After our week at Camp De Benneville Pines in the San Bernardino mountains, a friend picked us up on Saturday and took us to lunch at the beautiful Mission Inn in Riverside, on the way in to LA. Once in Hollywood, we were very disappointed to learn that our reservation at USA Hostels Hollywood on Schrader Blvd would not be honored – you have to have a foreign passport or a non-Californian student ID card to stay there -- it says this so in the fine print on their website but I did not realize this was so exclusive, as it is so different from the many other hostels where I have stayed. So, we returned to Riverside and camped in our friend’s apartment overnight; hiked up to the top of Mt Rubidoux Sunday evening. Monday morning, we drove to the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, beautiful rose-scented gardens in Roman-style villa, filled with Roman, Greek, Etruscan and Cycladian antiquities; then had lunch (terrific fish and chips, and guacamole salad, in huge portions) at Paradise Cove, north of Malibu, which has its own private beach. We dipped a toe in the ocean before heading into L.A. to stay at a budget hotel in Hollywood, "America's Best Value Inn" on Sunset Blvd. It is in a very tacky neighborhood, but, despite initial misgivings, it turned out to be clean, safe, and very convenient to the metro and bus system -- which was excellent and got us everywhere we wanted to go, just by purchasing a $5 all-day pass from any bus driver (or $1.25 per ride). Monday evening, we went to Hollywood and Highland, a big glitzy Disneyfied mall, for yummy chestnut cream crepes at the French Creperie while people-watching. The mall is connected to the old Grauman’s Theater, with the movie star handprints. Tuesday, we shopped at Amoeba Music in the morning and then at funky shops along Melrose Ave in the afternoon, with a break to have a special treat at Canter's Deli on Fairfax. (There is a silent movie theater on Fairfax where we wanted to see a show, but they didn't have anything on while we were there). We spotted a celeb at the Cat and Fiddle Pub during lunch, my daughter recognized comedian Will Sasso of "MadTV". He was sitting right next to us talking with another guy about what would be funny to put in their show, tres Hollywood! Wednesday, we took the metro to Union Station (gloriously restored and very deco), then an express Big Blue Bus to Santa Monica pier, for early supper at The Lobster (prawns, calamari, salad, chowder); hung out on the Santa Monica beach and later along the 3rd street promenade where we saw a father-son Russian acrobat team skillfully busking, and ate hazelnut gelato. Thursday, we shopped at an AIDS Relief thrift store called "Out of the Closet" for a dressy/funky theater-going outfit; then headed out to Universal City metro stop, for the bus to Warner Brothers studios. It was great fun to see where they filmed so many famous movies and some of our favorite shows -- "Gilmore Girls," "ER," and "The Waltons." Back “home,” we dressed up and sashayed out to the Pantages to see WICKED, and after the show, walked back to Hollywood & Highland, to Johnny Rockets (open till midnight) for a late-night burger and malt. The town was full of people even at midnight on a Thursday, so we felt reasonably safe on the main drags (with a good grip on our handbags); but, not on small side streets, so we walked over to the big hotel by the mall to get a taxi back to our place. Friday morning, we went to the AFI Library which is in a beautiful hillside Spanish mansion at 2021 Western Ave, overlooking Hollywood appropriately. Ignored the snooty librarian, looked at everything including tons of scripts from films and TV shows and a collection of film bios and books about movie making. They have a M.A. degree program in various areas of filmmaking (cinematography, direction, production, scriptwriting). We got a catalogue in case my daughter sticks with her plan of becoming a film director or cinematographer. Our taxi to LAX was rather expensive (fare = $61) since Hollywood is not in the downtown "flat fare" zone ($42); but, not having to rent a car and hassle with driving and parking was well worth it.

although Los Angeles may be a great place to work and live, but for a tourist is a waste of time and money unless you are a "special interest " tourist

There is three kinds of special interest tourists that should find LA interesting: movie buffs/Hollywood fans, people interested in exploring various ethnic neighborhoods/restaurants when they are all clustered in one place and people interested in urban poverty and gangs.

I've lived in this city for almost 17 years and I can assure you there is NOTHING to see here for a tourist unless you are really into Hollywood memorabilia or you want to explore the gang turf in certain areas of the city with almost third world living conditions , dusty dirty streets, industrial landscape. Places like the Grove at Third and Fairfax and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is a miserable failed attempt to imitate some European cities with their authentic narrow streets and authentic european spirit. But there is no historic or cultural value in the Grove or Rodeo Drive - they are essentially fake and commercially oriented traps for shoppers and tourists. The Universal city is even more fake and Hollywood blvd , well... I guess you can take a few pictures of the movie star stars there if those specific stars matter to you.

Other than that there is Huntington Library and botanic gardens in Pasadena and Paul Getty museum off the 405 freeway - they are worth visiting , but they can't really make up for an overall lack of attractions and places that would have any sort of historic or cultural value in Los Angeles

There is also a Santa Monica promenade and a pier - next to the park alongside the cliffs overlooking the ocean - nice place to go, but if you are coming from a foreign country - very little touristic value

Downtown LA - well , first of all, no parks, secondly, may be you 'll like the architectural design of La Philarmonic, and its fun to walk along Broadway street - it feels like Mexico but other than that, - again nothing to see

If there is someone who is interested in gangs and poverty and urban industrial landscapes - go to Maywood, Cudahy, South Gate, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Compton and surrounding areas - there you can take some cool pictures and shoot some cool rap videos.

Also, the best type of attractions LA has to offer is its ethnic neighborhoods and multiethnic restaurants - there is no country in the world that's not represented here...

to be continued later....

L.A 16 March - 26 March Firstly we spent 5 days in Anaheim at the Disneyland Parks the weather the food the people were all truly a piece of the magic . We stayed in the Paradise Pier Hotel, it was one of the friendliest hotels we have ever been too, especially the little bar/cafe area near the lobby we met so many lovely people there. We then spent the next 6 days in Hollywood, at a Hotel in Hollywood and Highland great hotel we were just a bit shocked at the condition of Hollywood not the glitter and glam we expected. Beverly Hills and surrounding areas were beautiful though. We really enjoyed our trip to the Farmers market and The Grove some tasty cheap food, delicious ice cream and of course the shopping my 3 girls were in heaven. Santa Monica is not to be forgotton a great day at the beach and 3rd street promenade was a real treat with it's many preforming artists, lots of little eateries were you can sit outside and watch all the goings on and of course again the shopping. I think this is what i expected Hollywood to be like. Our last day was at the Universal Studios again another excellent treat get there early in the morning and you'll not miss a thing before the park closes and invest in a V.I.P pass. Two things to be wary of in L.A is one the cab drivers if they know your going to a place for the first time be prepared to go the long way and be totally over charged it happened to us more than once and two the hop on hop off one day bus ticket the buses finish at 6 and you might find yourself stuck somewhere and you have to get a cab home hence what was the point iof paying $65 dollars for a 24 hour ticket? Other than that I think we all had great time and we'd go back again I think we'd try San Diago we seemed to miss out on what they have to offer i'd say there's a lot more to see too in L.A we just didn't have enough time. we're looking forward to the summer now 2 weeks in Germany and then from there we're flying down to Turkey for 7 weeks, roll on the June.

I went with a Deaf School Exchange Trip for 2 weeks and stayed with a host family whose daugher is Deaf. She took us trips to lots of places of interests and regular day trips to a Deaf School she went to. The Deaf School Students group I was with travelled and visits lots of interesting places. We went to Hollywood, DisneyLand, The Universal Studios and Beverly Hills, San Diego. And Had the most wonderful fabulous time there. After we left U.S.A we went to Hawaii at Honolulu on our way back to Australia and stayed there for 3 days.