seedy LA, lovely San Francisco

This is a posting on how horrible LA really is and how much I am enjoying San Francisco.

LA is lots of noise, seedy streets, and not at all glamourous (unless your a multi-millionaire). I can't believe LA was so horrible - Hollywood is not worth seeing, and Broadway is a joke! The only amazing thing about Hollywood (apart from the number of tourists there) is the number of stars on the street - it makes you realise how pointless it is to follow any of their lives as there are so many it's a waste of time spending your money on your favourite only to change it the next again week. The hostel in LA was crap (excuse the language but rubbish was not a describable word for that particular hostel). They had no idea on any events going on in the city, did not know their way about so were useless for orientation and were particularly unhelpful ending in me getting annoyed at being handed a phone with someone on the end after asking a question about Sam Francisco. I asked if there were any events on in San Fran. as I was having a lot of trouble booking a hostel - the guy did not even listen to what I was asking him, did something on the computer, dialed a number at the same time, handed me the phone with someone on the end not having a clue who it was, and never said a word to me. The guy on the other end of the phone did the same did not even listen to what I was asking him, assumed I was asking something totally different, managed to convince himself I made an appointment on the phone for him to visit me in 5 mins. Then I chucked the phone down, and muttered something about the uselessness of the hostel at which point the guy at the desk got 'upset' - idiot!
The guy on the phone turned up at the hostel 5 mins later and still tried not to listen to me (I really wanted to let hime meet my fist till he stopped being such an flipp'n twat but I restrained myself) but I got through to him in the end and was right he was useless as he could give me no info at all!

I went to City Hall in LA right to the top, downtown, Farmers market, Hollywood and others that took me 3 days (far to long in LA)! I left for San Francisco ( a very good decision) I took the Amtrak train - double decker, air conditioned and pressurised compartments. I boarded at 10. I had to check in at 9 so I left 2 hours early to get through the 'rush hour traffic'. What a joke! The only reason I can see the LA people moan about rush hour is because although they live miles from their workplace they still want to take 1/2 hour to get to work and so all leave at the same time - no-one takes account of everyone else eidgits! I was in in plenty of time! I even had time to have breakfast at the municipal water department - very nice and I needed ID to get through. Then I sat people watching in the station for about 3/4 hour. It was very funny. No-one could see what I was laughing about which was even funnier.

(teeny wee dogs you could trample on do cause havoc in the streets)(and if you think that the little stupid dogs on 'The Osbournes' are the only ones in the city like that - being carried everywhere and doing God knows what - you're wrong there are loads of them) Scary LA!

The Amtrak train was 1 hour late - this is a record! Anything short of 5 hours is a congratulations in American terms for Amtrak from LA to San Francisco. Quite shocking and the trains are slower than the cars, buses and lorries on the highways.

San Fran is so nice. Very hilly though. My cold has taken off as well though - I am now loaded with it and it's showing no sign of leaving. I will leave San Fran for another entry but I have been here a few days and a few days more I will stay.

PS it's so nice to see that my family is 'talking' when I read the comments of my blog. So glad they get on SO well.