First surprises in America + photoalbum http://picasaweb.google.com/Tatiana.I.Efremova/LosAngeles
Surprise one:
Have you heard that the USA is practicing democracy? That’s what I’ve learned from a world wide media citing uncountable statements of the American government and citizens. Well, it is well known: don’t believe everything you read in papers…
I learnt my first American lesson in the plane, because – technically speaking – it was an American ground because it was operated by an American company and had an American crew (even if we bought a ticket with Qantas – it is a common situation nowadays: you buy a ticket with one company and end up with another).
A few people were queuing to a toilet as it always happen, and each toilet had its own queue, as always. At some point a hostess came to us and told us that “according to an American law forming groups of three and more is illegal therefore we have to dissolve”. We – three passengers - startled a bit at this statement, and I could not help myself and asked her how we suppose to dissolve if the toilet is here and it is what we need. Her answer was: I don’t know how you suppose to dissolve but it is my duty to deliver American law to you.
OK, most likely she was in a bad mood (or maybe a bully by nature) and formulated her statement badly. Most likely, she simply wanted us not to block the traffic in the aisle. However, I have learnt something new: there is a law in America about forming groups of three and more people in public places.
Surprise, surprise… I would never imagine.
Surprise two:
Have you heard that the USA is a country of tips; that you have to tip everybody for every service provided? I heard it from every single person who travelled to the USA. I remember my initial “shock introduction” to tipping somewhere in Europe, Belgium or Holland. I was leaving a toilet which I thought to be public (sorry about another “toilet story” but essentials are more memorable than everything else) and was confronted by a gentleman who demanded a tip. He happened to be a cleaner in that toilet – and I happened to be a slow thinker – so we had a memorable dialogue about the importance of a reward for toilet cleaners (which does not make sense to me – Australia has the best toilets in the world without paying tips to cleaners). Coming from a country where tips do not really exist (I mean Australia and Russia, actually) I could not grasp this concept, not on the spot, anyway, but emotionally I was ready for tips in America…
When we landed in Los Angeles we expected to find a representative of the car rental company from which we rented a car (that was the agreement) – but nobody waited for us. Imagine our feelings at the time: not a single coin of local currency in our pockets, not knowing where ATMs and phones are in the building, a need to call the company to find out what is going on… Of course, it is all doable, but it is an unpleasant and unnecessary stress after a long and delayed flight.
Miraculously there was a gentleman in the airport who happened to be a “helper”. He did not have a uniform, did work at any help desk, but wondered around the place looking for “lost” passengers. His was a real “helper”: found a phone number of the company, called them from his mobile, waited for our situation to be resolved and the company driver to pick us from the airport, showed us everything we had to know or needed and stayed with us until we safely departed in our rented car. We had a nice chat, learnt a few things from him, and when it was time to say “good buy” we wanted to reward him – but he refused.
I think it is a great initiative of the airport administration – a very effective and personal service – and absolutely free. Surprise, surprise… I would never imagine.
Surprise three:
Is not it true that Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the world? Does not it mean that it has to be a modern and busy mega polis?
We drove through many suburbs and town centres of Los Angeles – it looks mostly quite provincial, in many ways just like Australia: green leafy streets full of light, shade and flowers, immaculately maintained gardens (as well less immaculately maintained), one-two-three storey buildings, casual and relax life style (anyway, it is how it looks).
Is not it a surprise?
What is definitely different – the style of buildings: a lot of Spanish- Mexican themes, many imitations of styles of the past: baroque, gothic – a lot of it on a grand scale… And the palm trees – they are so toll!!! I’ve never seen anything in the botanical world as toll as these palm trees!
Another surprise was – how easy we went through the customs. There are rumours about strict custom’s control on the border in the USA – we have not experienced it at all!
One thing is definitely as I heard about it – the smog. It is as bad as the smog in China. Pity!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The first steps of our journey to the USA
It is July, mid winter in Northern Rivers. We are cold and dreaming of a way out of this cold misery. Chris found a solution - going to America, while it is summer there and winter here.
Now we are collecting travelling tips. We will need any advise we can get, because it always helps, and because we had enough frustration already even if we started planning our trip just a few days ago.
America reserves a huge potential for excitement, but for frustration as well: too many places to see, too many things to do, too many hotels to choose from, to many cars on offer... really, it is insane. If you want a hotel in Sydney you may get 20-30-40 hotels, 100 the most (actually, I have doubts that we have so many). It makes it quite easy to choose.
In every place we plan to visit in America there are thousands of hotels to choose from - how to choose?
I have to admit - I am quite lucky. Chris is a great manager and he spends a lot of time dealing with planning and booking. I am here only in a small advisory role. After all, Chris has been to the USA and knows where to go and what to see.
Chris keeps telling me that we will have a very relaxing holiday staying for a few days here and there, and staying in New York for 7 days! I know that for him 7 days in one place is way too long, but let's hope New York has plenty of attractions for those 7 days. By the way, we experienced our first disappointment with New York. Already! New York (or Broadway, to be precise) is known as a capital of shows. We tried to book something but - bad lack! Everything is very old and seen many times, or for little children, and most of it also was seen before, and some of them have so bad reviews, that we would be unwise to try to prove all those critics wrong. It well can be that New York is a bit sleepy during summer holidays, but I am disappointed with this city already. Did not they know that I am coming and love musicals?
So we did not book anything. However, we found 2 shows of Cirque du Solieil in Las Vegas. We may be lucky to see one of them. That's right: we are going to Las Vegas (I always thought that it was far from Los Angeles, but Chris believes that driving up and down is a piece of cake). Besides we will see Great Canion, Tijuana, San Diego, a few national parks, as well as Mammoth Lake, San Francisco etc.
I MUST see Santa Barbara for myself. "Santa Barbara" serial was on Russian TV for a couple of years when I left for Australia. I knew one Russian lady who ordered her parents to record Santa Barbara for her in Russia and to send it to her so she could watch it in Australia. It was a big event once.
Back then, when the show was on, we had a feeling that we know half of the local population in Santa Barbara. It is quite funny, actually... I wonder if I still may see some familiar faces? (I am joking)
I have heard about ever changing scenery of America. Australia is the same in this respect, and it is one of the things I love about Australia: the variety of landscapes available. I travelled with Trans Siberian Express from Beijing to my home town and I discovered that from the moment the train left Far East behind (something like one day train trip) there was nothing changing in Siberian scenery. 4 days of the same pine trees, the same plain, the same architecture. Australia does not offer interesting architecture either, but the rest is overwhelming. I hope, America won't disappoint me either.
I wish we were gone already. Our forecast predicts that we will have temperature below zero at nights for a week (at least). Las year we had once minus nine!!! We were not here - we travelled in Russia last winter (Russian summer). Our neighbour told us, because as all farmers he pays attention to rainfall and temperature.
We live in a subtropical area and out plantation is subtropical. That frosts were devastating. We had many trees suffering from a frostbite, and many of them did not recover at all. The frost was especially heavy along the creek in the galley, and this creek runs through the whole property. Two-three meters up the slope - and the trees had not suffered from any frost. It is heartbreaking, and nothing could be done about it... it is why instead of looking at it (and suffer from it as well - it is very cold here at night) it is better just go somewhere nice and warm.
Let's see, what will happen...
Now we are collecting travelling tips. We will need any advise we can get, because it always helps, and because we had enough frustration already even if we started planning our trip just a few days ago.
America reserves a huge potential for excitement, but for frustration as well: too many places to see, too many things to do, too many hotels to choose from, to many cars on offer... really, it is insane. If you want a hotel in Sydney you may get 20-30-40 hotels, 100 the most (actually, I have doubts that we have so many). It makes it quite easy to choose.
In every place we plan to visit in America there are thousands of hotels to choose from - how to choose?
I have to admit - I am quite lucky. Chris is a great manager and he spends a lot of time dealing with planning and booking. I am here only in a small advisory role. After all, Chris has been to the USA and knows where to go and what to see.
Chris keeps telling me that we will have a very relaxing holiday staying for a few days here and there, and staying in New York for 7 days! I know that for him 7 days in one place is way too long, but let's hope New York has plenty of attractions for those 7 days. By the way, we experienced our first disappointment with New York. Already! New York (or Broadway, to be precise) is known as a capital of shows. We tried to book something but - bad lack! Everything is very old and seen many times, or for little children, and most of it also was seen before, and some of them have so bad reviews, that we would be unwise to try to prove all those critics wrong. It well can be that New York is a bit sleepy during summer holidays, but I am disappointed with this city already. Did not they know that I am coming and love musicals?
So we did not book anything. However, we found 2 shows of Cirque du Solieil in Las Vegas. We may be lucky to see one of them. That's right: we are going to Las Vegas (I always thought that it was far from Los Angeles, but Chris believes that driving up and down is a piece of cake). Besides we will see Great Canion, Tijuana, San Diego, a few national parks, as well as Mammoth Lake, San Francisco etc.
I MUST see Santa Barbara for myself. "Santa Barbara" serial was on Russian TV for a couple of years when I left for Australia. I knew one Russian lady who ordered her parents to record Santa Barbara for her in Russia and to send it to her so she could watch it in Australia. It was a big event once.
Back then, when the show was on, we had a feeling that we know half of the local population in Santa Barbara. It is quite funny, actually... I wonder if I still may see some familiar faces? (I am joking)
I have heard about ever changing scenery of America. Australia is the same in this respect, and it is one of the things I love about Australia: the variety of landscapes available. I travelled with Trans Siberian Express from Beijing to my home town and I discovered that from the moment the train left Far East behind (something like one day train trip) there was nothing changing in Siberian scenery. 4 days of the same pine trees, the same plain, the same architecture. Australia does not offer interesting architecture either, but the rest is overwhelming. I hope, America won't disappoint me either.
I wish we were gone already. Our forecast predicts that we will have temperature below zero at nights for a week (at least). Las year we had once minus nine!!! We were not here - we travelled in Russia last winter (Russian summer). Our neighbour told us, because as all farmers he pays attention to rainfall and temperature.
We live in a subtropical area and out plantation is subtropical. That frosts were devastating. We had many trees suffering from a frostbite, and many of them did not recover at all. The frost was especially heavy along the creek in the galley, and this creek runs through the whole property. Two-three meters up the slope - and the trees had not suffered from any frost. It is heartbreaking, and nothing could be done about it... it is why instead of looking at it (and suffer from it as well - it is very cold here at night) it is better just go somewhere nice and warm.
Let's see, what will happen...
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