Ive probably said this over 5,000 times already, but LA is interesting.Like any big city, you do want to keep your wits around you and peripheral vision tuned, but the folk Ive met have been consistently nice.
It isnt easy arriving in LA homeless, no money and not driving - but eh, its already paying dividends.
LA, surprisingly, seems to suit me. Interesting.
Ive been told that LA is populated largely by self-centered bastards, but although my expectations of LA are already low, Ive been meeting friendly, hospitable folk - but I think THEIR expectations of people are low too. :)
My impressions of LA so far:
- The natives seem to be friendlier than legend.
- The people here smoke like fucking chimneys. Surprising, but I guess if you largely smoke in the privacy of your car, there is little incentive to kick the habit.
- The bus system is actually pretty damned good, and again contrary to legend, a lot of people ride it. But it seems most people who drive, do.
- If you ask for directions, people here tell you how to get there by freeway. They then look at you stupidly if you say you dont drive.
- In a related bent, they know their city by and large, but havent seen most of it - as you cant see any of it from the freeway.
- I think people here are largely disconnected to each other because they drive fucking everywhere and avoid the unseeming places.
- It has been COLD here at night. Not winter cold, but there is indeed a bite to the windchill in places, and not by the coast. Not in the brochures, but normal according to natives.
- They are laid back, but dont let it fool you, they can get down and go wild as well as any in Chicago or New York. Watch yourself.
The place seems to.. and I have to be careful how I say this.. not know itself. You can see elements of most other North American cities here but LA in and of itself cannot be defined as well as Chicago, New York or Miami can. The natives seem to think its because it is so large, but I have the feeling they dont want to come to terms with who they really are, even as they readily admit to whats wrong with the place.
But even if you cant define it, you can still see it. :)
This looks to be interesting.
