Los Angeles, CA

Thursday, Elizabeth, Matthew, and I explored downtown Los Angeles.  What an adventure!
We took the Metrolink from Ontario--excellent public transport.  Once in LA, we ate our way through Little Tokyo, gaped at the great architecture in the Historic District, and wandered through Chinatown…

The renovation of this building involved keeping the facade…only the facade.
I am assuming they will add rooms--smiles!

Loved all of the colors!

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Chinatown Gate

As you can see from the Chinatown photo, it was dark.  We had walked probably 9 of the 10.6 miles we hoofed that day.  (Matt got a Fitbit for Christmas, and we were monitoring distance walked.)  Although this may surprise you, we were tired!  So, we decided to take the Metro to Union Station and then over to Hollywood Highlands.  

While trying to figure out how to buy the transportation "Tap" card (or some such thing), a very nice woman told us, "No, really, Union Station is just right over there.  Follow the tracks; you'll be there so quickly!"  Well, sadly, our sore feet weren't thinking clearly.  We limped back down the station stairs to the street for our "finally leg."  We walked, and walked, and walked…Although none of us said/singed it out loud, we were all beginning to dislike that "very nice woman."  

We were totally lost.  We were in the dark--limited working streetlights. There were few, if any, people around…the largest building in the area was the "Men's Correctional Facility".  Elizabeth thought that we should probably just ask someone.  I was at a loss…the only open stores were bail bonds offices.  I wasn't convinced that we should compound our problem, but  Elizabeth took the initiative and asked an "interesting-looking" pedestrian.  He told us, with a vague wave to the East,  that Union Station would be the most easily reached by taking a short-cut.  

How much worse could it get?  (I have got to STOP thinking that!)  So, following his directions, we trudged further into the dark.  This time, into an alley.  At the end of the alley, was a flight of narrow stairs.  By feel, we successfully navigated them and found ourselves on another street.  The dude was right!  (We like him!)  There, ahead of us, lit, was Union Station!

Heck, why not?  We still wanted to visit the Walk of Fame, The Chinese Theatre etc.  Elizabeth figured-out the Metro system, and we rode to Hollywood Higlands!

Matt pictured with  Jackie Chan's star.  (Jackie Chan is his favorite actor.) 

Although Elizabeth and I both tried to protect Matt, he was still accosted by a transformer!
(Those dudes are FAST!)

The Chinese Theatre 

Neon, bright lights…no matter, it was time to rest our dogs!

What a great day…okay, yes, it was a bit harry near the Men's Correctional Facilities, but all-in-all, a DANG good day!  So, tired, but with smiles on our faces, we headed back (by Metro) to Union Station to catch a ride home on the Metrolink.  It was 9:30 p.m., and we were all thinking of our beds.

Elizabeth, being the ultimate organizer, decided to check the schedule for the next time back to Ontario…Would you believe there was only one left?  No, we hadn't missed it.  Worse, we would have to wait until 11:00.  

Okay, add to that--running time, the drive back to the house from the station, and the general mayhem of "getting to bed"…"Luckily," by 1:00 a.m., we were all tucked-in and ready to sleep.  Isn't it odd?  The next morning, we all admitted to sleeplessly tossing and turning for at least another hour after hobbling to bed.

Friday, we took it easy.  SMILES!!!