Downtown LA

Our intention today was to explore the mainly non-tourist Civic Centre area and we heaeded there on the Metro. The latter is now pretty well bedded-in and predictably now caters for some questionable riders. A homless lady had set up camp in a corner of our carriage and was pretty much set on being there for the day. This wasn't really a problem to us but when a yound guy with 'problems' of his own boarded, he soon voiced some issues about the lady concerned. Receiving a null response, he surrendered and sat down, near us! He clearly enjoyed the sound of his own voice and when a big and disheveled (Nick Nolte) lookalike entered the carriage and began to scan the  overhead Metro map, he was soon treated to some verbal abuse. However, when the big guy turned round and gave him a Chewbacca-style  response, many apolagies ensued. Foolishly the big guy asked his verbal abuser which stop was 'County Hall', to which the smart-arse dude prompted him to get off the train and head in the other direction! Anyway, we made it to the 7th Street Metro Hub and from there struck out on foot to City Hall.

We rode the elevator tothe 26th floor and looked out over LA, from on high. What a big city!

From here, we explored the nearby park area and rode on the downtown fenicular railway. We took in the Disney Centre, home of the LA Symphonic, and then were fortunate enough to get standby entry to 'The Broad'. The latter is home to a collection of some fabulous pieces collected by a very wealthy and philanthropic couple, by the name of 'Broad'. Pat name-dropped, saying that she had seen some of the pieces previously, in Versailles!

By late afternoon, we'd seen enough and after briefly calling into the Grand Central Food Market, we headed back to base on the Metro, along with a few other strange people!

As for today's musical reminder, it has to be by an ex-resident of Laurel Canyon, from the album LA Woman; 'Riders on the Storm'