Today we went to Universal Studios. We caught the Metro Subway which is just one block away and it is only 5 stops to Universal City. The subway stations are really clean unlike New York. When we got to Universal Station we only had to cross the road diagonally to catch the free shuttle. We were glad we did because although it wasn't that far, it was up a very steep hill.
Universal Studios is amazing. It is like a theme park and there is so much to do. We went to Waterworld first and it was a stunt show on water. One of the actors was an Australian. It was pretty spectacular, they rode jet skis and a boat and it was a goodies versus the baddies. A lot of water went on the first few roads when they spun the jet boats around. In the finale, a plane came flying in and crashed, everyone ducked because they thought it was coming into the audience!
Then we went to the special effects show ad it was great. They used some volunteers from the audience and in one of them he cut into a ladies arm. Blood went everywhere and it looked so real but it was a special knife.
Next we did the Studio Tour. I would recommend doing this first if you come here. There was a 45 minute wait when we got there and apparently it gets longer as the day goes on. You get a pair of 3D glasses then board a tram with and head off. They take you through the studio lots and then through different villages. We stopped at the western one and next minute it was raining on one side of the tram and then this flash flood ace down the street and washed a wagon away. It was very realistic.
Then we went in this tunnel and the lights were out. We were told to put our 3d glasses on and next minute there were dinosaurs coming at us from every angle. eventhe tram started shaking and moving as if it was being thrown around by the dinosaurs. Next King Kong came and fought with the dinosaurs. it was amazing.
We saw Wisteria Lane and all the houses from Desperate Housewives, and the cove from Jaws. The shark came right up to our tram and scared most of the people as they weren't expecting it. We also saw the scene from The War of the Worlds where the plane had crashed into the neighbourhood. It was a real plane too. We saw so much more and it was all amazing.
When we got back we had lunch. I tried to get something healthy but the queues were crazy so ended up with a hot dog. Won't be getting one of those again in a hurry! Then we went into the House of Horrors. It was pretty tame but we had some youngsters in front of us that screamed at every shadow so I walked around with my fingers in my ears.
Annamaree checked out the shops and then we caught the shuttle back and then caught the subway home. We were a bit disoriented when we came out as the exit wasn't the same place we had gone in but we soon worked it out. Back to the hotel and we both had a snooze. My sore throat turned into a bit of a head cold so I welcomed the rest.
We headed back to our usual haunt for dinner and this time we had Thai. Annamaree had a chicken Massaman Curry and I had Pad Thai. Food is generally very cheap.
This is our last night in Los Angeles and I have to say it is my least favourite place.
Tomorrow we head to Anaheim and Disneyland. Our holiday is almost over as we fly out on Wedesday US time and arrive in Canberra on Friday morning.
Cheers
Roz
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Los Angeles Day 2
Great breakfast included at this hotel. Lovely dining room with the usual continental breakfast but there were also two chefs that cook omelettes eggs or whatever you want while you wait.
We did a tour of Los Angeles today. Went through downtown, Olvera Street which is the historic birthplace of Los Angeles and was founded in 1781. We also went through Chinatown and stopped in Hollywood at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. I took a photo of Hugh Jackman's hand prints. We also saw the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars used to be held and the walk of fame where movie stars have their star in the sidewalk. We also got to see the famous Hollywood sign. We went down Sunset Strip and into Beverly Hills where the celebrities live and has it's own police force. We went past lots of celebrity homes, Beyonce, Justin Bieber and many more. Then we went down Rodeo Drive with all the high end shops.
We stopped at the historic Farmer's Market and the Grove for lunch and some shopping. Then we changed buses to go to Santa Monica. We walked along the beach and there was so much going on. There is all sorts of exercise equipment, a tightrope, volleyball and much more. We walked on to the famous Santa Monica pier which has a big Ferris wheel, a carousel, stalls and amusements. There were so many people there as it is summer holidays and a Saturday.
Back to the hotel and I had to go and buy some analgesics for my throat and have a lie down.
Then we had dinner at a great French restaurant. I had sole with lemon pesto and Annamarie had lobster risotto. It was very nice.
Tomorrow we are going to Universal Studios.
Cheers Roz
We did a tour of Los Angeles today. Went through downtown, Olvera Street which is the historic birthplace of Los Angeles and was founded in 1781. We also went through Chinatown and stopped in Hollywood at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. I took a photo of Hugh Jackman's hand prints. We also saw the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars used to be held and the walk of fame where movie stars have their star in the sidewalk. We also got to see the famous Hollywood sign. We went down Sunset Strip and into Beverly Hills where the celebrities live and has it's own police force. We went past lots of celebrity homes, Beyonce, Justin Bieber and many more. Then we went down Rodeo Drive with all the high end shops.
We stopped at the historic Farmer's Market and the Grove for lunch and some shopping. Then we changed buses to go to Santa Monica. We walked along the beach and there was so much going on. There is all sorts of exercise equipment, a tightrope, volleyball and much more. We walked on to the famous Santa Monica pier which has a big Ferris wheel, a carousel, stalls and amusements. There were so many people there as it is summer holidays and a Saturday.
Back to the hotel and I had to go and buy some analgesics for my throat and have a lie down.
Then we had dinner at a great French restaurant. I had sole with lemon pesto and Annamarie had lobster risotto. It was very nice.
Tomorrow we are going to Universal Studios.
Cheers Roz
Friday, August 16, 2013
Los Angeles Day 1
This morning we left San Simeon, still without being able to see the ocean view because of the fog. Again for the most part the drive was along the coast with some amazing views.
We called into a small place called Pismo Beach for a coffee and pulled up at a cafe that makes their own cinnamon scrolls. They looked delicious and some had pecans on top and some had vanilla icing. We didn't indulge but just had our coffee. There happened to be a shoe shop next door and Annamaree found an unusual pair that fitted perfectly.
Back onto the freeway and we passed through cattle country with mainly black and red Angus (I have only seen Angus cattle since I have been here). Then there were huge paddocks of vegetables and lots of pickers. We ran in and out of fog at various times and also had many views of the coastline. Once we got to Santa Barbara the road got very busy and was 3 lanes on both sides. We didn't want to stop for lunch there as it was too big so we continued on and stopped at Ventura.
We got back on the road (humming Ventura Highway) and as we got closer to Los Angeles the traffic got really busy and the lanes increased to 4 each side. The good old GPS got us safely to our hotel, the Hollywood Hotel. We then took the car back to the nearest Hertz place and got a really nice guy who even drove us back to our hotel. I was so pleased to not have to go in the car again!
Our hotel room is really lovely, two queen sized beds, 2 lounge chairs, a footstool, a desk and chair, fridge microwave and decent sized bathroom and even a balcony.
After settling in we walked down about nine blocks along North Vermont Street to find somewhere for dinner. We settled on a Mediterranean cafe and both had lovely meals. We then wandered further up the street and discovered lots of great eating places. On the way back we came across a retro shop that had the most amazing things in it.
When we got back to the motel we booked a 3/4 day tour of LA, some stars homes (wasn't really interested in that but all the tours have it) and the beaches and Santa Monica. Then we did some washing and are looking forward to bed after a stressful day.
Till tomorrow
Roz
We called into a small place called Pismo Beach for a coffee and pulled up at a cafe that makes their own cinnamon scrolls. They looked delicious and some had pecans on top and some had vanilla icing. We didn't indulge but just had our coffee. There happened to be a shoe shop next door and Annamaree found an unusual pair that fitted perfectly.
Back onto the freeway and we passed through cattle country with mainly black and red Angus (I have only seen Angus cattle since I have been here). Then there were huge paddocks of vegetables and lots of pickers. We ran in and out of fog at various times and also had many views of the coastline. Once we got to Santa Barbara the road got very busy and was 3 lanes on both sides. We didn't want to stop for lunch there as it was too big so we continued on and stopped at Ventura.
We got back on the road (humming Ventura Highway) and as we got closer to Los Angeles the traffic got really busy and the lanes increased to 4 each side. The good old GPS got us safely to our hotel, the Hollywood Hotel. We then took the car back to the nearest Hertz place and got a really nice guy who even drove us back to our hotel. I was so pleased to not have to go in the car again!
Our hotel room is really lovely, two queen sized beds, 2 lounge chairs, a footstool, a desk and chair, fridge microwave and decent sized bathroom and even a balcony.
After settling in we walked down about nine blocks along North Vermont Street to find somewhere for dinner. We settled on a Mediterranean cafe and both had lovely meals. We then wandered further up the street and discovered lots of great eating places. On the way back we came across a retro shop that had the most amazing things in it.
When we got back to the motel we booked a 3/4 day tour of LA, some stars homes (wasn't really interested in that but all the tours have it) and the beaches and Santa Monica. Then we did some washing and are looking forward to bed after a stressful day.
Till tomorrow
Roz
Thursday, August 15, 2013
San Simeon
This morning we had breakfast at the motel before heading off to San Simeon. The GPS got us a bit confused and we had to do a couple of loops before we were on the right road but eventually got there. We decided to fill up with petrol and it was a bit weird because if you are paying cash you have to go and pay before you fill up! Of course we had no idea how much it would take so we paid $50 but it only ended up being $29 so then you have to go back and get a refund.
As we drove along there were heaps of people on the side of the road for miles and miles in camp chairs with camera waiting for the cars going to the concourse in Carmel to go by. Thankfully they were going the other way and we got to see lots of them.
We followed the coast road again and the views were amazing. We stopped at Big Sur for a coffee and it was a lovely spot with a shop that sold crafts made by local artisans. We drove on and as we got closer to San Simeon the fog was rolling in to the point that we couldn't see the ocean anymore. We checked in to the motel and we would have lovely ocean views except for the pea souper! The receptionist said that yesterday was a lovely clear day.
We had lunch in the Bar and Grill and because we were here earlier than we expected we decided to change our tour of Hearst Castle to today so we would then have all day tomorrow to get to Los Angeles.
Hearst Castle is not far from the motel and there were spots on the next tour so we changed our tickets. You had to go out a door to get on a bus and you guessed it, an AFP. I am getting good at saying no to the photo ops!
The bus takes you on a very long winding road up to the castle. On the way half a dozen deer jumped out in front of us. The castle was amazing. There were three bungalows and the castle. Individual pieces were wonderful but I found it too over the top with the mix of art and furniture of all different styles. It was incredible the amount of money that was spent building and furnishing it. After the tour you can wander around the grounds and when you are ready you walk past the tennis courts and amazing mosaic indoor roman pool. It was huge. The bus then takes a different road down to the visitor centre and you can then watch a movie about William Randolph Hearst and the building of the castle in the theatre.
We then came back to the motel after buying something for tea. I have been fighting off a sore throat for a week but I think it is getting the better of me. Here's hoping I can hold it off for another week.
Tomorrow is our biggest challenge as we will be driving to Los Angeles.
Cheers Roz
As we drove along there were heaps of people on the side of the road for miles and miles in camp chairs with camera waiting for the cars going to the concourse in Carmel to go by. Thankfully they were going the other way and we got to see lots of them.
We followed the coast road again and the views were amazing. We stopped at Big Sur for a coffee and it was a lovely spot with a shop that sold crafts made by local artisans. We drove on and as we got closer to San Simeon the fog was rolling in to the point that we couldn't see the ocean anymore. We checked in to the motel and we would have lovely ocean views except for the pea souper! The receptionist said that yesterday was a lovely clear day.
We had lunch in the Bar and Grill and because we were here earlier than we expected we decided to change our tour of Hearst Castle to today so we would then have all day tomorrow to get to Los Angeles.
Hearst Castle is not far from the motel and there were spots on the next tour so we changed our tickets. You had to go out a door to get on a bus and you guessed it, an AFP. I am getting good at saying no to the photo ops!
The bus takes you on a very long winding road up to the castle. On the way half a dozen deer jumped out in front of us. The castle was amazing. There were three bungalows and the castle. Individual pieces were wonderful but I found it too over the top with the mix of art and furniture of all different styles. It was incredible the amount of money that was spent building and furnishing it. After the tour you can wander around the grounds and when you are ready you walk past the tennis courts and amazing mosaic indoor roman pool. It was huge. The bus then takes a different road down to the visitor centre and you can then watch a movie about William Randolph Hearst and the building of the castle in the theatre.
We then came back to the motel after buying something for tea. I have been fighting off a sore throat for a week but I think it is getting the better of me. Here's hoping I can hold it off for another week.
Tomorrow is our biggest challenge as we will be driving to Los Angeles.
Cheers Roz
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Monterey Day 2
Had breakfast at the motel this morning. Lots of choices, 2 types of cereal, bread and crumpets for toasting, jams, muffins, fruit, OJ, tea and coffee.
Then we headed off to Carmel today. To get there we went on the Seventeen Mile Drive which cost $10 to do! The road wandered along the coast and we went through 9 golf courses! It was a really pretty drive and we went past Pebble Beach. People had stacked the pebbles (some were quite large) into different formations and there was lots of seaweed in the water. There were plenty of lookout points - Point Joe, Bird Rock, Seal Rock and Lone Cypress to name a few.
Then we came to Carmel. Clint Eastwood was a former mayor. It is a pretty little town by the sea and reminded me a bit of Tilba only on a much larger scale. We eventually found a park as it was very busy. We had a great time wandering along the streets, checking the shops out. For the people who live in Carmel, there are no street addresses. You either live north or south of Ocean Avenue and on the west or east side of the street. Dogs in America are very spoilt and you can take them into most restaurants and shops. Pretty amazing, you wouldn't be able to do that in Australia. In fact when we were in San Francisco a guide told us that there are more dogs than children in San Francisco.
We had lunch at the award winning Dametra Cafe which has a Mediterranean menu. I had a chicken, pesto and pine nut pizza and Annamaree had Spanokopita. The food was delicious and even though it was past lunch time it was packed. As soon as a table of people left it was immediately filled. They even gave us a complimentary baklava before we left.
We then drove back to Monterey and Annamaree only went on the wrong side of the road once so things are looking up! We had a quick look at Fisherman's Wharf and then treated ourselves to a manicure. A wander through the Del Monte Shopping Centre and Macy's and then we went to see what was on at the picture theatre but there was nothing that interested us.
Tomorrow we are off to San Simeon.
Cheers Roz
Then we headed off to Carmel today. To get there we went on the Seventeen Mile Drive which cost $10 to do! The road wandered along the coast and we went through 9 golf courses! It was a really pretty drive and we went past Pebble Beach. People had stacked the pebbles (some were quite large) into different formations and there was lots of seaweed in the water. There were plenty of lookout points - Point Joe, Bird Rock, Seal Rock and Lone Cypress to name a few.
Then we came to Carmel. Clint Eastwood was a former mayor. It is a pretty little town by the sea and reminded me a bit of Tilba only on a much larger scale. We eventually found a park as it was very busy. We had a great time wandering along the streets, checking the shops out. For the people who live in Carmel, there are no street addresses. You either live north or south of Ocean Avenue and on the west or east side of the street. Dogs in America are very spoilt and you can take them into most restaurants and shops. Pretty amazing, you wouldn't be able to do that in Australia. In fact when we were in San Francisco a guide told us that there are more dogs than children in San Francisco.
We had lunch at the award winning Dametra Cafe which has a Mediterranean menu. I had a chicken, pesto and pine nut pizza and Annamaree had Spanokopita. The food was delicious and even though it was past lunch time it was packed. As soon as a table of people left it was immediately filled. They even gave us a complimentary baklava before we left.
We then drove back to Monterey and Annamaree only went on the wrong side of the road once so things are looking up! We had a quick look at Fisherman's Wharf and then treated ourselves to a manicure. A wander through the Del Monte Shopping Centre and Macy's and then we went to see what was on at the picture theatre but there was nothing that interested us.
Tomorrow we are off to San Simeon.
Cheers Roz
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Monterey Day 1
Had a little sleep in this morning and then had breakfast at the hotel. Managed to get our bags down in the antiquated lift and then flagged down a cab to take us to Fisherman's Wharf to pick up our rental car.
The guy who served us at Hertz wasn't very helpful. Just gave us the keys, said the car was in 2c in the multi level car park and gave us a voucher to get out of the car park. I had to ask if they had some maps we could use and we got a map of California and some scant directions on how to get out of San Francisco. Annamaree went to get the car while I stood with our luggage and there was a parking spot right up until she came out so she had to do a lap of the block. In the end she just pulled into the car park driveway and we quickly piled in our luggage and moved on before we got into trouble.
Off we set with Annamaree driving and me navigating (don't laugh Peter!) and trying to keep her on the right side of the road. Thankfully she only turned onto the wrong side twice and there were no cars around.
When we turned off Geary Boulevard onto the freeway to the South there were fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. Amazing to think it is the same waters that lap the east coast of Australia. We drove down along the coast and it is very similar to the Great Ocean Road only much longer. We stopped at Daly City for something to eat and drink and a toilet stop. At least we think it was Daly City, there is a huge lack of signage here from town names to speed limits. There was a big cement wharf and lots of people were fishing off it.
Back onto the freeway with lots more ocean views. There is a lot of agriculture mainly vegetables and strawberries. We passed several large artichoke farms. We also saw lots of groups of pickers bringing in the vegetables.
We were looking for somewhere to have lunch and pulled into a place off the highway. It was very alternative. There was a wooden caravan outside that was a shop and sold books, soap, bread and cheese and a couple of other things. In the main building they sold organic fruit and vegetables as well as fruit tarts, chocolate strawberries. You could also see into the kitchen which had a big glass window and see them making pastry by hand. The front of the shop was an honour system, there was an open till and you just put your money in and took out your change. As we were looking for lunch not dessert, we decided to press on.
A bit further on we found a tavern and it had great food. Annamaree had crab cakes that had feta, sun dried tomatoes and peppers in them and I had fish and chips. The fish was so delicious, so fresh and moist. They had some yummy pies too but we didn't indulge.
We headed on to Monterey and came across a sign saying headlights had to be on for the next 9 miles. There was a lot of fog around so we think that was the reason. Unfortunately we couldn't work out how to turn them on!
We eventually got to our turn off and found the motel using the GPS in the car. Huge improvement on the last one!
We decided to go the laundromat and do our washing. Annamaree got some directions from the office but we got a bit lost (we were walking) so we had to phone the hotel and get better directions. We were only one block away! After that we dropped it back to the hotel and went to the big shopping centre over the road for tea. There were lots of choices and we ended up at P. F. Changs Chinese family restaurant. It looked like it would be really pricey but it was very reasonable. I had Moo Goo Gai Pan which was stir fried chicken and prawns with book Chou and vegetables and really delicious. The serving was quite big so I only ate half and took the rest to go for tomorrow night's tea. Annamaree had Wonton soup and Lo Mein, a prawn and noodle dish.
Still recovering from the big day yesterday so we headed back to bed.
Cheers Roz
The guy who served us at Hertz wasn't very helpful. Just gave us the keys, said the car was in 2c in the multi level car park and gave us a voucher to get out of the car park. I had to ask if they had some maps we could use and we got a map of California and some scant directions on how to get out of San Francisco. Annamaree went to get the car while I stood with our luggage and there was a parking spot right up until she came out so she had to do a lap of the block. In the end she just pulled into the car park driveway and we quickly piled in our luggage and moved on before we got into trouble.
Off we set with Annamaree driving and me navigating (don't laugh Peter!) and trying to keep her on the right side of the road. Thankfully she only turned onto the wrong side twice and there were no cars around.
When we turned off Geary Boulevard onto the freeway to the South there were fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. Amazing to think it is the same waters that lap the east coast of Australia. We drove down along the coast and it is very similar to the Great Ocean Road only much longer. We stopped at Daly City for something to eat and drink and a toilet stop. At least we think it was Daly City, there is a huge lack of signage here from town names to speed limits. There was a big cement wharf and lots of people were fishing off it.
Back onto the freeway with lots more ocean views. There is a lot of agriculture mainly vegetables and strawberries. We passed several large artichoke farms. We also saw lots of groups of pickers bringing in the vegetables.
We were looking for somewhere to have lunch and pulled into a place off the highway. It was very alternative. There was a wooden caravan outside that was a shop and sold books, soap, bread and cheese and a couple of other things. In the main building they sold organic fruit and vegetables as well as fruit tarts, chocolate strawberries. You could also see into the kitchen which had a big glass window and see them making pastry by hand. The front of the shop was an honour system, there was an open till and you just put your money in and took out your change. As we were looking for lunch not dessert, we decided to press on.
A bit further on we found a tavern and it had great food. Annamaree had crab cakes that had feta, sun dried tomatoes and peppers in them and I had fish and chips. The fish was so delicious, so fresh and moist. They had some yummy pies too but we didn't indulge.
We headed on to Monterey and came across a sign saying headlights had to be on for the next 9 miles. There was a lot of fog around so we think that was the reason. Unfortunately we couldn't work out how to turn them on!
We eventually got to our turn off and found the motel using the GPS in the car. Huge improvement on the last one!
We decided to go the laundromat and do our washing. Annamaree got some directions from the office but we got a bit lost (we were walking) so we had to phone the hotel and get better directions. We were only one block away! After that we dropped it back to the hotel and went to the big shopping centre over the road for tea. There were lots of choices and we ended up at P. F. Changs Chinese family restaurant. It looked like it would be really pricey but it was very reasonable. I had Moo Goo Gai Pan which was stir fried chicken and prawns with book Chou and vegetables and really delicious. The serving was quite big so I only ate half and took the rest to go for tomorrow night's tea. Annamaree had Wonton soup and Lo Mein, a prawn and noodle dish.
Still recovering from the big day yesterday so we headed back to bed.
Cheers Roz
San Francisco Day 4
Up early today as we had to be at the Ferry Building at 7am for our trip to Yosemite. We all boarded a shuttle bus which took us to the Amtrak station at Emeryville (in between Berkley and Oakton) to catch the train. The platforms are level with the ground so you have to step up into the train. The carriages are two levels with the lower levels being for elderly or disabled passengers. There are toilets on both levels and also a dining car. Half the seats are plain seating and the rest have two pairs of seats facing each other with a table in between. There is also a power point so you can recharge your devices.
We hadn't had breakfast so we took turns at going to the dining car. When I got there the power had just gone off so no hot food. I had cereal with a fruit cup and bought a sandwich for lunch. When we stopped at the next station we lost all power. They called a mechanic and also another train. When the other train arrived we all got off and boarded the new train. We lost about an hour and a half. The journey continued past Stockton, Modesto and other towns through agricultural country. The train trip took 3.5 hours plus the delay.
We got off at Merced and were met by the tour guide and shuttle bus. He explained that there are often problems with the trains and they have to rejig the tour. Most of the group had booked a tram tour through the park (not us as it is an open tram and is very hot) and as the trip to the park was 2hrs 15 mins they would have missed that so he rebooked them for the 3pm tour and arranged for a bus to come from Oakton to pick us up at Merced as we would miss the train. He said that we would probably get home earlier than if we had caught the train.
The drive to Yosemite was not very exciting, the country was very dry and brown. You could see the Sierra Nevada mountains. It changed to be greener when we got to the national park and it could have been Australian ountryside that we were driving through. There are lots of landslides in the park and a very big one had covered the road so there is a temporary road around the slide. Then we saw the mountains and they were spectacular. We drove to the lodge where we had some free time for food and restrooms (no toilet on the bus!). Then those that were going on the tram ride left and Annamaree got a personal tour of the park in the shuttle bus. It is a big loop around the valley floor with places you can stop for the views. We saw giant Sequoia groves, granite cliffs and amazing wilderness. We stopped at places to photograph El Capitan, the Bridal Falls, the Half Dome, the natural corridor and much more.
As there was only two of us on the bus tour we finished early and went back to the lodge and checked out the souvenir shops and food hall. While we ate outside a possum and bird were fighting over who could be in the space. Very cute! Then it was time to go, we looked desperately to see a bear on the way out but no luck. I got a little bit of sleep on the way to Merced but not much as it wasn't very comfortable. When we got to Merced the second bus hadn't arrived so we got to stretch our legs and use the restrooms.
When the bus arrived we all piled on for the 2.5 hour trip back to San Francisco. This bus was even less comfortable and I had the air con right on me so I didn't get any sleep. Union Square was the lastt drop off and by the time we walked the 3 blocks to our motel (in a freezing wind) it was 11:45pm. It was the first time we were pleased to get to our motel.
Till tomorrow.
Roz
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