Around Los Angeles

 I was too tired to write anything last night, Thursday, July 25, so let me get caught up.

On Wednesday evening, I found myself on 1st Street, between the Little Tokyo Metro Station, and my hotel.   There is a block of small Japanese cafes, several of which have waiting lists at the door.   I chose one at random and had a delicious bowl of ramen with beef, and some dumplings.

Thursday morning I decided to take the Metro A train to Long Beach.   Along the way, I took a detour to stand on a bridge above the Alameda Trench.    This is a long stretch of Union Pacific and BNSF multiple tracks, leading from the Port of Los Angeles, to the rail yards North and East of downtown Los Angeles.    Much of the trench is below street level, saving many miles of grade-level street crossings.    An incredible amount of container come from Asia, through Los Angeles/Long Beach, and on into the interior of America.

in Long Beach I visited the Aquarium.   Many summer camp groups.   My favorite exhibit was an aviary full of lorikeets!   You can buy a little cup of nectar and most of the time, the lorikeets would come over and drink the nectar, sometimes while perched on the child's arm!   There did not seem to be any rhyme or reason as to which bird would feed, and which child would be favored with this experience!  

Lorikeet on a child's hand, being fed nectar.

A note to my readers in Houston:   I traveled 2000 miles to see a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron in an enclosure!    The picture did not turn out, but keep in mind, I find juvenile Night Heron in my yard every Spring!

From the aquarium, I booked a 45 minute harbor tour (cue theme music from Gilligan's Island) which showed me, I guess, what I really wanted to see - Long Beach Harbor with ships, the Queen Mary, and the biggest container port in North America.

I apologize in advance, here, but I am going to do what I said I would not do, and that is get political.

The Supreme Court recently told cities and states they can push the homeless out of various places.   While I was riding around Los Angeles, I read that the California governor has now ordered cities to start doing just that.   Aside from the lack of compassion that we, as a "Christian Nation" are supposed to have, just where the heck are all of these down-and-out people going to go?   Is this the beginning of "Soylent Green?"  Los Angeles has a bigger problem with the homeless than even Houston, who claims to be fixing the problem, until you notice they are simply relocating from downtown Houston to, say, Southwest Houston.  We went to the moon, we cured polio and small pox, and I can move pictures from my phone to my laptop and share them with you in a timely manner.    Surely we can come up with a solution to homelessness!   I just filled out a survey about my Amtrak journey.   There were several questions asking about homelessness in the Amtrak Train Stations.  It's a problem that needs to be seriously addressed.

Next rant, and this will be the last one - I returned to the Little Tokyo area of Downtown Los Angeles, about two blocks from my hotel.   The National Japanese-American Museum was open until 8:00 on Thursday, so I went in.   The majority of the exhibits discussed the mass incarceration, without due process, of about 120,000 Japanese-Americans, most of whom were born in the US, and all of whom, were quite loyal to the US.   President Roosevelt ordered this in early 1942, shortly after Pearl Harbor, despite absolutely no proof that these people were a military threat to our country.   As a matter of fact, the FBI had a report in 1941 from one of their agents who had done the research, that the Japanese-Americans were fine citizens, even disgustingly patriotic.   But, our country does not have a good record of treating others, who look different, very well.   Note that the Army finally allowed a number of these Japanese-Americans to join, forming the 422nd Regimental Combat Team, and sent them to Italy and eventually Germany, where this regiment proceeded to earn more combat medals and suffer higher casualties than any other Army unit.

Japanese-American artist created these from tree limbs and roots while in a "relocation camp"

This painting, by JT Sata is featured in several places.   His drawings, paintings and photos are very haunting.

This barracks/home was disassembled from it's camp location and reassembled in the museum by later generation Japanese-Americans who were trying to achieve some closure to all of this.

It should be noted, me being of German-American ancestry, that there was NO mass incarceration or rounding up of German-Americans.   Yet, unlike the Japanese-Americans, there WERE instances of Germany-Americans landing on the East Coast with the intent to commit espionage and sabotage of American facilities, to include a plan to blow up the Pennsylvania Railroad at the famous Horseshoe Curve.

What bothers me is that I can see the attitude in America right now to blame some group for all of our problems, and expel them, or even execute them!   So far, these extremists cannot make up their minds who they hate the most:  undocumented aliens (my favorite DACA dreamert just graduated from U of Houston), Muslims, LGBTQ, I don't know, almost anyone who is not just like  ......    And there seems to be growing admiration for dictators and even fictional cannibals!    Go figure!

OK, I'm done now.

Another interesting place to visit in Downtown Los Angeles is the "Last Bookstore."    This is probably the largest collection of used books in the country.   Upon asking directions to a few sections, I was advised to go upstairs, through the tunnel of books (quite literally!) and look to my heart's content.   There are all manner of books to include an entire area where old books are organized by COLOR! if you are looking for decorative books.   The lady at the desk did her best to help me find my obscure books, but though she found mention in her computer, she could not find them on the shelves!   I was worried about finding my way back out of there, but I eventually did.    Interesting.   Worth a visit.

This morning, Friday, I managed to make it to the station to catch the 8:13 Amtrak that stopped across the street from Burbank Airport, and easily made it to the plane.   I had a pleasant, if bumpy ride back to Houston.

Burbank-Bob Hope Airport is easy to reach by train from Union Station.   Short, protected walk.

My napkin, on Southwest Airlines.   The airline was born from this drawing on a napkin, over 50 years ago.

While at a cafe in the Airport, I struck up a conversation with two young men at the next table, asking them something about the Los Angeles Angels.   They, in turn, wanted to know about this Houstonian they have heard about - Mattress Mack!    The man is known everywhere!   These guys were on their way to Vegas for a Bachelor Party.   I wished the groom luck and offered him two words to keep his marriage strong:  "YES DEAR!"   He wrote them down!

While waiting for my plane I noticed the video the middle schooler was watching next to me.   CAT VIDEOS!    They really do exist!

So, I am home, my first load of laundry is ready for the dryer, and all three bags have been unpacked!     ...... Wait, the second load has been started.

Let me load these pictures and I will say Good Night.    There is a pillow in the next room, calling my name.

I hope that my next adventure will be in early October, to New England and a number of presidential sites, museums, homes and even a few railroad attractions.  

By the way, I am certain that my misuse of capitalization will drive an owner of the MLA Style Manual crazy!   Keep in mind, I am not writing this for a grade!

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The Getty Center

 I know, you are going to tell me I live in a different world. . . . ., but that's OK, because they know me there!    I am in Los Angeles, Day Three.   I came specifically to visit the Nixon and Reagan Libraries, and to ride on Amtrak.  I met my goals, so now I am just wandering.

I came across some notes last week about transportation that might not be on the maps.   I posted a picture of the Angel Flight Funicular the other night.   Well, there is a people mover here in LA that floats on air like a hovercraft.   It runs between the parking garage and the Getty Center, basically one hill to another.   A bonus was getting to see a world-class art museum.

I took the Metro E train towards Santa Monica and transferred to the 671 bus at Expo/Sepulveda.   Along the way, we passed the LA Colessium, USC, and UCLA.   Also rode past Bel Air (not Bellaire!) and saw that gas in LA is about $4.50 a gallon!  Got off the bus, walked under the 405 and entered a very long queue in the parking lot to pass through security and wait for the people mover.   The tram looks like a baby BART (San Francisco's subway).   The tram rides on air, but was still a little bumpy in spots.  Note: parking is $25.00.    Entrance to the Getty is FREE.

You don't even need to come for the ART.    The tram ride is what us little kids remember!   And the buildings, all in imported travertine, are simply magnificent.   Everything is spacious, and the buildings link to each other.   And then, there is the view!   Hill top.   I could see in all directions, though this was a hazy day.   

The nice lady at the information desk helped me get my bearings, and I was off.    First stop was a rotating exhibit "On Thin Ice; Dutch Depictions of Extreme Weather."  The early 1600s saw some of the coldest winters on record in Holland, and the Dutch produced a lot of paintings and drawings to commemorate these years.   Saw some impressionists, lots of portraits, and my favorite room full of stained glass windows that were beautifully back-lit.   I was so taken by this that I broke down and spent $55.00 on a neck tie depicting the stained glass.   You've seen me, I have NEVER spent that much money on clothes in my life!   But this should go with all of my dress shirts!

I did not linger, my ADHD was acting up, and sometimes the crowds really encouraged me to move on.   But it was a nice visit.   

The Getty Center is an example of what people can do with their money.   In 1957, J. Paul Getty (Getty Oil) was named the richest man in the world.   When he died some years later, he left the bulk of his estate to fund this magnificent public display of art.  Wow!

Security is everywhere at the Getty.   They are nice enough, but they won't let you break rules like drinks in the exhibit hall, or defacing the art.    Someone did something in the main courtyard while I was in the gift shop, and they locked the whole place down for a few minutes.    A staffer told me this happens a lot.   Often it's someone going through the wrong door, which, by the way, I did at the Reagan Library on Monday!

Did I mention the view?

At the Getty, the languages of the day seemed to be Japanese and Italian.    I heard a lot of both.   My presence raised the average age by a good 20 years!    Lots of teens and college students.

On the way back to the hotel, I got off at Little Tokyo station, hoping to visit the museum to Japanese-Americans, but they had had a power outage.   Walked along several blocks of little ramen and sushi cafes.  And lots of  nods to Shohei Ohtani.   I may head back there for dinner.   It's just a few blocks from my hotel.

And finally, a sidewalk sign that reminded me of Susie.

I'm done.   My pictures loaded the first time, which is the first time for that, and so it's time to go have some ramen.  Really not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I am having fun!

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

 Let's start with Transportation Advice.   You can reach the Nixon Library by public transportation!  From Los Angeles Union Station, take the Southbound Amtrak Surfliner to Fullerton.   Train 770 left LA at 10:10.  Amtrak 572 left at 11:10.   In Fullerton, the buses are just across the parking lot.   Bus 26 goes about every 30 minutes    Get off at Yorba Linda/Eureka and cross the street to the Library.   Be sure to tell all ticket agents and bus drivers if you are a senior - we get a break.And, there is a difference between a museum and a library.    

The library is where the presidents' archives are kept.   Researchers can go in and learn just about everything about a president.    The museum is where the fun stuff is on display:   Nancy's red campaign dress, the diamond encrusted dagger from the sultan of Wherever.   Eisenhower's two facilities are across the plaza.   Johnson's archives are all around the perimeter of the big building.   Often, the Library is part of a university.

Presidential Libraries store all of the president's papers, tapes, books, notes, etc.   All of that stuff belongs to the National Archives, despite the opinion of a certain former president.   Virtually all of President Obama's archives are digital, he will not have a physical library; researchers will log-in to a computer and search away.    Prior to Mr Nixon, a president's papers, notes, etc, were his property.   He could keep them, sell them or destroy them.   The National Archives administers all libraries from Hoover to George W, but the president's "friends" are the ones who pay to build the building,

Anyways, let's talk about President Nixon.   Set aside Watergate for just a moment, the man actually did quite a lot.   The Nixon Library and Museum is at the site of the Nixon birthplace.   This is a very restful and dignified facility.   I took a walk through the garden where I saw displays of all of Nixon's environmental accomplishments!  The Environmental Protection Agency and the Endangered Species Act were created under his watch.  The Santa Barbara oil spill affected him a lot.

Title IX was also his.

There is a very fine exhibit on the ancient world, now known as the Middle East.   There is a great quote of his: "We must not allow the cradle of civilization to become its grave.  That is what is at stake in the Mideast."   Think about that.   

I saw a moon rock and some really cool models of the House, Senate, Supreme Court, and part of Washington DC.

                                                             Moon rock (pebble, really)

The Senate   (Isn't that cool!   Never seen it that way before.   Lego go nothing on the National Archives

Larry, a friend of mine in San Angelo had asked me to look for some bricks from the Hanoi Hilton.   He had secured them from a friend several years ago, and after sharing some with former POWs, offered some of the actual bricks from the infamous Hanoi POE camp, to the Nixon Library.   I saw a very fine exhibit on the POWs, but saw no bricks.   I asked Marsha, a very helpful volunteer if she could help me.  She took my information and promised to get back to me.   She did before I got back on the bus!   Yes, the bricks had been part of a 4 month special exhibit called "CAPTURED."  There is a good chance they could become part of a traveling exhibit that goes to other museums.  

I thought the museum did a good job discussing Watergate and all of the shenanigans.   The firs note said that the National Archives had assembled a committee to build as objective an offering as possible.   A note on Watergate:   My father told me many years ago that James McCord, one of the "plumbers" had attended my first church, and actually held the little baby Dan.   All Dad knew about Mr McCord was that he "worked for the government" so Dad suspected it was not the Navy.  Before you archive that and put this in your doctoral thesis, know that some of what my Dad told was was "embellished!"    

My practice for the past year is to buy a coffee mug and fridge magnet from each presidential library, museum, plantation, etc.   "Nixon's the One" and other sayings did not float my boat, and I already have a magnet of Elvis meeting Nixon, and then I saw a picture at the end that I had never seen before, and the mug is new!   Nixon Bowling!    The caption in the museum was "The Big Lebowski!"  Perfect!

It fortunate that I have this practice, as the presidential Christmas ornament can top $45.00!   My granddaughter put her foot down!   She says our tree is already too full!   And She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed is right!

Amtrak Part 2

 I am jumping around, as I think of something, and also as I can wrest pictures out of my phone and computer.

Efron was our porter on the Sunset Limited.   As such, he catered to my whims and converted my little roomette from two-seated compartment, to a closet with bed.

Esther says with that shirt, I look like a tourist.    I am a tourist!  But I finally downloaded something from my phone.   This is me outside my car.

Crossing the Rio Grande just outside El Paso.    Also note this recent ugly structure!

The Sunset Limited arrived early to LA.  Rather than schlep my luggage to the hotel and then walk back to the station, I went to baggage claim to ask about leaving pieces with them.   I discovered that as a first class passenger (I had a closet for a room!) I could go down the hall to the First Class Lounge, have complimentary coffee, a snack, type some, and leave my stuff with them.   So, I did,

Took Amtrak to Simi Valley.   Used my Uber App for the first time!   It worked.   Took Uber to the Ronald Reagan Library, on a hilltop in the western Simi Valley.   Interestingly, my driver had no idea what the Reagan Library was, nor where it was!    But she followed her GPS.

Probably the most remarkable thing about the Reagan, is the view!   Southern California has these things called "Hills" and they are everywhere!    There is one across the way with orchards, and you can just enjoy seeing so much from the library.

Once Reagan became a well-known movie star, he became quite a spokesman for General Electric, hosting it's TV show for years, and touring the country, visiting GE plants everywhere,   He got great insights from the workers and incredible exposure.   This part of the tour was very interesting.

At the other end of the Library is Air Force One!    The Boing 707 is inside the building!    This magnificent bird seems to float in the middle of the hanger.   We tourists came in at the third level, so were were on level with the wing and fuselage.    Only by walking around to the other side does the elevator and ramp to the plane became visible.   The entire front of the hanger is glass, showing that wonderful view of the hills.  Reagan used this plane more than the other presidents.

I took a wrong turn and found myself outside, unable to get back in.   I walked back around to the entrance and presented myself to the nice security man (Coach) who had checked my backpack upon my entrance.    He walked me back around to a side door and let me back into the exhibits.   Good thing, as the second half of the tour was the best.

Lots of info about Reagan vs Communism.   Somewhat propaganda, but he was a driving force in the 80s.   Reagan and Gorbachev clicked like no other US/USSR leaders before or since.   Lots of the Berlin Wall. 

The current temporary exhibit is "Star Wars".   The children were getting their pictures taken holding light sabers in the Millennium Falcon.   Lots of culture on this epic movie, but then they tied it to Reagan and his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which has always been called Star Wars.   Cool!

I think I actually came for the gift shop.   I made it my habit to try to limit myself to a coffee mug and fridge magnet.   Good personal policy, as the Presidential Christmas ornaments are only getting more and more expensive!    I also looked at a Star Wars Advent Calendar since Susie and I have often sent our son Advent calendars, but I didn't think it was $40.00 worth of cute!

Metrolink back to Union Station where no fewer than two Amtrak ladies fussed at me about my plan to walk to the hotel with three bags.   Everyone has a mother, I seem to have hundred!   I caved in and took Uber a whole half mile up the street!

I almost joined up with a Japanese tour group at the hotel, but they were not impressed with my wit, so I went my own way.

Just up the way from the hotel is the Angel Flight Railway.   This is an old funicular that climbs up the hill.   Very touristy, and also a piece of railroad trivia.  It claims to be the shortest incorporated railroad in the world, at about 350 feet! $1.00 each way!  This area has much culture, including art museums and the Walt Disney Center.    They are building a food court of chains, but the interesting one is the food court of local dives that looks like something out of the third world!

I keep getting confused by the time zones.   My body is still on Central Time, but my schedule and my iPhone are on Pacific Time.   My laptop, however, is still in Houston (time-wise) and it startles me when I think I may be late to my next train.

OK, I think I have made friends with moving images from phone to email to blogspot.   I'm sure there is a better way, but this way works!

I am on my way to the Nixon Library.   I have my Amtrak tickets, and know to get off at Fullerton, and take bus 26 to Yorba Linda.    Should be quite a bit cheaper than Uber!  

By the way, blogging is supposed to be social media, so be sociable!   Leave comments below.   At least let me know this thing is being read.

Riding Amtrak West from Houston

 I am finally on my way!   Chris took me to the Houston Amtrak Station, located on Washington Ave, just West of the Gulf Freeway and just South of I-10.  Chris did not know it existed.   Not much there, but it did the job.

The Sunset Limited, Amtrak train # 1, consists of two engines, a baggage car, a sleeper (my new home!) the dining car (meals come with my roomette), an observation lounge, and a coach car.

Next stop (I hope) is San Antonio.   Here we will pick up a few cars from the Texas Eagle, inbound from Chicago.

When I rebooked this trip, I was unable to get a roomette on the upper level of the sleeper.   The view downstairs is not as good, but I just got a voucher for about $250.00!    Guess I will be spending more time in the observation lounge with its super wide windows and wonderful view.   Good or bad, that also means I will be meeting new people, some of whom may actually talk more than me!

My roomette is very small, but I am finding that it makes me a first class passenger!

The train was an hour earlyWe spent 3 1/2 hours in San Antonio!   2 !/2 was on the schedule.   Good news, we were on time.   Bad news, is I can't sleep.

I'm going to jump around, because I want to go catch a metro train to Simi Valley.   The train was an hour early into LA.   When I asked about storing my bags while being a tourist, the nice lady pointed out that as an Amtrak passenger with a roomette, I am first class, and can avail myself of the upstairs lounge (where I sit right now!) which includes the priviledge of storing bags for the day!   Did not know that.

So, I will tell you more about the ride later, and also about the Reagan Library.   For now, I am off to see the world!

Trip Postponed

 I got notified this afternoon, July 12, that my Amtrak for Saturday evening has been cancelled!   With some hysterics, I have moved my Los Angeles trip back one week.   Now, I will depart Houston July 20 at 6:55pm, arrive Los Angeles Monday July 22, early and will fly home July 26.    Next, I need to go through PriceLine to change room reservations.    That could be fun.

So, stay tuned.     The cancellation was weather related, which I think means Amtrak is stuck in San Antonio, as they offered to let me pick up Amtrak in San Antonio at 2:00am sunday!    Gee, I don't think so.

Many of my friends are still without power after Hurricane Beryl, but I am doing fine.

Next Adventure: Travel to Los Angeles

 I know it's been a year since I blogged, but I am going to Los Angeles to visit the Nixon and Reagan Libraries!  I will board Amtrak's Sunset Limited in Houston, July 13, and will spend two nights in a roomette, arriving in Los Angeles Monday morning.    While in Los Angeles, I will use all public transportation possible.    I have asked my granddaughter to show me how to use the apps for Uber and Lyft, as that is how I will travel the last few miles to the Reagan Library.

I have been watching YouTube videos on Amtrak, so that I won't act like a total dweeb on the train!   The best piece of advice so far:  The train will not be on time!    Accept it, and enjoy the adventure.   The cost of the roomette (quite expensive) includes all meals in the dining car, and visits to the Observation Lounge Car.

I bought the N scale trains with my jury duty pay.   I earned it, I'm gonna have fun with it.   The above train is a pretty faithful model of the Sunset Limited as it goes through Houston.    From right to left (don't ask) coach, observation lounge, dining car, sleeper (I have a roomette) and the baggage car.  I currently have two Santa Fe engines attached.    I have my eyes on two Amtrak engines on EBay, but that priority has not come up yet! 

I will stay in downtown LA for four nights.   Two days are for presidential libraries and the train rides it will take to get there.    The other two days are unscripted, but could include a train ride along the Pacific Coast, and maybe a visit to the Getty Center.    They have a train that rides on a cushion of air to take us from the parking lot, to the world-class art exhibits on top of a hill.

I am really hoping I like riding Amtrak.   I have never taken Amtrak in all these years!   If I like it, I can see myself taking Amtrak from Houston to Boston (three different trains and three different classes) in order to visit a number of presidential sites, museums, etc all over New England, and Eastern New York.   I really don't want to drive, as it is a 28 hour drive to Boston!   At my current pace, we would be talking about 4 travel days in the car before the vacation really starts.   My days of driving straight through are long over.

So sit back, and check back about July 14 for my next entry.