Santa-Monica

18th October 2009 Our last day in the States and we were determined to see the Hollywood sign before we left. We took the Mulholland Drive scenic road to a view point overlooking the Hollywood Bowl and downtown LA (rising out of the smog). Then we went to the Hollywood and Highland Shopping Centre which is another good place to see the sign and also includes the Kodak Theater and Mr Mann’s Chinese Theater, so we relented and parked up to wander along Hollywood Boulevard, where Claire found Anthony Hopkins (from Port Talbot!) and we popped into Mr Mann’s Chinese Theater to star spot the hands and signatures in concrete. ...

17th October 2009 We were only driving 20 miles south today to our final motel before flying out on Sunday, but we decided to take the scenic route. We headed back to our old friend the Pacific Coast Highway and drove through Malibu with its roadside beaches and beachfront homes. Then we saw a pier with a ferris wheel on it heralding our arrival in Santa Monica. We parked up for a few hours to wander along the pier thronged with people enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. There were also plenty of people on the beach and in the water. Before returning to the car, we walked along the promenade above the beach. ...