My Los Angeles 2004 Vacation Comes to an End

I'm back home in Missouri now after almost a full week in Los Angeles. I had a great time, and I was able to do a lot more that I could last time I was there. Plus I was in perfect health this time - last time I had a cold.

Cost wise, I didn't do too bad; about $1,620 for the entire trip. That includes air fare, lodging, meals, car rental, parking, sightseeing, souvenirs - everything. It was well worth every penny.

That's it for now... thanks for listening.

More Plane Watching at LAX

After spending a couple of hours at Venice Beach, it was time to head to LAX to watch more planes come in. Oh, and to get some lunch at the In-N-Out Burger, of course. It was a little sad, too, knowing that I would be back at LAX bright and early the next morning, not as a plane watcher, but as a passenger.

Large metal letters proclaim to drivers on Sepulveda that they're now at LAX.

My plane watching perch.

The airport.

More of the airport.

A Southwest Airlines 737 comes in to land.

An Air Force plane flies overhead.

Return to Venice Beach

You might recall that I spent a few days in Venice Beach at the end of 2002. I stayed at the Inn at Venice Beach on that trip, so Venice was my base of operations. This trip, I'm staying in Hollywood, so Thursday was the only day I visited Venice.

Looking up the beach from the Washington entrance.

Waves coming in.

Steel sculpture.

Bicyclists enjoying the day.

Beach art.

They call it Muscle Beach for a reason.

Scenery.

Walkway.

On the weekends, this place is packed. Still, there are a lot of people for a Thursday.

Tattoo, anyone? This is one of probably 20 in the area.

A final shot from the pier.

The Los Angeles Zoo

Wednesday found me at the Los Angeles Zoo. As I've said before, I like to go to zoos of the cities I visit. The L. A. Zoo is very large, and is located in Griffith Park. The following photos are just a few of the many taken that day at the zoo. If you would like more information about the Los Angeles Zoo, follow the link in the Landmarks I've Visited section.

The Flamingo area.

More of the Flamingo area.


There's a bear in the zoo.

And a Rhinoceros.

A member of the antelope family.

Arid landscape appropriate for Los Angeles.

A nice place to rest in the shade.

They have bougainvillea in Los Angeles.

A giraffe reaches for leaves.

Giraffe.

Chimpanzee.

A playful elephant.

Zebra.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

On Tuesday of the vacation, I went to a taping of Last Comic Standing at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. After it was over, there was enough time to head over to Simi Valley to visit the Reagan Presidential Library. Politics aside, it hadn't been long since the former president had died, so I wanted to go see the library. More information about the library can be found by following the link in the Landmarks I've Visited section.

The sign at the entrance.

The road and sidewalk leading to the entrance. The entrance is behind me.

President Reagan's limousine.

Courtyard in front of the entrance.

Some of the mementos left by mourners following President Reagan's death.

Reagan was from Dixon, Illinois.

A recreation of President Reagan's boyhood home in Dixon.

Mr. Reagan rode in this Mustang while campaigning for Governor of California.

Inside the library, there is an exact replica of the Oval Office as it was when Mr. Reagan was President of the United States.

Given the president's involvement in bringing down the Berlin Wall, it is only fitting that part of it is on display here. The only other piece of the Wall I have personally seen is at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri.

The grounds behind the library.

Another view of the grounds behind the library.

The library is located on the top of a hill; this is the view facing, I believe, northwest. There was a little haze in that direction.

Fellow visitors approach President Reagan's final resting place.

President Ronald Reagan's final resting place. The day after I was here, the headstone was installed.

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

On Monday, July 26, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the taping of the Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Guests that night were Tom Arnold, and Gregg and Evan Spiridellis. The Spiridellis brothers are know for their political cartoons on jibjab.com. The musical guest was Morris Day. It was quite fun, but obviously, no photos allowed.

La Brea Tar Pits and the George Page Museum

After Beverly Hills, I found I still had enough time to go to the La Brea Tar Pits before I had to be in Burbank for the Tonight Show taping. For more information about the Tar Pits, as well as the George C. Page Museum, follow the link in the Landmarks I've Visited section.

One would not want to drink from this pond.

The George C. Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries.

A display of animal skulls found in the pits.

A mastodon found at the site.

The mastodon.

Museum grounds.

Los Angeles Art Museum, next door to the Page.

I came across a spot where tar was coming through the ground.

Museum grounds.

Sign.