Sunday,
Sep 09, 2007
On
the Streets of Los Angeles
Route: Hollywood-Santa
Monica-Hollywood
Distance:
74.21km, Time: 5hours:54minutes:58seconds, Total: 74.21km
“The
gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”
When I left my hotel (on Hollywood Boulevard) the 8th annual Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon, according to the organizers “one of the largest and most prestigious triathlon in the world" already was on its way. As I've heard the competition started with the swim at the beach of Venice Beach, went through Hollywood by bike and ended with the run at the Staple Center, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers.
–
Sir Richard Burton
When I left my hotel (on Hollywood Boulevard) the 8th annual Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon, according to the organizers “one of the largest and most prestigious triathlon in the world" already was on its way. As I've heard the competition started with the swim at the beach of Venice Beach, went through Hollywood by bike and ended with the run at the Staple Center, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon
|
On the side of the road were policemen stationed
in regular distances, securing the scenes demonstratively sitting on their
white Harleys. Everyone was at least 1.80 m tall, muscles could be seen over
their much too small and maybe even tailored shirts. They wore motor biker
slacks, wide on the thigh and tight on the calf in high polished leather
boots. At temperatures at around 30 degrees surely not an amusing job but, hey, this is
Hollywood!
Harley
on Stars
|
As I walked by the obviously boring police I’ve noticed a Mexican looking officer reaching in his side pocket and
grabbing a sun lotion. I’ve heard him clearly asking his colleague: “Do you
want?” As he negated the first offices squirted some in his hand and creamed
appreciatively his face with it.
Hello
Delicious
|
“I want to cross the road, why
does the competition take so long?”
“You are an adult therefore you should
know that you are not allowed talking on the phone while driving and that you
have to follow my instructions.”
After these words the driver
become quiet and while she had to wait she slipped seemingly annoyed on her
seat forward and backwards.
Not far away I saw a city cowboy sitting on
the side of the road feeding his horse with carrots. “Curious”, I’ve thought to
myself and took a picture.
City
Cowboy
|
I’ve realized that many European
Americans in neat Sunday clothes were strolling to Ivar Avenue while others in full
bags came from there. I followed them and they led me to the Hollywood
Farmers Market. In this certified (!) market around 90 farmers and 30 bakers
sell their organic products, around 30 artists their crafts. As I’ve heard
later organic products are the hot items in high society, accordingly is the
demand and the many people. I personally found the prices astronomically, for a
cup of juice with much ice cubes I've paid US$5.00/cup.
The many people let me recognize that there
is a trend away from the in-‘famous’ genetically engineered mass crops to
organically produced vegetables and fruits even in the U.S. Visiting the farmer’s
market let me experience the ‘alternative’ America which indeed exists.
(to be continued)
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