posted
Well, I'm back now obviously. Been putting this off until I sorted some stuff out but here it is.
It was nice. The rains were terrible on the last three days, the storm drains were cool to watch, but the rest of the trip was moderately sunny, even got sunburned one day at Venice beach. Saw an interesting scene at the beachwalk, four policemen where holding down a gigantic man dressed in rags and he was screaming his head off, shouting "Brethren! Brethren!" and stuff.
Me and my two brothers went up the hills to see the Hollywood-sign, came within about 300 yards before stopping on a bluff, apparently you get a hefty fine if you come too close.
I spent New Year's Eve at the Key Club, watching the boys of "Metal Skool" joke about tits, breasts and jugs. They sure played well; Billy Idol songs, Skid Row, Poison, M�tley Crew, but man where they childish, they presented whole dissertations on teabagging and the intricacies of the cleveland steamer. Five fights were broken up in the crowd and the hotheads deposited on the sidewalk, about 10 girls went up on stage and flashed their stuff and I got a total of 3 beers spilled around my shoes. All in all, a great night in LA, I suppose.
Sadly, my travelmates were more interested in shopping than exploring, they had a bunch of lists of stuff to get for folks back home. I think we spent about 4 out of 9 days in shops, malls and outlets. Some stuff was insanely cheap but most places looked just like over here. Ontario Mills was nice, of course.
Six Flags was great, some really nice rides there. The Tatsu-ride was pure pain though, first time in 15 years that I scream out of fear of death in some of the twists and turns that had me hanging against the flimsy rubber harness, looking down on the ant-people on the ground. The Bat Man ride was the best, imo.
We went to the West Angeles Church on the first sunday of the trip, my sister wanted to check it out, she likes gospel. Reverend Blake did a sermon that was everything I thought it would be, very animated. In the middle of the service, though, I noticed a small group of people coming into the church from a side entrance and sitting down in the front, I thought I recognized someone. Then Rev. Blake said in the mic "I see we have Mrs Natalie Cole here" and welcomed her, we thought "Huh, cool." Then he went on "And I would also like to welcome our good friend Steveland Morris, an old brother of this church", and I looked and finally recognized the man in the middle, Stevie Wonder, coming in unannounced and just sitting down. We all just looked at eachother, and then the pastor said "It seems Steveland wants to say a few words" and Stevie got up and was helped to the pulpit. He said some nice things and donated a small hi-tech thingy to the church that could help people with severe eye conditions interface with computers, and then he just said "Would it be alright if I sang a song?". Everyone just laughed and he asked his friend to go back to the car and get his harmonica. "Just go get it, I'll start without it." So he picked a church song and told the band behind him "Hm, B-flat." It was so cool.
The wedding on the last saturday was great, my cousin looked astounding in her dress and the whole thing was very sweet. One thing that surprised me though, it was so short compared to a scandinavian wedding day. About 90 minutes for the wedding ceremony, then the reception was 3 hours and then the happy couple went away in a limo for the honeymoon, all was done by four o'clock. In Sweden you'd be lucky if you get home by nine or ten in the evening!
All in all a good trip, I failed to get arrested, I brought home a piece of sidewalk from Compton and I ate at least two pancakes.
Thank you Diane, it was a great evening and it was very nice finally meeting a forumite (forgot to take pics though) and hanging out on the 3rd street promenade. Hope we can do it again if/when I return, I haven't had nearly enough of LA.
And here's some random pics.
Soaking wet and tired but happy
The suavest of suave
Wicked toy in Target
The third-and-a-halfth sign of the apocalypse, sold in frozen yoghurt shop
My kind of concert poster.
Aww yeah.
More to come when it's safe to return to the photo store again.
Registered: Aug 1999
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
I may steal that Cray Grant shot for macro use.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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quote:Did the tattoos say "Liam is awesome"? Becaues if not, I want answers.
No, see the arm one said "Kavanaghs are keen on musical theatre, says clan Frasier" and the one on the back says "Pensive, stop altering people's quotes to read out childish pottymouth humor, it was old the first time and it lowers you". The last one was a henna.
Registered: Aug 1999
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Teh PW
Self Impossed Exile (This Space for rent)
Member # 1203
posted
've never been lowered, never worried about it. 'sides miz Torial laughed and tus mission accompled...
so your basically saying you loved LA but hated Hooters?
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Hahaa! It's a cool place with some history and pop-cultural relevance! Now, I don't listen to hippety-hop music (except oldschool rap and stuff, like People Under The Stairs, Run DMC and Black Sheep) but I did like some of the gangsta-movies in the 90's.
We didn't go there to see Compton per se, we wanted to see the Watts Towers the last day, on our way to the airport. The whole installation was mighty cool.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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