Some months ago, as I booked my tickets to Las Vegas, I instantly thought of renting a car and driving to the infamous L.A. to spend some days there as well. Which I finally did, but it was not easy...Not easy at all. To start with, the availability of rental locations or hotels in L.A. was almost null, so I booked something on AirBnb just to be sure. This should've been given a bit more thought in advance... Moreover, I reserved a car online which turned out to be more expensive on the spot, and almost impossible to drive, it had some technical errors as I soon came to discover on the road. But my dream was my dream and it had to be fulfilled, so I took the car and thought of nothing else. And I think I forgot to mention...I was sick, extremely sick, I could barely walk or breathe or stand straight because of stomach aches. I strongly believe there is a lack of compatibility between foods, and bacteria on different continents and the way they affect your digestive system if you are not accustomed. For a couple of days, my only food were 3 apples, which I could barely eat. But either way, I decided to ignore the pain, I packed my bags and off I went on the highway connecting Las Vegas to Los Angeles, with an ETA of 4 hours. After the car experienced several abnormalities, I arrived to the place I had booked and realized that I could not and still cannot sleep in anything similar to what was there. So I started making phone calls to change the car and the accommodation. I was extremely disappointed in talking to people who would not understand my problems and who would not be at least willing to be of assistance in any way. So I did not sleep at all, in the end. At 6 a.m. I was up and running for a brand new day. I designed my itinerary for that long day, and decided to get back to Vegas around midnight. My first stop was Malibu. After rush hour spent in the intense morning traffic, I drove on a smooth road, plunging through high hills covered in carpets of vivid green, until I could feel the saltiness soaking the air. I had arrived to the Pacific Ocean. I went down the cliffs to El Matador Beach, and enjoyed an incredible sight with no one around. I walked barefoot and connected to the deep, beautiful ocean. I reconnected with myself, and realized the pain I mentioned before was gone. In its place remained an immense happiness to live yet another stunning day and see new landscapes which will forever stay with me. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, I was absolutely mesmerized by all the incredible flowers, dense carpets of flowers hanging from the cliffs down, heavily adorning the white houses on the Malibu shoreline. Pink, violet, orange, yellow, you name it, there were flowers on my left and the ocean's white-foamed waves on my right. No worries, no stress, no tension, just the wind blowing gently through my hair. I stopped once more in Malibu on Carbon beach to dream about what it would mean to actually live in one of those incredible houses on the beach – a lifetime well spent, in a beautiful community, mostly with your thoughts, in the sun, wind, with the ocean. Everywhere I looked, beauty! I suddenly became extremely happy to be there and to see everything. Maybe most of you do not know yet, but my name is Monica. Thus, you can now easily imagine where I drove to next: Santa Monica, and more precise, Santa Monica Pier. A rather populated area, this wooden pier invited me to cross it and simply discover the surroundings. The wide, sandy beach contrasts with the powerful blue ocean in a most delicious manner. No invitation required, I took my ballerinas off and let my soles sink into the golden sand. I can still feel that sensation as I am writing these lines right now. The Santa Monica Pier is also the end of Route 66, and besides the shops, one restaurant, some coffee shops and some small souvenir counters, it also features an amusement park (The Pacific Park) with a big, visible, flashy wheel. I stopped to get some tea and slowly sipped it in the company of some friendly pigeons. I guess most of you, my dear readers, have seen at least one episode of the Californication series. Therefore, you can now foresee where I was headed to next: Venice beach, yesssss. But I soon came to realize that this location is not quite my taste. Too many people walking around, too many shops, with mainstream merchandise, too crowded, too exhausting. After I got bored with the promenade, I went on the beach to see if I could surf, the waves were not that promising, so I went on with my walk. What I did enjoy a lot were the mural paintings, super interesting and cool. Another cute area around this place: the Venice canals; divulged by their name, these canals pervade an entire houses neighbourhood creating a beautiful postcard of neat houses, water canals, colourful wooden boats here and there, and tiny bridges leading tourists' steps across this picturesque Venetian-like location. I was already part of the Californian scenery, driving like a local, blending in. My next destination was the L.A. downtown, which was pretty disappointing at first sight. Apart from a special temple which I hunted down for photos in the Little Tokyo district, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, an impressive building, up on a hill, nothing actually caught my eye, nothing surprised me. I saw many poor people, a lot of poverty everywhere, many centers dedicated to police enforcement forces, sky-scrappers in the financial district, an interesting blend of people and styles, and an awesome weather. I parked the car and walked a lot. I even visited a Japanese library, which reminded me of those times I was about to live in Tokyo (you don't know this story yet, right?): the Japanese really have a keen sense of order, for some it can get quite annoying, but I adore it. Another peculiar fact about L.A..: the super steep hills - I did my cardio just by strolling up and down the streets of Los Angeles! But enough with the city life, it was time for me to get back to my itinerary. Somewhere in the area, there's an alley where the sky with stars becomes one with...the ground. Where is this place?! It's the Hollywood walk of fame, of course. By now, the heat had caught up with me so I switched my ballerinas to flipflops and began discovering. The Hollywood walk of fame is a long, wide street, whose sidewalks are paved with stars and these stars bear names of famous TV stars, cinema actors and actresses, radio speakers, TV shows entertainers, singers or music bands, and many more. Nice, but somehow mainstream, a location filled with tourists. I found some of the stars I was looking for, but it was quite difficult since they are disposed randomly. And then I said goodbye to this street and went on to Sunset Boulevard. I drove and drove, and enjoyed every second of driving on this quaint boulevard. There was no time to hike up to the Hollywood sign and to the Griffith Observatory, and I know it would have been a great journey, but I promised I would come back soon to L.A. in an extended trip to Hawaii and San Francisco as well. Until then, I parked the car in Beverly Hills and commenced exploring this jewel. Green hills surrounding impressive homes, hidden from curious eyes in the streets. Absolutely calming, soothing, relaxing for the soul. Wish I could stay there for just one month and still my mind, silence my thoughts until I am blank and filled with harmony and love for myself and humanity. This place put me in a really good mood, it gave me a good energy, after a long day and night. Can't wait to get back here!! Last but not least, I drove on the Rodeo Drive of L.A., an extra-large street with trees hugging over it, beautifully trimmed trees, and flower arrangements similar to a heavenly setting. Turned the music louder and drove on and on. I finally realized I had not eaten anything all day long, so I stopped on Santa Monica Boulevard and grabbed some fast sushi (vegetarian, of course). Even where I parked near the sushi place, there were flower bouquets falling over the houses' fences in colourful trails. Absolutely amazing, to live in such an area filled with flowers, sunbathed, with the ocean breeze silently caressing all your griefs and sorrows.
It was about 8 p.m. when I decided to drive back to Las Vegas. Again, I was caught up in the evening rush hour, but it did not matter. The ocean had cured my stomach illness, as it had cured my anxious thinking and stressed mind. I was leaving happy from L.A. But the story does not end here...I went far away from California for just...two evenings :) Because my friends and I came back to the Pacific Coast for a prolonged weekend, somewhere near Los Angeles. I will tell you this story very, very soon. The time has come for me to dream about the flowers I saw in Malibu dressing me up from head to toes in hues of rose, amethyst, bright yellow and peachy orange in the most wonderful floral dress the ocean and the wind have ever woven together. In my dream, I walk on the beach, in my gown, and the sand spangles seashells and starfish, beautifying and perfecting the floral masterpiece. With small but confident steps, I go into the ocean, but the flowers do not get wet, they bloom, and their ethereal aspect is enhanced. Step by step, I go under the water, until I can finally embrace the ocean and become one with my dominating water sign. In the underworld, on the bottom of the ocean, I sit down among my flowers, and I silence my entire being, I put all the negative thoughts to an eternal sleep.
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