I recently had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for business. One afternoon, I had a quick tour of LA, Beverly Hills and Hollywood to enjoy the stereotypes of a legendary city.
My personal tour only lasted a few hours but it gave me enough time to enjoy the highlights of a place that nobody can ignore. I recommend stopping for a few days if you have the chance.
The first thing that struck me upon arrival was the relaxed vibe, especially in Santa Monica. Piers, sand, sunshine, promenades and people from mixed backgrounds are all over the place.
Beautiful Beverly Hills
That is nothing, though. The most beautiful part of this the region is Beverly Hills. It is as posh as what you have seen in a countless number of TV series and films. Palm trees, bright blue skies, flair, luxury and beautiful people mesh well.
An amusing factor, when you visit California, is finding yourself in a nanny state. In addition to being very progressive, Californians also believe that you should see warnings about everything. Imagine my face when I saw that coffee could kill me.
Famous Hollywood
From Beverly Hills, I walked along Hollywood Boulevard to check out a city that is the beating heart of American cinema. Hollywood may not be the prettiest place on Earth, but it sure has glamour.
Visually, Sunset Strip is nothing special. The crowd is, however, everything you can expect from Hollywood. As I sat down at a café, two people were gossiping about their work in the music industry. The folks who walked around were diverse and unusually attractive. Do you have stereotypes in mind about Hollywood? Based on my afternoon there, they are all true.
A key visit en route to the Hollywood sign is, naturally, the Walk of Fame.
It would be bothersome to take pictures of all the stars, but here are a few of my favourites!
Of course, I stopped by the Hollywood sign. I had ask a policeman for accurate directions and hike to get the best view. If you like the following shot, thank the LAPD for its kindness.
Just to prove that I was there…