Any mention of Los Angeles instantly conjures up images of Hollywood, movie stars and mansions. But there is more to Los Angeles than glamour, glitz and the gold rush. This vacationer’s paradise is tucked between high mountains and the Pacific Ocean, with rolling hills and swaying palms dotting the cityscape. Here one can find deserts, mountains, sheer cliffs and sandy beaches of the ocean, all within a radius of a hundred miles. The people, the culture and the topography all combine to make an exotic place that defies easy definition.

The city was founded in 1781 as a pueblo or village by a band of 44 pioneers belonging to African, Native American and Spanish ancestry, under the aegis of the then Spanish Governor Felipe De Neve. Originally a part of Spanish territory and later Mexico, it became US territory in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Los Angeles was incorporated as a US city in 1850. Since then it has continued to grow exponentially. Today it is home to about four million people from all over the globe and from all walks of life. More than 80 languages are spoken here, making it truly a melting pot of cultures.

The oldest part of the city is preserved till today; rubbing shoulders with the skyscrapers downtown is the quaint neighborhood of El Pueblo De Los Angeles historic monument. Bounded by Alameda, Arcadia and Spring Streets and encompassing 44 acres, it showcases the heritage and diversity of the people who founded the city and helped it grow. Many historic landmarks have been restored and preserved. Among them is the Avila Adobe on Olvera St, the oldest house in Los Angeles built in 1818. Olvera Street is within the historic district and is one of the oldest streets in LA.

Short distances from here are the Los Angeles Chinatown and Little Tokyo with histories of their own. Colourful ethnic shops and restaurants line the streets. Parades, festivals, pageants and exhibitions are held throughout the year.

Griffith Park, Observatory and Planetarium: Nestled in the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, Griffith Park is one of the largest urban municipal parks in the United States. Set amidst 4,200 lush acres, the park houses the Greek Theatre, the Griffith Observatory, the Ferndell Nature Museum and a bird sanctuary.

The Greek Theatre is an outdoor theatre with a seating capacity of 5,700, state of the art acoustics and a picturesque setting.

The Griffith Observatory is located on the southern slope of Mt. Hollywood and is about 1,100 feet above sea level. The observatory also houses the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. Its laser digital projection system and theatrical lighting make it one of the finest planetaria in the world. The Zeiss telescope offers free star gazing opportunity to the public.

The famous Hollywood sign sits atop the southern slope of Mt. Lee within Griffith Park. We were surprised to learn that the landmark is out of bounds for visitors. Protected by security cameras and park rangers, it is illegal to hike or trek near the sign. However, the sign is viewable from vantage points across LA.

Griffith Observatory

Trails of Griffith Park

City of Los Angeles at dusk

Sun setting over Hollywood

Gurdwara on Vermont Street

Hollywood-The Mecca of the movie industry: Though a part of LA City, Hollywood has its own official borders and its most famous street is Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood Boulevard begins at Sunset Boulevard in the east and the entire stretch runs west and finally ends at Sunset Plaza Drive. Driving through Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Blvd is an unforgettable experience not to be missed. A 31/2-mile loop around Hollywood Blvd is designated as Hollywood Walk of Fame. Over 2000 stars featuring various celebrities have been inlaid on the sidewalk along the walk of fame. Other attractions include Kodak Theatre and the nearby Universal City.

Hollywood

Beverly Hills: Beverly Hills’s winding streets house the rich and famous in Hollywood. Rodeo Drive is renowned for art galleries and boutiques. Guided trolley tours take visitors across noted Beverly Hills attractions, but we preferred to drive around in our car instead.

Beverly Hills City Hall

The Los Angeles California Temple on Santa Monica Boulevard. The Church is 369 feet long, 269 feet wide and has an overall height of 257 feet. Atop the Church sits a 15-foot tall statue of the Angel Moroni. This is the second largest Mormon Church in the US.

Museums: Among Los Angeles’ numerous art galleries and museums is the 110-acre J.Paul Getty Museum at the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. A tram moves the visitors up the hill to the museum. Exhibits include European classical art, manuscripts, antiquities, sculpture and decorative arts, remarkable among them being furniture belonging to Louis XIV period. A unique computer-controlled skylight and louver system provides optimum illumination inside. At 881 feet above sea level, it is possible to view Los Angeles basin and Pacific Ocean from the Getty Center.

A view of Getty Museum

Exhibits at Getty Museum

 


Westwood Skyline viewed from the Getty Center. LA downtown is in the far horizon.

Santa Monica: Miles and miles of gorgeous coastline, sunny weather and sandy beaches make Santa Monica a popular ocean resort. Attractions include the Santa Monica Pier, Palisades Park, shops, boutiques and art galleries. The 3.5- mile long beach at Santa Monica pier offers stunning, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The pier also features the 2-acre Pacific amusement park. Palisades Park offers scenic spots for picnicking overlooking the bluffs. One can spend hours simply gazing at the majestic ocean, the seagulls and the ships sailing on the horizon.

Santa Monica Mountains

Seagulls in the Pacific Ocean

Downtown Santa Monica

Santa Monica Beach

Long Beach: Long Beach Harbour is one of the busiest shipping centers on the Pacific Coast. Driving through Long Beach area, we were quite surprised to see a US Naval Weapons Station right in the middle of the city on Bolsa Chica Road! Long Beach also offers many attractions including a Japanese Garden, The Aquarium of the Pacific and the unconventional Queen Mary Ship and Scorpion Submarine. The Scorpion Submarine is a cold-war era Soviet submarine permanently docked at Long Beach. It’s still very much operational. A self-guided tour inside takes the visitor through the torpedo room, crew quarters, captain’s chambers, galley and communication chambers. The inside is quite cramped with hardly any room to move and one can’t help wondering at the skill and expertise needed for underwater navigation. The tour was indeed a novel experience.

Scorpion Submarine

Palm fringed Long Beach

Queen Mary Ship
 

The nearby Orange County offers Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Crystal Cathedral and Huntington Beach.

Disneyland: This famed resort comprises two theme parks, Disneyland Park and the California Adventure Park. With more than 60 attractions, these two parks provide all day adventure, some of them heart-stopping. We wound up our day with the fantastic musical Aladdin at the California Adventure Park. It was sheer magic to watch the stage come alive with elaborate sets, elephants, a genie and even a flying carpet! Definitely worth a visit! 

Disneyland

Hollywood Backlot in California Park

Mojave Desert and National Preserve: To the Northeast of Los Angeles, beyond the San Bernardino Mountains, is the Mojave Desert. Comprising more than 1.6 million acres, this desert and national preserve flanks the route to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, reaching altitudes of upto 6,000 feet at some places. Driving through the San Bernardino Mountains itself was an adventure due to the thick layer of smog and zero visibility. The desert’s varied landscape includes rugged mountains, canyons and dry lake basins. Vegetation is sparse and creosote bush is the most dominant vegetation. The play of colours on the hard, barren rocks is brilliant. There are four national parks in and around Mojave Desert. Volcanic cinder cones and sand dunes highlight the scenic beauty. Civilization thrives even in this arid land. Small towns and cities like Barstow and Needles dot the interstate highway. For the more adventurous, a scenic drive from I-15 to Kelso, hiking, camping and backpacking are available. 

Desert beauty!

A Railroad Through the Desert

Road to Sin City

Access: Los Angeles is well connected by air, road and rail. An interesting feature of the freeway system is the special carpool lane also called the High Occupancy Lane. These lanes are exclusively for cars with 2 or more passengers and are designated by diamond markings.

Stay: Accommodations range from budget motels to five star hotels to suit every wallet. Reserve in advance. If visiting Disneyland, stay at Anaheim or Garden Grove to avoid travel and to maximize time at the resort.

Best time to visit: Year round.

Restaurants: Hundreds of excellent eateries throughout the city.

Attire: Casual clothes. Add a light fleece jacket during winter.

Did you know? Los Angeles is actually El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula (The Town of the Queen of the Angels)

Articles and pictures Copyright © melodyqueen @ sulekha.com 




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