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We arrived on the morning of Saturday 21st September (after a 14 hour flight) and caught a bus to our hotel down next to the beach in Santa Monica. As it was early in the day, we couldn't check in so left our cases and headed for a walk along the beach and then headed on to the shopping area. It was a relaxed place with lots going on - not what I expected, but then again, I am not sure what I expected.
Having eaten we set off on a bus tour that showed us many of the sights in LA. It went through Bel-Air and Beverley Hills where we gawped at the homes of the rich and famous (such as those of Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Whitney Houston, Al Pacino, Michael Jackson and Helen Hunt) and saw the place where OJ didn't shoot anyone (!) and also where Janis Joplin over-dosed and where John Belushi did the same. And the club where River Phoenix had his last breath and the hotel where Whitney Houston died and other stuff like that. We went through Hollywood, the Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood sign, Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, Mullholland Drive and so on and so on. It was actually interesting and a good way to see things. As part of the tour, we got to wander around the Chinese Theatre area - which was very busy.
An interesting detour was picking up a couple of other folk who we then went into LA to drop-off at their hotel. I couldn't tell you which area we went through but I haven't seen that number of homeless and down-and-out people in my life - it was street after street of them - it was almost like a ghetto - quite confronting - but that is the reality.
Then 6 hours later we were back in Santa Monica to check into the hotel before heading out for a nice dinner in Santa Monica.
A big first day and a much needed sleep was had.
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