USA Holiday 2, October 08 (The LC)

Time to leave San Diego already, which was a lot better than I expected and certainly an upgrade on Miami. The weather was a little too cool for my liking, although it might have been temporary. Similar to Boston the city is large enough but doesn't seem congested, the public transportation was well thought out and it's nicely located between The OC, Los Angeles and Mexico.

Took the train up to Los Angeles, which was a good decision. For a while the train track is actually between the beach and the first row of houses (although that can't be good for house values) so you have a good view on both sides. It's a shame I wasn't able to stop off at Laguna along the way though. Passed through Anaheim on the way to Los Angeles, didn't see Disneyland but the train did stop at Angels Stadium (it's miles from Los Angeles, but even they have a station, it's not that hard).

Somewhere between San Diego and Los Angeles.

Angels Stadium. Either the window is dirty, or we're near Los Angeles !

The Forum, former home of the Lakers, not in a good location.

From the Amtrak station we had to get three local trains with luggage to the hotel which was southwest of LA, close to the airport. Along the trip different people on the train tried to sell various varieties of confectionery - who is really going to buy food from a strange guy walking through a train carriage ? We had to get off the train one stop before Compton and head west, but made it to the hotel without problems. Quite annoying that this hotel was definitely the best and most spacious of the trip - probably because it's in a cheaper area near the airport, so you get better facilities for the same amount of money.

Worked out that a bus was the best way to get up to The Grove. I don't really understand why The Grove is rated so highly, there's a small bunch of fashion shops and not much else, then a farmers market place just alongside, which is much more interesting. Anyway the reason why I wanted to revisit The Grove is because, by luck, there's a Lauren Conrad book signing tonight! Not that I own or have read any of the books, but a chance to see LC is something you can't pass up. Well, as it turns out about 500 hundred teenage girls thought the same thing, so there was a massive line out on the footpath by the time I arrived, and I decided against it. I think that would have been the highlight of my holiday too.

The early line for LC.