Los Angeles (Part 2)

Continuation from last page, this is also a pic from Hollywood Blvd.
I'm always looking at above here, without giving eyes to stores along the street.
Because watching billboards is interesting. Or I'd say, it is possible to look about surroundings well because there are not any tall buildings here so much.

This old building has impressive symmetrical tower 'objet'.
Is it a FM station ? But towers seems not in work...

Wrapping up walking the street of Hollywood, I desided to move to Santa Monica.
However, On-street-parking is my weak point.
It is because, the town in Japan, the place where cars parked in the streets are permitted hardly exists. (To tell the truth, I did it once or twice though parking prohibited..)
So here in town, I don't accustom to park on the street too. (or am afraid of towaway ? ) and always use a toll-parking-lot steadly even if there are many ones which may permitted.
Here one thing thinking about parking in the U.S.A.
In guidebook, you may find such a description like this, 'In United States, the spaces of parking lot are larger than Japanese ones.' You may not expect it.
Also in U.S.A, when you drive into multistory car parking in town or hotels, the feeling of steering wheels are same in Japan. (Though the pic above is not so.)
You may take care not to cause a minor collision more than head-in parking.

On the way to Santa Monica, I take a short trip to world famous place Beverly Hills.
Everywhere I visit at the first, I might have to keep fundamentals in mind.
However, I can feel as if I were a 'Winner in Life' when I drive along streets of Beverly Hills.
Although only inhabitants are really so.

Through the traffic jam, it took about 1 hour from Beverly Hills to 'West Coast' Santa Monica.
In here, for some reason, I want to have carbonated drink at every moment.
Is it because suitable for thirsty dry air ? And because, I can't find 'iced-coffee' I used to drink in Japan.
In supermarket, Coca-Cola and other soda drinks like 7up or Morning dew holds sway over the shelves, though they are gone by wayside in Japan.
I think, 'Oh well, I choose iced-tea instead of iced-cafe-latte'. But this is a wrong way. That's too fuckin' sweet ! And sometimes included carbon or fruit. I can't believe it !
American's sense of taste are quite different from Japanese's, it seems.
So I often take soda drinks in here, because they are also popular in Japan.

But taking such drinks too much are not so good. I have to drink water or green-tea.
And anytime I see 'American Fats', 'Cut back on carbons, Take water, and Fatboy slim !' I wanna say so.
But mineral waters sold in store commonly here, are almost tastes no good.
Probably this is because they are 'hard-water'. When you drink them, you may feel taste of cement delicately.
I feel slightly sick at the stomach, feel like thin skin forms.
So I can't help drinking Cokes, also familiar in Japan.
And whenever I find Evian in store, I get them over and over, though double-prices than others.
The taste of water is more deeper problems than foods.
This photo, from the Third Street Promenade.

Walking along the streets, I arrived at Santa Monica Pier now.
Here is just a end of the famous 'Route66'.
But this gate, seems cheaply constructed, though with a long and distinguished history.
The other side is bared and not painted at all... You might come here at night when neon glitters.

This is a good place to spend a time by the sea, though located inner city.
I envy L.A. citizens.
Here is Santa Monica Pier, 'Enoshima'*1 in America.

California sky is really blue. Some might say, it's true.
This is a scenery in certain daily life, from a rescue station nearby Santa Monica Pier.

Driving at night through Wilshire Blvd. from Santa Monica.
When I went to Santa Monica, I passed through Santa Monica Blvd. But it looked something bleak.
Wilshire Blvd. is futuristic and has an atmosphere like Blade Runner.
This road is more amusing to cruise.

Parhaps, this point is a crossroads of Wilshire Blvd. and Rodeo Dr.
Here one thing talking about 'Crossroads'.
Around the intersection in the city of L.A. there are many white paint on the road surface described 'XING'.
By the way, I could finally understand this is a contracted word of 'Crossing' later, though in driving, I couldn't do what it means, how it pronounces. eXing ? Zing ? Zinc ?
Whenever I saw it, I as a rock-music freeks often thought, :-> 'Oh, I remember the album 'Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow or A Creamed Cage in August' by T.REX.'

After passing the Rodeo Dr. through the Beverly Hills, I move on to Sunset Blvd.
Here is like 'Roppongi'*2 at night, with a lot of shops, have chic moods.
I feel certain satisfaction on passing center of the city such a night, just like a stranger.

One scene in front of Tower Records at Sunset Blvd.
I heard there were once a desolate area, only Tower Records were there, though now a good residential district.
However, when I went into a shop, I felt the shop in Japan is more livelier than original house.
It just seems that this might be a infection of Chapter 11.

Notice) Tower Records Japan Inc. is another corporation now. So no problems.

Taking a shot of 'IN-N-OUT' along Sunset Blvd, with listening the best of Don Henley on car-stereo.
I feel as if I were a 'Los Angelenos' only temporarily.
I seem to remember, 'The boys of Summer' pave me the way for rock'n roll geeks, and also makes me adult,*3
Wanna trip on America.... My dreams came true at last.

*1 Enoshima>> The Tokyo suburbs, town by the shore (also have 'Enoshima-island') and located in Kanagawa pref. Here is a nice spot for spending holidays, to play on the beach, or visit old temples. And you'd better take the 'Enoden'-line and let's go Kamakura ! In cherry-blossoms season (from the end in March to April), you can find full blooms of 'Sakura' in Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine.
*2 Roppongi>> The midtown in Tokyo. 'Big Apple' at night. Recently the landmark 'Roppongi-Hills' building was opened.
*3 'The boys of Summer'...makes me adult.>> When Japanese like me, spend in 80's in high-school days, we also used to listen American or British Rock'n Roll musics so much. For example, The Cars, Huey Lewis & the News, Hall & Oates, Bruce Springsteen (in massive), and Michael Jackson in Black. Anyway, these musics were the daily topics, as much as answers of tests or abuses to our teacher. This is not only for maniacs, but we mostly all, in those days.