Disclaimer: The views expressed in this web log are the personal opinions of Ian D Smith, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or members of the Official Lord of the Rings fan club. Union Station

		I have never understood the American fascination with the bagel, an obsession that has recently started to spread to the UK. Until now, that is! I'd always associated bagels with hard (possibly stale) and rather tasteless bread, but realised today that it's what you add to the bagel that makes it the American institution it undoubtedly is. Happiness is "The Cheese Scramble" for breakfast - a bagle filled with scrambled egg and melted cheese, preferably washed down with an "Ice blended cappucino" (mocha flavour) which is like a cross between an iced coffee, coffee ice-cream and a slush puppy! Ah yes, this is the life! Now it really does feel like I'm on holiday! I sampled these delights at Union Station, which was blissfully quiet at around 9am (although it got a lot busier about an hour later). The building looks like anything but a central railway station - more like a Spanish Mission, and will be familiar to movie-goers the world over. As my tourist guide had indicated, I half expected to see Carole Lombard or Barbara Stanwyck stepping off a train and then sashaying their way through the impressive entrance.
The day started overcast, but by the time I'd made the 10 minutes walk from my hotel - the sun had burnt its way through the lot and it was clear it was going to become a very warm day indeed.

I would imagine that the small quadrant inside the station is an oasis of tranquility during busy rush hour. If you're waiting for a train (as the gentleman leaning against the tree, pictured right, was doing) it is hard to imagine a more idyllic setting. An ornate fountain on one side of the quadrant is surrounded by greenery and paper Chinese lanterns. Suprisingly, most passengers appeared to prefer to wait inside the main building in the large, ornate and rather square-looking chairs that are spread throughout the entrance to the main concourse. Although very cool, the concourse is also rather dark and gloomy (darker and gloomier than the photo below implies!) because of all the dark wood and somewhat minimal lighting. The ceilings are very ornate, but again extremely dark so that the overall impression given is of being inside a large church.

El Pueblo Historic Park
Just across from Union Station is the El Pueblo Historic Park. I hadn't known this when I started out, but the wonderful sound of oriental melodies from a set of wooden pipes carried on the light breeze that was blowing, and followed me around Union Station. I decided to go and investigate. On the way to the source of the music I passed a large gathering of Japanese people congregated in a large area where some sort of service seemed to be in progress. Bizarrely everyone was wearing a cowboy hat but since they appeared to be speaking in Spanish I haven't a clue what it was all about
		There is a small market of stalls in the park down a narrow side alley that turns out to be Olvera Street, where California's official "oldest building" (built some time around 1818) exists. The building has been restored to try and show the various rooms as they would have been around the time it was built. Admission is free and tourists are encouraged to wander round the various rooms of the house, which also features an open quadrant in the middle of the building, showcasing a cactus garden. It is certainly worth a visit.

Just off of Olvera Street are several other places of interest. The central park area features a stage, where the pipe player I had heard earlier was performing. Several accomplices looked to be setting up equipment for a larger concert later. Off this park area are a series of other buildings fighting for "historical" status. Just across the road from the park is the Plaza Catholic Church or "LA's oldest mission", estimated to have been built between 1818 and 1822. This was easily the most popular tourist attraction in the area, with a number of stalls and a food bar immediately outside the front entrance. Somehow this all seemed a bit tacky, and reminded me of the biblical story of Jesus and the money lenders. Perhaps most importantly of all, it is near here where the main Information kiosk can be found. There are lots of free photocopied sheets to guide you around the area and tell you a little about the park. In addition you can pick up a free copy of the weekly "Los Angles Weekly Downtown News" which will give you some clues as to where else to visit in downtown LA.

One big advantage of there being so many historical buildings in the area is that it attracts a lot of tourists with cameras, which means that if you're visiting on your own there is usually someone around who will offer to take your photo to add that "human interest" element (riiiiiiiiight!) This area does get very busy, and so I would recommend visiting it before 10am to get the best photo opportunities. After my morning of culture, it was time to return to the hotel for a quick refresher before my afternoon excursion....

Golden Apple Comics

My excuse for visiting Golden Apple Comics again (I managed a quick trip to see them back in March) was to try and get some back issues of a title that Diamond had "forgotten" to order for the UK for my local comic book supplier, Avalon Comics in Clapham. As you can imagine, when your customers have collected the first 39 issues of a title, only to find that the 40th just isn't available, life can get a bit difficult if you're the store staff responsible for keeping your customers happy.

Beverly Hills is about 6 miles away from Downtown LA, so it behoves me to use a ubiquitous yellow cab to make my journey. Reading the tarrif board inside the cab I see that any ride from the airport to downtown LA has a single fare of $30, so those Ringers coming next week and considering the Super Shuttle might want to weigh up the advantages of having a more direct route to their destination for not much more than double the Super Shuttle price. Alas, the required issues are not available at Golden Comics (if you're reading this Mike and Bruce don't panic - I will try other vendors at Comic-Con next week), nor are a couple of hard-to-find back issues I was looking for myself. However it's not all bad news. There are enough back issues I am interested in to have made the trip worthwhile. More importantly I have managed to visit the store during a special sale which offers a blanket 20% discount on all purchases. I take advantage of the offer - perhaps too much advantage! Expect tomorrow's log entry to consist of nothing more than a photo of the inside of my hotel room and a long review of a bunch of comics, LOL! The taxi back to the hotel only adds to the expense of today, and I decide to spend the rest of the afternoon having a little siesta and reading my tourist guide to plan tomorrow (with a trip to Paramount Studios already on the agenda, but little else). However, on reading the previously mentioned "Downtown News" I discover that the area I am staying in is called "Little Tokyo" and also that the winner of the "Best Wholesale Secret" is Santee Alley in the Fashion District, not far from my hotel. The write-up of the award mentions that the weekend is the time to go and since Macy's is nearby and I need to go there too (in my haste I have not packed enough socks or underwear for this trip) I set off on foot, deciding to walk from 1st Street to 7th Street via Los Angeles Street.

Santee Alley

		Travelling on foot proves a rather hazardous business. I choose a major road, Los Angeles Street, to get to Santee Alley, but between 2nd and 4th Street the increasing number of tents and then cardboard boxes alert me to the fact that I am entering the Homeless Zone. Suddenly I hit cardboard city, something much much bigger than what Londers might be used to seeing. It is giveaway time at the local mission and the street is full of down and outs and wino's and as the only white face around it becomes very intimidating. A drunk wino tries to hassle me for a dollar. In London a rejection would result in "Have a nice day" - some sort of attempt to make you feel guilty for not helping out. Here the response is a more succinct "F*** you too!"
Santee Alley proves something of a disappointment since, even though it's only 4pm, the heat seems to be encouraging most of the stall holders to pack up early. I get my socks but feel no great need to buy one of the many bootleg CDs on offer or any of the "designer" bags or t-shirts.

Attention: Film Crew at Work

Heading for Macey's, along 7th Street, I suddenly realise there is a crowd ahead, some rather bright lights... and a couple of cop cars. Is there trouble ahead? The cop cars reverse up and then suddenly charge forward, screeching to a halt with the cops inside rushing out to speak to someone in the crowd in best American TV cop show fashion. Not real cops then! Yesterday, the shuttle driver had commented that there was always some filming going on in downtown LA. We'd passed a car on a trailer being filmed by a couple of camera's following alongside it, and watched in some amusement at the chaos the filming was causing. And now, here I was again, in the middle of another shoot! There are lots of security guys around talking through walkie-talkies with t-shirts emblazened "Security Strike Force" - at this stage I wonder if Strike Force is the name of the security company or the name of a film being made. As I walk past the crew I realise that the first three rows of cars are all really old bangers, with a hip Hispanic crowd of extra's all bunched up behind them. Have I walked onto the set of "The Fast and the Furious II" perhaps? Oddly, one of the cars has a drum kit built into its roof! All becomes clear as the director yells "Action" The old wrecks at the front rush forward with the crowd following them, screech to a halt at the lights opposite the cop cars, there's a slamming of car doors as four individuals run out of the cars and jump on the roofs and suddenly an American rock thrash rents the air as the band strike up various poses with the extra's all thumping their arms in the air. Just another ordinary day in Los Angeles I guess!

Dining Out

		After a few purchases at Macy's time is pushing on - it's now after 6pm and I haven't eaten since breakfast. Central Market, an indoor market selling fresh fish and vegetables and a variety of Mexican and fried food, somehow doesn't appeal (fast food is becoming a bore) and I'm feeling pretty tired so decide to try the hotel restaurant, which specialises in Japanese cuisine. A simple inquiry of the hotel receptionist reveals that there is no dress code and that the shorts and Polo shirt I am wearing will be acceptable - just as well as I'm feeling too tired to want to shower and change (slob!) Arriving at the restaurant I realise it's more a case of being desperate for business - any business - rather than not having any dress code. The place is deserted, except for staff. The formal staff make me feel very under-dressed. I decide however to try and bluff it out - big mistake!
Feeling adventurous I decide to go for the Chef's Special Menu, which contains a variety of items like appetizer and soup which are not named. Alas, any attempts to show off an affected adventurous or sophisticated palette are soon dashed when, barely 30 seconds into my starter (salmon croquettes which were excellent) the waitress rushes over (well, the closest thing to rushing a Japanese waitress can manage) and offers to replace my chopsticks with a knife and fork. My lack of sophistication is further signalled when the background oriental music suddenly stops, to be replaced by The Pet Shop Boys singing "So Hard" at a significantly enhanced volume. Undeterred, I try to maintain my cultured exterior, only to have my facade dashed yet again when the rice dish turns up - accompanied by a plastic bottle of Heinz tomatoe ketchup and a smiling speech that can be summarised as "We thought, being an ignorant Brit, you might like this!"! Maybe sometimes it's better NOT to attempt to "go native" after all! Click here for report for July 29th - Lessons Learnt and Trip to the Egyptian Theatre