United States > The Hollywood letters

In the middle of the night, I am wide awake. I’m still not used to the eight-hour time difference with Japan. Fortunately, I fall back asleep. At half past seven, the alarm wakes me up. Time for our first day of vacation in America. We’re going to explore Los Angeles. Next to the hotel, at Denny’s, we order an omelet with coffee.

United States - The stars along Hollywood Boulevard

Very American. After breakfast, we set out. From the Griffith Observatory, I have a view of the Hollywood sign. The 15-meter-high letters were originally put up in 1923 as an advertisement. Later, it was decided to leave them standing. Several fundraising campaigns have been held over the years to restore the letters. It’s remarkable to see the Hollywood Sign with your own eyes—a landmark that has appeared in so many films. From here, I also have a view of Los Angeles. The skyscrapers of downtown LA stand like shadows against the horizon. On the other side, the skyline of Santa Monica is visible, with the ocean behind it. At the base of the hill lies Hollywood Boulevard. On the boulevard, there are 2,500 tiles honoring famous film stars. As I walk along the sidewalk, I read the names. Most are unfamiliar, but occasionally I spot a recognizable one. Aside from the star tiles, the boulevard is actually quite quiet. I had expected more activity here. On Sunset Boulevard, a street parallel to Hollywood Boulevard, there is more life on the street. There is definitely more activity at the beach near Santa Monica. Many people are around the Santa Monica Pier. The pier is full of entertainment: a roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, and numerous souvenir vendors.

United States - Fishing net drying in the sun

Many are selling Route 66 memorabilia. The Santa Monica Pier is the official endpoint of Route 66. For us, this is the starting point. We mark this moment with a photo. The beach is also busy. Many people enjoy the beautiful weather, either on the sand or in the water. At Muscle Beach, men display their strength on the numerous exercise equipment. Seeing and being seen is important here. We prefer to sit at a café and have a drink. In the afternoon, we drive along Santa Monica Boulevard by the beach to Venice Beach. Afterwards, we continue to the famous neighborhoods of Beverly Hills and Bel Air. Driving in the evening rush hour is not easy. At every traffic light, we have to wait. Soon, we turn into the residential areas, taking streets at random. We pass large villas, enormous gates, and impressive driveways. This is where the richest people in Los Angeles live. It seems that the higher we go, the bigger the houses get. Once it gets dark, we drive back to the main road. The navigation leads us back to our hotel. In a beer café, we order a burger with fries. After all, we are in America.