RTW: Exchange in Chile

Escape from LA

Asi es compas, I arrived in Mexicali, Mexico!

It is almost as coming back home after a month of travelling. Los Angeles had not changed, if possible the latin influence just grew as in places I would hear more Spanish than English. Lucky I can manage both, it was not just once or twice than some people were talking about me behind my back and were a bit amazed as I corrected thier suspicions in Spanish.

On a general level, the prices are a bit lower than in Finland. Bic Mac country sells its goods at 1,99 USD and in a combo at 3,65 USD -but that does not really tell the price level here as this is simply THE place for fast food. One thing that I had already forgotten and that actually annoys me a lot is the addition of VAT on the price. So that the above mentioned prices are actually 2,16 USD (1,81 euros) and 3,96 USD (3,35 euros). The people then.. well, I have been critisized of speaking harshly of the Americans -let me clarify that I have nothing personally against them, it is just the picture the majority of them gives out to me that is unfotunately somewhat negative. This trip to LA brought up some of the not-so good qualities, but also some better: I met some older men in a sandwich house queue and once they found out I was from Finland they just insisted on offering me a dinner in exchange of some stories about Finland and my RTW trip. On the other side of the coin Americans are quite open, friendly and immediate.

But, about LA.. This, like most of America, is not designed for people who do not have cars. The public transport system is a joke for a metropoly the size of LA. Or, better put, the system might be defined as merely faulty, but the information about the buses etc. is so non-existent that whoever is responsible should quit their jobs, make worldwide public apologies and get a nice job in something that has nothing to do with service to other people. It does not help at all that all the locals have cars and when questioned, they go: "Well, I think some buses pass from there but I have no idea where.." Luckily I was not in a hurry to get anywhere.


Where I actually got to was a hotel in Venice beach. I would at this point thank my friend Sami for recommending it, as despite the high price it was a great place to stay. Literally AT the beach! From there I went to see the sights at Santa Monica (but did not manage to catch any Baywatch babes) and Hollywood. In Hollywood I accidently stumbled upon the Governator's star on the walk of fame, and there you have it:


But the absolutely greatest thing about the time I spent in LA was in the Lakers game. Though it was all Lakers and no Jazz, the atmosphere was something else. That is something you can not get in Finland.. Well, anyway, Kobe was just playing around and stepped in only when the feeble other players of Lakers couldn't keep the gap (especially Kwame Brown was a total underacheiver). The game ended at some 94-86 but it really was all about Kobe and had he made the effort the numbers would have been very different. Luckily there were some awesome dunks (alley-oops!) and blocks to see. (The pic is 30 mins before game, at the game they actually had almost a full house..)

posted by Kassu @ 11:32 AM