September 26, San Diego - Los Angeles
September 27, Los Angeles
In the morning we had a hearty breakfast in one of the cafes near the hotel, then loaded our Chevy and moved to Los Angeles.
By freeway we quickly and without stops flew to Los Angeles.
Not a hotel was waiting for us here, but the family warmth and hospitality of our relatives. It's great when on a long journey there is an opportunity to take advantage of the cordiality and hospitality of native people.
So, Los Angeles is the capital of the world "drive". Cars reign supreme here. The city is so big that walking is pointless.
We didn't be original and rushed to Hollywood (Hollywood) - the main lure for visitors to Los Angeles. Hollywood Boulevard, where we arrived, was very crowded. It turns out that the local basketball team from the NBA Los Angeles Lakers (Los Angeles Lakers) held some action here. Everyone was given a small copy of a basketball for free. We also did not fail to acquire such a souvenir.
We went to the Walk of Fame, where marble stars with the names of prominent representatives of the entertainment industry are laid out. The 5-pointed stars are made of coral pink terrazzo stone with a brass rim. At the top of the star is the laureate's name in copper block letters. At the bottom of the star is a round copper emblem indicating one of the five categories of the entertainment industry: film, television, music and sound recording, radio, theatre.
We walked among the stars and trampled on them, even managed to take a picture against the background of some, for example, the star Barbara Streisand.
Не преминули зайти в Театр Кодак (Kodak Theatre) и позировать в роли номинантов или даже лауреатов Оскара на знаменитой лестнице.
Не преминули зайти в Театр Кодак (Kodak Theatre) и позировать в роли номинантов или даже лауреатов Оскара на знаменитой лестнице.
Then we drove to the Beverly Hills area to the famous shopping street Rodeo Drive (Rodeo Drive), in the south of which there are expensive boutiques of famous world brands, and in the north - with tastefully built and decorated mansions, neatly trimmed lawns, flower beds. It is here that many famous Hollywood actors and just successful people live.
I heard it's hard to park on the south end of Rodeo Drive. But we, with the help of our relatives, solved this problem with ease - we parked our car in an underground parking lot, and when you arrive, the boy takes the keys from you and drives the car to the parking lot, and when you leave, they drive the car to you and return the keys.
In the evening we managed to visit one unusual place. It's called Lake Shrine, which lies a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean on Sunset Boulevard. There are lush gardens, a large lake that is framed by natural slopes, and various types of flora and fauna, including swans, ducks, turtles and lotus flowers. Many thousands of visitors come every year to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of this spiritual sanctuary.
September 28, Los Angeles - Santa Barbara - Morro Bay - San Simeon
Now we are temporarily leaving Los Angeles and our path is heading towards San Francisco. California Highway 1 from Santa Monica to San Francisco skirts the coast and embraces the most scenic landscapes and interesting cities. It is by far the best way to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco and is one of the best itineraries in the US built on the contrasts between mountains and ocean.
First of all, we stopped at the famous Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful small towns in the country. Add to that a near-perfect climate and you have the best American version of heaven on earth.
But we just drove through the streets of Santa Barbara, and spent the lion's share of the time at Stearns Wharf.
This is the oldest wharf on the West Coast and serves as an extension of State Street, Santa Barbara's main street. The pier was built in 1872 and pleases the eye with a combination of souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants and seafood stalls.
Our next stop was Morro Bay. The unique symbol of this city is Mount Morro (171 m). The rounded rock is all that is left behind from the volcano that was once in this place.
We were going to devote the next day to Hearst Castle, but for now we will spend the night at the Days Inn San Simeon.
September 29, San Simeon - Hearst Castle - Monterey - San Jose
Hearst Castle, located near the small town of San Simeon, is a unique estate. William Randolph Hearst, American media mogul, founder of the holding « », leading newspaper publisher, called his estate Enchanting Height ( La Guesta Encantada). Hearst wanted the manor to remind him of his beloved Mediterranean and the Spanish Renaissance, but at the same time retain its Californian charm. The result is an eclectic mix of the Mediterranean with the botanical and topographic features of California. Of course, the castle that Hearst and architect Julia Morgan designed and built is not Winsor or the Louvre. But this building makes an indelible impression.
In San Francisco, more precisely in San Jose, a satellite city of San Francisco, we were again waiting not for a hotel, but for the family warmth and hospitality of our relatives.