Valencia Travel Park, Valencia, CA:  Another beautiful morning here in sunny California.  We decided to drive to downtown LA today instead of the Burbank, Hollywood thing.  At first I didn’t want to go anywhere near downtown LA, but I figured we’re here, so why not?  Besides I wanted to see the beautiful Walt Disney Concert Center.  So we headed in on the 5 and then took the Hollywood Freeway to downtown and found the Walt Disney Concert Center easily and parked right in front.  Metered, on-street parking, but it’s free on Sundays.  Great!  Parked and walked around this beautiful building.  The architecture is wonderful—all stainless steel.  And I discovered I love downtown LA!  Who knew?  Of course we were in the financial district with all the beautiful high rise buildings and the theater district with all the fantastic concert halls.  We dined alfresco at the Grand Café on the plaza by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). The skyline seems shrouded in smog as you’re approaching downtown, but once you’re down there it’s clear and you can even see the blue sky.  I thought, this is great—until the freeway drive home.  Then it wasn’t so great.  Another motorcycle accident in the opposite lane but backed up traffic on our side anyway.  Don’t know how the person made out.  He was lying in the road still when we went by.  Back home to our park and we relaxed outside reading. Decided we would check out the rapid rail here.  Would be great if that worked out.  Can only imagine what the traffic will be like on a work day.

Walt Disney Concert Center

Walt Disney Concert Center
Looks different from every angle

Downtown LA

Downtown LA

Collage of airplane parts on the plaza outside the Museum of Contemporary Art

Golden Shore RV Resort, Long Beach, CA, to Valencia Travel Park, Valencia, CA:  Left Long Beach this morning at around 11:20.  Just a short drive—only about 60 miles.  Took the 710 north and then the 5 through the San Fernando Valley through the smog.  The LA skyline was shrouded in haze.  Don’t know how you can live here.  After leaving the San Fernando Valley we climbed into the hills outside LA to Valencia.  Really pretty up here and the smog is hardly noticeable. We’re kind of out in the country. It was 86 when we pulled in.  It’s nice to be able to sit outside in shorts and be comfortable, which is just what we did after getting set up.  The guy in the RV next to us came over and talked with us for a while.  He was in the movie business in LA for years but is now retired and living in Oregon.  He knows a lot about the area and will be a great resource for information.  He was a lighting technician.  Nice guy and has a lot of great stories.  Just relaxed this afternoon.  Will probably drive into Burbank tomorrow and then on to Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Lunch at the Yard House in Long Beach with George & Janet

Golden Shore RV Resort, Long Beach, CA:  Had a relaxing day today.  Met some friends of Mike’s for lunch in Long Beach.  They live in Tustin, CA.  Had a great lunch at The Yard House right on the water.  They have an RV also but have done a lot of traveling all over the world.  They’ll be in St. Louis in October for Mike and George’s 50^th high school reunion.  Will be nice seeing them again.  After lunch we fueled up the truck and headed back and relaxed the rest of the day.  Tomorrow we leave for Valencia, CA, which is close to Hollywood, Beverly Hills, etc. 

George and Janet

Golden Shore RV Resort, Long Beach, CA:  Took the Catalina Express fast cat out to Catalina Island this morning.  Really wanted to get a hotel and stay for a few days, but we had to be out of this park by Saturday.  Just didn’t have the time.  We took a short tour of this rugged island but didn’t even scratch the surface.  Wrigley, of Wrigley chewing gum fame, owned the whole island at one time.  He still has several homes on the island.  But in the 70s he donated 70% of the island to the Island Conservancy, which he set up, and guarantees that the island will remain in its natural state in perpetuity.  He also built the Casino, which isn’t a gambling establishment, but houses one of the largest circular ballrooms still existing in the US.  It also houses a beautiful movie theater.  Back in the day, all the big bands played here and it was a favorite playground of a lot of celebrities.  It’s also a favorite diving spot because of the crystal clear waters surrounding this beautiful place.  It’s very mountainous and rugged.  Wish we could have seen more.  Left on the 6:00 fast cat to go back to the mainland.  By then the marine layer was moving in again.  

Took this picture as we walked over to the ferry terminal to show how close we are to downtown--in fact, right in the middle of downtown.  The entrance to our park is on the left.  The park office is the grey building on the left.  We're surrounded by high rise office buildings.  Very different.  And there's a bike path right out of the park that goes along the Los Angeles River.

The fast cat as it's pulling into Catalina.

One of the little streets in Avalon.

The harbor at Avalon

The historic casino in Avalon

The yacht club

Took this picture as we were leaving on the fast cat.  Kind of fuzzy since I took it through the window, but it shows the ruggedness of the island and the "marine layer" moving in.

Golden Shore RV Resort, Long Beach, CA:  Took the short drive over to where the Queen Mary is docked.  Only a few blocks from us.  I figure it’s the closest I’ll ever get Mike to a cruise ship (sigh).  She took her maiden voyage in 1936 from England to NYC.  She was considered the grandest ocean liner ever built at the time.  And the list of celebs and notables that sailed on her was quite impressive. I was disappointed though.  It’s now a working hotel and a lot of the salons and other historic areas are off limits.  Had lunch at one of the restaurants on the ship and then headed over to the Catalina Island ferry office to get tickets for tomorrow’s ferry.  Then we decided to drive back to San Juan Capistrano on the Pacific Coast Highway, but the mission closed at 5:00 and we didn’t get there in time.  This whole area is one huge urban sprawl.  The pretty hills just inland are littered with houses all over.  Too many people, too many cars, too much smog—other than that it’s a great place to live.  Looking forward to getting away from LA.

The Goodyear blimp flying over the Queen Mary--Long Beach

Deck chairs aboard the Queen Mary

Long Beach shrouded in what they call the "marine layer" which keeps the temps down and then dissipates by early afternoon.

Mission San Juan Capistrano--built in 1776

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Santee Lakes, Santee, CA, to Golden Shore RV Resort, Long Beach, CA:  Left Santee at 10:15 this morning and arrived in Long Beach and were set up by 1:00.  A short drive on major freeways all the way.  Mike did all the driving.  The park we’re in is right downtown and near the water.  We have high rises all around us.  Very different.  Nice park though.  We were going to drive up to Mission San Juan Capistrano, but I was up all night last night with a queasy stomach and not much better today.  Hope tomorrow is a better day.  

Santee Lakes, Santee, CA:  Today was spent mostly doing some housekeeping chores.  After I got up I cleaned the bathroom and changed the sheets.  Then we went over and did the laundry.  Came back and put that away.  Relaxed a little.  Then we cleaned the front of the fifth wheel.  Made a Walgreens run and then came back and had a cocktail under the awning.  Tonight we actually dined in.  Grilled up some fillets, accompanied by Southwestern rice and corn on the cob.  Tomorrow we leave for Long Beach.  Really enjoyed our stay here in Santee.  A cute little town in the mountains about 15 miles northeast of San Diego.  And it’s really easy to get around here.  Lots of freeways and they have a great rapid rail system which leaves from right here in Santee.  We never took advantage of it however. 

This guy was doing an amazing balancing job with these rocks
Seaport Village--San Diego

Amazing balanced rocks
Seaport Village--San Diego