My final day in Long Beach Tom and I went into L.A. to a protest outside the Brazilian embassy, organised in support of those protesting within Brazil. What began as protests against an increase in bus and subway fares has become a nationwide uprising about the worsening inequality, corruption and police violence, and in particular a constitutional amendment known as the PEC 37. It was great to be able to get out and support them, but I was surprised at the relatively small numbers given the size of L.A.!! Check outwww.brazilianprotests.tumblr.com to see more on these protests.
We also checked out the La Brea tar pit, a bizzare lake which is the result of an asphalt quarry in the nineteenth century. It has since filled with rain and groundwater, and is covered in a permanent oil slick due to asphalt leaking from fissures in the bottom of the lake. Natural gas also bubbles to the surface. Some 100 tons of epic fossil bones have been excavated from the area, as the asphalt seeps were something of a death trap for Ice Age mammals. For you geology geeks, this is known as the Rancho La Brea deposit, look it up! One ubiquitous sight in L.A. is Mexican food, and I just can’t get enough!! Sooo tasty. I have also tried Salvadorian food, and was equally delighted – plantains are freaking delicious. This city is a cultural melting pot, and you can travel the world through your belly. Suits me to a tee :) I spent an afternoon wandering around the waterfront area of Long Beach. I met a Hawaiian street vendor with the most beautiful tattoo of a hammerhead shark, much like Maori ta moko style. He offered to take me to the waterfront aquarium with his free pass if I came back tommorow, but it was my last day there. A couple of young guys were doing the most amazing tricks on bmx bikes, I sat and watched them for awhile. Lots of tourists around, and a woman in high heels walking around with a great big white snake around her neck. An eccentric city for sure. Venice / Santa Monica Beach I arrived in Venice on a Sunday evening, perfect timing because every Sunday there’s an epic drum circle on Venice beach. We caught the end of it, and just as we walked over the police began to break it up. As layer after layer of participants was removed, the inner circle of drummers determinedly drummed on, and there were people shouting, both angrily at the police, and happily yahoo-ing with the joy that only a drum circle can bring. As the last drum finished up, everyone was howling an cheering and it was so awesomely uplifting. The next day I spent more time exploring Venice and Santa Monica beaches with a friend Chris, who I met a week earlier. We rode the rollercoaster on the Santa Monica pier, had a basketball shootout and got the best burgers for lunch. Venice boulevard was so freaking entertaining, people selling everything you could think of, including bum signs (of which I saw some goodies! Such as “So sick of bitches bitching about bitches”), heaps of arts n crafts, medical marijuana licenses, and so on.. One guy was selling “shitty advice from a tipsy hippie” – “it’s not good, but it’s worth a dollar!” That night Chris took me into Hollywood to look around, and we had the most amazing sushi for dinner, before going salsa dancing in this awesome restaurant with great live music. It was madly packed, with people dancing all in between the tables and everywhere, such a buzz!
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I am a conservation field worker in New Zealand. I love mountains, sunrises, river swims, barefeet, cold beer, campfires, live music and whiskey. Archives
December 2014
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