They say it’s important not to be afraid of making mistakes and to draw conclusions after making them.
After all, each mistake carries a pearl of wisdom, a clue that it’s advisable to notice.
After my first trip to California in November 2012, when we flew with a layover in New York and our flight was canceled due to a hurricane, and my suitcase stayed in Moscow, I drew the appropriate conclusions.
1. Whenever possible, fly WITHOUT layovers. That means taking care of buying plane tickets in advance.
2. Be sure to check whose ticket your luggage tag is attached to when checking in.
So this time we made it to Los Angeles without any adventures )))
And the first thing we did was go searching for the car we had rented online.
Unlike European countries, the Los Angeles airport doesn’t have parking lots for rental cars… But buses run every 5 minutes, taking all those in need to the rental offices. Each company has its own buses. It turned out to be very convenient and fast.
With the keys and a map in hand, we set off to find our booked hotel. This is where our Europe-tested GPS navigator came in handy. Driving around the Los Angeles interchanges with just a map is USELESS! The speed is too high, and there are too many levels of traffic.
At the hotel, we immediately hit the shower and went to bed; the 12-hour flight was taking its toll… On my previous visit, I arrived half a day before the seminar started, not paying attention to the possible jet lag my body would experience.
This time, we have 2.5 days in reserve to look around and get used to the traffic. And after the retreat ends, we’ll have another 5 days to explore the surroundings and catch up with friends.
We get up while it’s still dark, the city is asleep, and the sights are still closed. We decide to drive to the ocean and watch the sunrise there. The temperature at night is around +8°C (46°F), which is pretty cold for this time of year. But we love it, since we flew out of snowy Moscow with its -25°C (-13°F).
Downtown Los Angeles
After greeting the sun and securing its support for the entire trip, we head to the city center, where we assume some of America’s tallest skyscrapers are located.
The height of the buildings is impressive at first… It’s a shame the upper observation decks only open after the workday ends.
But we did end up in the crowd for the filming of another blockbuster.
I thought we had a lot of equipment… everything is relative )))
Where Movies Are Born
On any trip, we try to find a way to pamper our “inner child.” For me, it’s a chance to return to childhood, where I was serious beyond my years.
And Maris is naturally very curious, he loves to stick his nose everywhere.
So our next stop is Universal Studios — the oldest of the Hollywood film studios. Well, how could we… be in Hollywood and not check out the special effects )))
It turns out the stuntmen have nothing to do with the “exploding” cars… Smart mechanisms are responsible for everything.
A fake city… There is NOTHING behind the facades!
And this is all that’s left after Spielberg’s filming. He had a good romp!
The coolest ride of all. Our 5D cinema can’t compare to this… total immersion… and you fall into the abyss as if it were real.
Just one day in Los Angeles, and so many impressions!
To be continued…
P.S. More photos in Facebook albums:
Los Angeles
Universal Studios