Larry’s Travels – Los Angeles

Larry Travels to Los Angeles

According to Airport-technology.com, LAX airport in Los Angeles is the second busiest airport in the United States. I believe it. The airport was a busy place when I arrived and was equally busy at 4:15 a.m. when I was checking in to depart, as well.

I didn’t spend any time in downtown LA but I did spend time on some of the LA freeways. In my opinion the term freeway is a misnomer because driving speed is more like city driving. Traffic is slow due to the sheer volume of vehicles on the road, so traveling short distances can take much longer than one would expect.

The thing that caught my eye was the number of oil well pump jacks that I saw. These were not in open country like one would see in Texas, West Virginia or Ohio where I have seen pump jacks. Those around LA are in neighborhoods. There were several in the neighborhood where I did business and I saw them near homes as well. The pump jack in the photo with this blog was on a bluff with the city center visible in the distance only a few miles away. I didn’t get to see the Hollywood white letters on the hill above the city but I wonder – – do you think those oil well monsters are pumping crude from behind them too?

While waiting for a shuttle from the hotel where I stayed I saw who I believed to be Mr. and Mrs. Claus. I am sure Santa must look forward to a little fun in the sun after spending most of the year at the North Pole. Santa was in disguise: tie-died t-shirt, shorts and flip flops. Mrs. Claus was much more subdued in dress. She was wearing a beautiful fedora, nice slacks and a jacket. I thought about asking to interview them but decided it would be rude of me to interrupt their time off. I also thought better of playing paparazzi and taking their photo.

Los Angeles is an interesting city, but I have to say that I am a Midwesterner and would find the pace of life and traffic snarls frustrating if had to live there.