The city of angels

I spent a few days in Los Angeles (split by flying to DC in the middle) and did all the touristy things: I found many stars on the Walk of Fame; hiked up to the Hollywood sign; went to Santa Monica pier and Venice beach; and visited the Getty Center and Griffith Observatory. I discovered that I’m not all that fussed about celebrities and their stars or houses, but it was still cool to be at the heart of the film industry.

I really enjoyed the Getty Center. It’s a huge art museum designed by Richard Meier which houses a vast collection of art. There is also a beautiful garden designed by Robert Irwin and there are many different views over the city.

The day I visited the Getty I went to a performance of Cats at the Hollywood Pantages theatre in the evening and it was amazing! The theatre is massive and has beautifully ornate decoration.

I also visited the Hollywood Forever Cemetery with some people I met at my hostel. There are many famous people buried there and it is a beautiful and peaceful place.

The seat of power

I split my time in LA with a week in Washington DC. I stayed with the oh-so-lovely Ralph and Orla (family friends) and received a surprise visit from my father (of all people!). We wandered round the National Mall to see the White House and all the monuments, visited the National Gallery, and ate a lot of food!

We were lucky enough to do a tour of the Capitol and also go up to the dome!! It was an amazing experience to be right up by the painted ceiling and then have a view over the city. I’m so grateful to Ralph and Orla for being such wonderful hosts and I enjoyed seeing the city, meeting my relatives (again), and eating loads of wonderful food!

15th March, 2019