Vacations Are Good: Part II

Yep. Las Vegas summed up in a creamer. I mean non-dairy product…. Or how J puts it: “The closer you look, the less real it gets.”

Suffice it to say he was not impressed with the sets. Who painted that faux wood grain on the beams at the Palazzo? They should be fired.

But if you drive for about a half hour through the suburbs of Vegas, you get to Red Rock Canyon:

I know. Nevada instantly redeemed.

Then drive the other way for a while (and stop for a burrito the size of your head) and get to this wonder of modern engineering:

Five more hours through the Mojave and voilà! You are in L.A.!

L.A. Pics:

These three palms are across the street from my sister’s house. They served as a beacon for home when I went running.

Saturday! We pick up this little package and her mama from the Hospital.

Sunday: Hollywood Blvd. and a drive through Hollywood Hills.

This is not exactly on Hollywood Blvd, ut going back to the car. Not sure exactly why J chose this picture…

The Hollywood Hills are narrow and winding with large cars and large houses. It is a strange mix of European-size roads and large American life-styles. But if you go high enough, you will see a small parking area and an even smaller opening to a path. That path will hten lead to an amazing hike in the hills. The one we found led to a path that surrounded a lake-like reservoir.

Monday: Venice Beach

The Canals! Why Venice Beach is called Venice beach. Once upon a time a crazy person had a dream to create a little Venice in this area. They dredged up a system of canals and built even crazier houses on its banks. Now you can go for a walk along these stagnant bodies of water and gawk through the large windows at the crazy Californians.

Best part of Venice beach hands down. In the words of one of the skateboarders, it was “gnarly as fuck, dude.”

I bought a hat. I like my new hat. I also like the feel of sand on my bare toes.

Tuesday: Tar Pits and LACMA

But first a run through Culver city and along the drainage ditches with my love! (He rode the bike. I ran.)

Crazy tar pit condor.

Random shot of L.A.:

Overall impression of L.A.: they are very cavalier about space. They like to give everything a lot of space, from the homes to the spaces between the paintings in their galleries.