Silent Thunder does L.A.

I spent the last week in Los Angeles. Against my better judgement, I really enjoyed it. My first time to see the city (although I've spent time in northern California before). I imagined it as being plastic and soulless, and I'm sure much of it is, but there was great beauty there. Booming down Laurel Canyon in a fire-engine read Mustang convertable, shades on and tunes blasting, living the cliche. Rolling around Sunset Strip, then heading down to the beaches, which were remarkably unspoiled for such a big city. There was a lot of diversity in environment and weather. Beautiful flora, smell of flowers in the air. The hills are much more lush and green than I imagined.

The amount of raw luxury on display was staggering given what we read about the economy...I had grim visions of the beautiful Beverly Hills estates and Hollywood bungalows in flames at the hands of an irate mob...but for now at least, the beauty, wide streets, good food, and easy laid-back hospitality of the city remains impressive. I now understand why millions want to live in a place that had always seemed hellish in my imagination. A good reminder that preconceptions are not reliable.

To quote the intro monologue from "The big Lebowski":

See, they call Los Angeles the "City Of Angels"; but I didn't find it to be that, exactly. But I'll allow it as there are some nice folks there. 'Course I ain't never been to London, and I ain't never seen France. And I ain't never seen no queen in her danged undies, so the feller says. But I'll tell you what - after seeing Los Angeles, and this here story I'm about to unfold, well, I guess I seen somethin' every bit as stupefyin' as you'd seen in any of them other places. And in English, too.

[edit on 3/24/10 by silent thunder]