computer, then reflects one moment. It finally lets to us pass: ouf! Now how to recover the car? Telephones are at disposal to call the agencies of hiring. I do not include/understand anything so that one tells me at the end of the wire. One asks finally somebody who indicates to us special buses at the exit of the air terminal.
Arrived at "Alamo Rent has Because", the salesman tries to rent us a car more powerful than that which we had reserved, but one resists the calls of overconsumption.
One is in the car with 17h25. It is a DODGE Néon with reader CD!
Starting is brutal, I confuse the brake with the clutch pedal which does not exist on the automatic boxes. One certainly well will laugh in this car of ' yankees.
The zone of the airport very vast, is closed down, without too much circulation. One stops on the low side, to leave the chart and the compass and to analyze the situation before engaging on the Highways and being likely to lose itself. One locates oneself rather well and I have a good copilot. It is finally rather simple to circulate in Los Angeles, gigantic grid of boulevards of several tens of miles and Highway.
After some unfruitful research in 2 inns of youth located on the guide (is necessary to also say that one is naze with these 24 hours upright), one ends up finding where to sleep: a continuation at the Babas cool "Venice Marina Hostel", 2915 Yale Avenue.
Full from young abroad squattent in the show in front of tété, or in the garage listening to music on a computer.
While waiting for that somebody removes the room from the top (one transfered others squatters, but to 45$ the night one must be more interesting), the Boss proposes to us to go to be used a coffee to us for the kitchen where one does not know too much how to manage: where is the pan, how to heat the water, in which cup... one does not want too any more to drink anything, but Carole nevertheless takes something not to offend our hosts.
One discusses with other young people who arrived today, they intend to cross the American continent from Los Angeles to New York in only 2 weeks. Ca seems ambitious!
Shift time? Delay hour? Nobody includes/understands when it is said that one is tired... it is finally "Jet lag" the famous word which indicates "time shift", one will misuse it thereafter!
First withdrawal with the 7eleven, with two blocks of houses, 5 minutes with feet (withdrawal CB 201,5 $). One pays the two nights for the room (90$) and one buys a local telephone chart (5$).
One hesitates to trott oneself of night over the edge of the Pacific in the district of Venice, but one is tired too much: one will see tomorrow. Return to the 7eleven for some races and dodo.
Sunday May 18, 2003: Los Angeles (CA)
First mission: to find an adapter of catch the USA for the chargers of piles and batteries, because that of Ireland does not have anything to see.
Second mission: to telephone the families as quickly as possible to say to them that one arrived well.
One goes initially breakfast in the "Brunchs", just opposite our room. Fabien takes a chopped steak (hamburger) and me an omelette (eggs scrambled) with coffee at will! (CB 24,85$ + 5 $). For the moment everyone is very sympathetic with us (Frenchies).
One takes again the car to traverse L.A. in the course of the day. Initially telephone: 9h50 for us, 18h50 for Montpellier. Then the adapter of catch: it is less easy! The supermarkets, shopping centres and any kind of shops are open Sunday (after 10h or 11h according to), but 3rd is the good. It is 10h15 (CB 2,91$).
On the road of Malibu, one goes along the beach, takes photographs then Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, Bel Air then Hollywood Blvd to join "Hollywood Sign". While circumventing "CBS" one goes towards the mountain, one y lost for finally finding a place where the "Sign" is placed well on the photographs with us in front.
Finally a couple of outgoing old man of nowhere, smiling étrangement as in a film of David Lynch, entrusts to us an old plan yellowed with the ideal place to reach more close to the "Sign". Thanks to them one makes a whole unforeseen and charming way, and especially we have the impression to enter at the fine bottom of "Hollywood Land", that is worth the blow.
15h: return on Sunset Blvd, pause meal at "Jack in the Box" where two of our neighbors do not have all their head and would have better done to remain in theirs (of BOX) (4,90$).
15h45, with us Hollywood Blvd! One turns in the district and one one notes an enormous difference between foil of "China Theater" and the waste grounds behind the decorations.
The Hollywood myth and there: all the Stars leave their smart districts that one saw this morning and come to show themselves in this malfamé place. The cinema spectacle was born here then was exported like goods through everyone.
One finds a parking space "free" with two streets from there. Hollywood Blvd is barred because of a turning. The stars and the prints in front of "Clouded Theater", one goes up the Boulevard in front of "Theater Kodak" (?), some photographs and film out of pocket one leaves quickly for "Universal Studio" and Mulholand Drive.
There is evil has to find the junction of the Highway ### on Mulholland Drive which one sees the layout on the mountain and a bridge which overhangs the motorway; one begins again oneself there with 3 times while losing oneself with the Universal Studios. One rolls finally on the mythical road of film of David Lynch and one reaches a panoramic point of view on L.A. One sees the "Sign" HOLLYWOOD on our left, "Bowl Theater" (?) then Downtown in against-low, and the Pacific Ocean at the horizon on the right in the fog.
One continues the bathed road of a fabulous light of end of day. One does not find the exact places of film, but one thinks that it is there! One decides to go down again on L.A. while passing by Beverly Hills. Ca walks some of the way a small bit of a walk which twists, Lynch cheated certainly on its connection when XXX joined the residential district with feet after the car accident!
Return to the "Marina Market": meal at "KooDooKoo" where one takes a soup and chicken (CB 11,67$) then Supérette "Vons" where there is much much choice (CB 7,20$).
Arrived at the room at 21h, one nevertheless looks at our numerical photographs and the end of "Pretty Woman", then dodo.
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