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A Travel Diary

Los Angeles 2008

Hollywood, the La Brea Tar Pits & the SoCal coast — November 2008

25Photographs

5Days

5Places

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Hello from LA

A Thanksgiving-week trip to Southern California: the Hollywood sign up in the hills, the prehistoric ooze of the La Brea Tar Pits, an afternoon among the rays and sharks at the aquarium, and long grey-sky walks on the Venice and Santa Monica sand. Tap any photo to enlarge it, or open the map.

Day 1

Sun 23 Nov

The Hollywood Hills

The Hollywood Hills — The Hollywood HillsThe Hollywood sign on its hillside, exactly where it should be.

The Hollywood Hills — The Hollywood HillsChaparral and canyon, with a little white sign making it unmistakable.

The Hollywood Hills — The Hollywood HillsThe Hollywood sign on its hillside, exactly where it should be.

Day 2

Mon 24 Nov

The La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsLeaves caught on the surface of the tar, the way the mammoths once were.

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsThe La Brea Tar Pits, asphalt still bubbling up after tens of thousands of years.

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsA mammoth looming in the museum, a reminder of what the tar once trapped.

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsLeaves caught on the surface of the tar, the way the mammoths once were.

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsA mammoth looming in the museum, a reminder of what the tar once trapped.

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsA mammoth looming in the museum, a reminder of what the tar once trapped.

The La Brea Tar Pits — The La Brea Tar PitsThe La Brea Tar Pits, asphalt still bubbling up after tens of thousands of years.

Day 3

Tue 25 Nov

Los Angeles after dark

Los Angeles after dark — Los Angeles after darkHeadlights and palm-tree silhouettes - LA in the dark.

Los Angeles after dark — Los Angeles after darkLos Angeles after dark, all tail-lights and neon.

Day 4

Thu 27 Nov

The aquarium

The aquarium — The aquariumRays and reef and the underwater glow of the aquarium.

The aquarium — The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.

The aquarium — The aquariumA leopard shark idling along the bottom of the tank.

The aquarium — The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.

The aquarium — The aquariumRays and reef and the underwater glow of the aquarium.

The aquarium — The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.

The aquarium — The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.

The aquarium — The aquariumA leopard shark idling along the bottom of the tank.

The aquarium — The aquariumThe touch pool, where the rays come up to say hello.

Day 5

Fri 28 Nov

Venice & Santa Monica Beach

Venice & Santa Monica Beach — Venice & Santa Monica BeachEmpty winter sand, big sky, and the ocean doing its thing.

Venice & Santa Monica Beach — Venice & Santa Monica BeachThe Pacific going silver under a low grey afternoon.

Venice & Santa Monica Beach — Venice & Santa Monica BeachEmpty winter sand, big sky, and the ocean doing its thing.

Venice & Santa Monica Beach — Venice & Santa Monica BeachThe Pacific going silver under a low grey afternoon.

Where we wandered