Friday 1st August 2003 - San Francisco to Los Angeles
Leaving San Francisco right after the gig meant no partying for one night, which would probably do us all some good!
On the map, it really doesn't look like a great distance from SF to LA, but it is so easy to forget what a big country America is. It is easily a five-hour drive on the freeway, twelve hours on the coast road.
Once on the I-5, we stopped at some random truck stop for late night food and drinks. It has to be said that, in some of these places, the microwaveable comestibles are to avoided like, well, botulism. If that isn't a good enough reason, then how about the fact that they taste like crap? I think I've made my point...
We all fell asleep pretty quickly. I was knackered, having walked halfway round San Francisco, so I was comatose more or less straight away.
On the map, it really doesn't look like a great distance from SF to LA, but it is so easy to forget what a big country America is. It is easily a five-hour drive on the freeway, twelve hours on the coast road.
Once on the I-5, we stopped at some random truck stop for late night food and drinks. It has to be said that, in some of these places, the microwaveable comestibles are to avoided like, well, botulism. If that isn't a good enough reason, then how about the fact that they taste like crap? I think I've made my point...
We all fell asleep pretty quickly. I was knackered, having walked halfway round San Francisco, so I was comatose more or less straight away.
Bakersfield
When I came around, the van was stationary in some anonymous truck stop, Davey was slumped over the steering wheel. The van was stiflingly hot even though it was only a sparrow's fart after dawn. Apparently, we had made it to somewhere near Bakersfield. As the others woke, we elected to sample the on-site eateries cuisine, for our, by now, ritual breakfast of eggs and bacon. This time I decided I'd take a risk and abandon my predilection for hash browns, mainly because they were out of hash browns, for some reason my rudimentary Spanish couldn't grasp. Anyway, I plumped for the pancakes, even though every fibre of my being screamed that it was just wrong.
I have to say that, whilst it wasn't the Wes Craven experience I expected, it will not go down as one of my favourite meals of all time.
I have to say that, whilst it wasn't the Wes Craven experience I expected, it will not go down as one of my favourite meals of all time.
Breakfast
I know that Americans like their bacon, eggs, pancakes and Maple syrup but, really, it's an unholy alliance and should be expunged from history immediately. Everything about it transcends common decency. They also cook their bacon to a crisp and if you even wave a fork anywhere near it, it shatters into a thousand little porky shards. The pancakes are soft and fluffy, the bacon cuts through them like razor blades and the eggs just don't go with the pancakes in any way, shape, or form. As for the Maple syrup? Just don't get me started. OK? Whoever thought that was a good idea? Some sick hippie, no doubt.
Whoa! I really have a bug up my ass about the pancake thing, don't I? Maybe I should get that seen to... someone make me an appointment to see Nurse Rozetta! So, replete from our Pantagruelian repast, we all waddled back to the van and recommenced our journey along the I-5, bound for the fantasy island that is Los Angeles.
Whoa! I really have a bug up my ass about the pancake thing, don't I? Maybe I should get that seen to... someone make me an appointment to see Nurse Rozetta! So, replete from our Pantagruelian repast, we all waddled back to the van and recommenced our journey along the I-5, bound for the fantasy island that is Los Angeles.
Lost Angeles
All of a sudden, it appears in front of you: El Pueblo de Nuestro Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río Porciúncula. To you, that's 'The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of the Porciúncula River' and, for the benefit of Ush, Los Angeles.
Way back in 1781, four Spanish missionaries, came to this part of Mexico, looking to found a new settlement near to the existing Indian village of Yangna. They were rather taken by this little bit of turf and set up camp. The feast of a saint had just begun and their little home-sweet-hell was named in her honour.
Way back in 1781, four Spanish missionaries, came to this part of Mexico, looking to found a new settlement near to the existing Indian village of Yangna. They were rather taken by this little bit of turf and set up camp. The feast of a saint had just begun and their little home-sweet-hell was named in her honour.
Yanquis
The first white Angeleno, or yanqui, to settle here, in 1818, was a pirate from Boston. Nothing has changed much since, LA is still full of people looking to fleece you, rob you, or kill you! Back when the Easterners first discovered the paradise of this neck of the woods, during the 1840s, the population was little more than a thousand or so.
Historically, the growth in LA's population has come in little spurts, as it were. The California gold rush swelled the population to about 2300, but most of the excitement was focused upstate. Then, in 1885, the railroad came to town, linking the town to the East coast for the first time. The population expanded rapidly, increasing to around 50,000 by 1890.
By the beginning of the 20th Century, many of the European immigrants had come west to secure their fortunes. The second wave of the seekers of the American Dream had arrived and there was little here except space, so they created their own industry; they began to realise the potential of the moving picture. This part of the world would never be the same again and by 1920, the popularity of 'movies' had grown exponentially, creating all manner of opportunities for anyone and everyone. The population bloated out to a cool million.
Historically, the growth in LA's population has come in little spurts, as it were. The California gold rush swelled the population to about 2300, but most of the excitement was focused upstate. Then, in 1885, the railroad came to town, linking the town to the East coast for the first time. The population expanded rapidly, increasing to around 50,000 by 1890.
By the beginning of the 20th Century, many of the European immigrants had come west to secure their fortunes. The second wave of the seekers of the American Dream had arrived and there was little here except space, so they created their own industry; they began to realise the potential of the moving picture. This part of the world would never be the same again and by 1920, the popularity of 'movies' had grown exponentially, creating all manner of opportunities for anyone and everyone. The population bloated out to a cool million.
The Promised Land
California was indeed the land of untold riches. It seemed as though the very ground had been blessed by a benevolent God. The soil in the valleys was rich and bore a wide range of fruits, nuts and grapes for wine. Gold had been discovered in the hills to the north, as well as in Mexico, to the south. Moreover, the burgeoning film industry had turned out to be a license to print money. Then, in 1930, black gold was discovered locally; the population doubled, almost overnight. With the wars came the aircraft industry, creating jobs and wealth and the new suburbs south of the city, to house the workers.
Today, LA is the largest city in California, with a population of almost 4 million in the city proper, compared with around ¾ million in San Francisco and 1.2 million in San Diego. There are almost 10 million people in LA County alone, and within a 60 mile radius of the city centre, there are some 16 million inhabitants, or roughly half the population of California. If LA County were a country in it's own right, its gross product would rank it 19th in the world, above Sweden and Switzerland!
After what had turned out to be a six hour total journey, we neared LA. I was surprised to be able to even see the skyline, let alone take pictures of it. I had been told that the smog was really bad, that it stung your eyes, got on your chest and cloaked the city in a toxic yellow cloud of death. Well, maybe I exaggerated that last one but, it was supposed to be quite bad, these days, they say. What do they know, whoever they may be. Bollocks to them!
Today, LA is the largest city in California, with a population of almost 4 million in the city proper, compared with around ¾ million in San Francisco and 1.2 million in San Diego. There are almost 10 million people in LA County alone, and within a 60 mile radius of the city centre, there are some 16 million inhabitants, or roughly half the population of California. If LA County were a country in it's own right, its gross product would rank it 19th in the world, above Sweden and Switzerland!
After what had turned out to be a six hour total journey, we neared LA. I was surprised to be able to even see the skyline, let alone take pictures of it. I had been told that the smog was really bad, that it stung your eyes, got on your chest and cloaked the city in a toxic yellow cloud of death. Well, maybe I exaggerated that last one but, it was supposed to be quite bad, these days, they say. What do they know, whoever they may be. Bollocks to them!
Sunset Boulevard
I nearly had to reach for the Kleenex when I saw this sign! I figured that if I hadn't got here by the time I was 40, I never would. So, I was 7 days late...
There is something magical and otherworldly about Sunset Blvd. No prizes for guessing that Billy Wilder's marvelous movie is a particular favourite of mine. William Holden and Gloria Swanson are excellent, of course, but it is Erich von Stroheim as Max, who is just in another league that completely that does it for me. Of course, I'm biased, as von Stroheim was the director of one of my all-time top ten movies; Greed, which is the movie version of Frank Norris' awesome novel, McTeague, which was set, partly, in San Francisco and Oakland. (And that's another reason why I had sought out Polk St in San Francisco.)
There is something magical and otherworldly about Sunset Blvd. No prizes for guessing that Billy Wilder's marvelous movie is a particular favourite of mine. William Holden and Gloria Swanson are excellent, of course, but it is Erich von Stroheim as Max, who is just in another league that completely that does it for me. Of course, I'm biased, as von Stroheim was the director of one of my all-time top ten movies; Greed, which is the movie version of Frank Norris' awesome novel, McTeague, which was set, partly, in San Francisco and Oakland. (And that's another reason why I had sought out Polk St in San Francisco.)
Anyway, Sunset Blvd. actually starts in downtown LA and winds westward for more than 20 miles to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, it passes through Hollywood (two blocks south of Hollywood Blvd.), becoming Sunset Strip as it passes through West Hollywood. It then takes in Beverly Hills, Bel-Air and the Santa Monica mountains, coming to and end near Malibu.
For an excellent, detailed interactive tour along Sunset, click on the link below, which will take you to the most excellent Seeing Stars website.
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Streets/SunsetBlvd.shtml
Click here for the next bit
For an excellent, detailed interactive tour along Sunset, click on the link below, which will take you to the most excellent Seeing Stars website.
http://www.seeing-stars.com/Streets/SunsetBlvd.shtml
Click here for the next bit