This is the 10th of a series of posts dealing with
my fourth trip to South California. I’ve made minor corrections to these
reports. Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a ¾ year
later or to add further clarification.
These are indicated by “NOW”. After I booked the trip I unexpectedly had
to move and during that had an Eastern Canada trip that didn’t go that great,
so I was already pretty tired before the trip began.
I made it to the bus stop and realized I had left
my map book at the hostel. No time to grab before the bad so decided to chance
the trip via the usual 56 bus. At Orange
Metrolink Station after drinking some water from a fountain someone commented
that the water was pretty nasty. I had to agree. California eater is pretty bad
in the best of times but this was extra bad. I took the Orange County Line Metrolink
train to LA Union Station... where I discovered that no one sells map books
there! [Rest of transit before returning home LA Metro.]
[NOW: I left from Orange Mango Hostel in Santa Ana
and got on the bus in Orange. The 56 bus is Orange County Transportation
Authority/OCTA. Orange Metrolink Station is also in Orange.]
I took the Red Line to North Hollywood Station and
walked to the Television Hall of Fame: busts, full statues, paintings, etc.;
Jim Henson had two art pieces, which I approve of. After first checking with
another bus to ensure I went the right direction, I took the 183 bus east and
walked the rest of the way to the Warner Ranch. I walked to a nearby CVS for a
map; never found a map that trip but got more directions. Ate breakfast at
Subway and headed south, seeing more of the Warner Ranch, then east to Burbank
Studios (which Gary Owens called Beautiful Downtown Burbank). I walked east to
Walt Disney Studios, then northeast to a cute nearby shopping area, then took a
155 and a 96 bus to Griffith Park. I
walked to the free Travel Town Museum. Their photography rules covered two full
pages but I finally found the passage that photos for private use were okay.
That should be at the top. I took the photos and then decided to wander to the
south end of the park; long hike but downhill. Saw a deer.
[NOW: Overlooked but noted in the next day's trip report: there
was a (homeless?) person sleeping on the Red Line train all the way from LA
Union Station to North Hollywood Station
, so the whole Red Line route. Unfortunately I
couldn't find a security person to check to see if they were okay. North Hollywood Station is in the North
Hollywood area of Los Angeles. All the studios above are in Burbank, Griffith
Park in Los Angeles.]
Leaving the park briefly, I headed east along Los
Feliz and then north to another part of the park, this time uphill. My friend
Michael had suggested the observatory, and while I didn't go in, there were
breathtaking views of the city all around, both of the Hollywood sign and the
core city. So thank you Michael. I
filled up a water bottle with water from a fountain and went south, then west
along Fairfield. Probably should have gone to a different street to take a bus
or light rail as it was a longer than expected hike.
[NOW: The name of the observatory is Griffith Observatory. After leaving there I tried to drink some of the
water but it had turned into some sort of white gunk.]
I grabbed a drink from Rite Aid then visited Counterpoint
Books & Records. I walked down to Hollywood and got some more photos of the
Hollywood Walk of Fame, had a very late lunch at McDonald's, saw Hollywood
& Highland Center and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre again (one busker was
dressed as a Harlem Globetrotter and even did basketball moves to Sweet Georgia
Brown, the signature song of the real team), continued west along the Walk of
Fame, then the opposite direction across the street. I detoured to get some
more DVDs at Amoeba Records. I returned to Hollywood Blvd. and did one more
look at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and Hollywood
& Highland Center, then at Hollywood/Highland Station took a Red Line back
to LA Union and the Orange County Line Metrolink train back to Orange Station.
My ticket was checked near the end.
[NOW: I later learned that Grauman’s Chinese
Theatre had changed its name to TCL Theatre. Overlooked but noted in the next day's trip report: During my initial walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame this day, one of the groups trying to sell tourists a
tour pointed out they recognized me from last time. They weren't as
aggressive this time; it was more half-joking this time.]
Since I had over half an hour before the bus back
to the hostel I ate dinner at Omega Burgers and got a drink, then took the 56
back. This ends the general exploration of Los Angeles and area part of the
trip. I'd always regretted not doing so on previous trips and I'm glad I
managed to do so this time.
[NOW: Again, the 56 bus bus/OCTA took me via Santa
Ana to another part of Orange where I walked back to the hostel in Santa Ana.]
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