Visiting LA

I have been to the biggest city in America: New York. I live in the third biggest city. I decided to visit the second biggest city in the sunny area: Los Angeles. It has Disneyland and Hollywood is nearby and it ought to be a good place to go for vacation.

Orbitz is a great place to start planning for any vacation. I like its clear layout and ease of use. Ok, United offers good flight prices? I am going for it. Yikes United charges $25 for each big luggage. Ok... Now it will only offer you drink and water. You now have to pay for its food. They don't even give you peanuts and almonds now. I am not a very tall guy so legroom is not a big problem in economy. I have never been on First Class and will probably never pay more to get a bit more comfortable for just a few hours of flight.

LAX is an alright airport... but not as pretty as O'hare or other airports I've been.

LA... has SO MANY visitors. On a non-holiday weekday I lined up for 1.5 hours to get to the rental car. OMG.
In my past experience with Hertz, the cars come with a navigator and I didn't even have to ask for it. LA is a place full of highways and a navigator is a must-have for first time visitors. They don't have it pre-installed! Oh no.
Fortunately they have a little internet booth (that costs money) so I can type up the address of the hotel on google maps to print out directions.
Oh my, it takes TWO HOURS to get to the hotel. Traffic is ultra horrible, and I need to change highways (freeways) maybe 5 times.

LA's highways are kind of old, not as well paved as it should be, and the signs are super old.
LA is supposed to be a very smog filled polluted city, but it isn't the case on the days I was there.

Yikes, it has A LOT of ghettos area, very worn out throughout the city of LA. However, the outer cities (suburbs) are very nice.
I visited Irvine. Oh my it is VERY nice business area. I wish I work there and can afford to live there.

There are MILES of Chinatown-like little plazas spread in various suburbs with hundreds of very nicely done interior designed Asian restaurants. They are mostly Taiwanese. Where are the Hong Kong folks hiding?

Hollywood Blvd... is mostly ghetto until you reach the Kodak Theater and the Chinese theater there. Do not join any tours unless you want a tour guide to talk to you via headphone and very interested in Hollywood history and the movie industry.

Now there is a huge contrast uphill on to the beautiful buildings of the Beverly Hills where the rich-and-famous live in mansions.

The Getty Museum is one awesome place in LA. It is a beautiful art museum up on the mountains and it is free. You only pay $15 parking.
Parking throughout LA is MUCH cheaper than Chicago. Gas is cheaper than Chicago too.

Disneyland is only so-so. It won't be so fun if you have seen the big one in Orlando.

Universal Studios is nice.

The Farmers Market is nice relaxing area full of eating-places-on-the-street. There are Chinese food booth run by entirely non-Chinese.

Santa Barbara has some awesome beaches but some people placed crosses all over to remind you so many people have lost their lives in Afghan and Iraq. It has got a very nice shopping area close to the Santa MOnica Pier.