Going Back to Cali...

A quick catch up post on the rest of LA:

Santa Monica - Of course, no trip to the West Coast would be complete without a visit to a place where the sea meets land. So we hop on the Santa Monica Rapid line that drops us right on Pacific Pier, a good old fashioned amusement park where tubby kids on holiday get to go all spinny and spewy on all manner of things that go round and round and up and down.

















































Even on a dreary overcast day like today, the kids find this place funner than a barrel of monkeys..












Thanks, Literal George!

We, on the other hand, are more interested in finding rather than losing our lunch - which is how we end up at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaraunt. Just like in the movie, this place serves shrimp (duh) and other seafood in various forms -including our yummy shrimp & crab stuffed trout..




















Adding to the restaraunt's charm are the cute Gump-related touches like the ping-pong paddle drinks menu and the sign which flips from "Run Forrest Run" (as seen above) to "Stop Forrest Stop" should we require the waiter's attention. Sadly, the menu doesn't extend to other Tom Hanks-related dishes such as Fillet-dephia or The Da Vinci Cod.

Aside from the fun park, Santa Monica is also home to the Third Street Promenade, a popular shopping street with a vast array of fashion outlets.









With the weather remaining cool throughout the day, Gem decides to try on some gloves...






























On the way back, we stop off at Beverly - Hills, that is...swimmin' pools, movie stars and folks who look at you funny-like if you take too long gawking at their limo..































Even the Freddo frogs here are posh beyond our means..











Our next and final day in these parts has to be Disneyland. (warning: the link here is indicative of the place itself in that it'll have you wondering how to make it stop) Most people we've spoken have asked, "what - only one day?" We now understand why with a queue-to-ride time ratio of 90:3 minutes.

Anyway, here's what someone recently wrote about the park in exchange for complimentary passes and the usual journalist's remuneration. We, on the other hand, received neither and therefore can't be arsed. Once again, we'll let the pictures do the talking...










































































































Walt: One day, Mickey, this'll be a fabulous funderland full of frolics, fantasy and -
Mickey: -fatties?
Walt: Be nice, Mickey..
Mickey: Hey, shouldn't you be in a freezer?