Day 85 (Mon) *LA Day 2*

Blogger's note: Hi peeps!! Sorry have received some feedback that the videos could not be viewed...i have rectified the problem...didn't know that the setting muz change to Public viewing so that everyone can see...ok in any case...the videos can see liao...enjoy and take care! :)

Last nite's sleep was surprisingly good given the conditions of the room...the bed mattress is thin and there is no fan in the room...juz a pathetic half window to provide the ventilation...but the night was still quite cooling...quite a surprise to us...we thought on this southeastern coast of US...temperatures will be soaring like how it was in LV...and the sleep indeed charge us up for today's round of activities...at least for my case...haha...breakfast was settled at the small kitchen one level down...and it was juz bread and coffee and each person is only limited to 2 piece each...seriously what a joke to limit the amt of bread we can take...at USA hostels it was take-all-you-can pancakes loh and it is pancakes mind u!! by the time we left our hostel it was already close to noon...so we decided to go slow for today's activities considering half the day is already gone...we decided to first settle some admin matters first...head to the Bank of America Branch located at Sunset Boulevard and close off our BOA checking accounts for good...in any case we could have juz withdraw out all our money and leave the account to rot until they find out and they will automatically close it...but it may juz affect our credit if we have any dealings with the bank in the near future...so better to leave US with no strings attached...take a bit of time and close the account... so off we went to the bank after yet another round of topping up of dbl cheeseburgers at Macs across the street...haha at this rate we r going...every meal Macs...we are seriously filming our version of Super Size Me...but really bobian...gotta really budget...and Macs is the only cheap and full way out...settled our buisness at the bank...withdrew all the money i had which is a pathetic $16plus (had withdraw my entire fortune last nite) and was told by the staff to call the customer service to close my account properly...aftwhich we decided to set off for the Hollywood sign since there was so much hype abt it since we came...so we gonna make it the first official activity of LA...to see the world-famous, world-renowned, world-celebrated and most recognizable HOLLYWOOD sign!! gathered from the bus info we took frm the Kodak Theatre visitor information center we took earlier...we had to take the Ladot - the city shuttle sort of bus to get up to the nearest stop to the Sign...and from there we can make our way to the sign...

took some pics of our hostel before we left for our day out...the shared bathroom...with wood-rotting smell all over...leaking taps...tearing walls...and "Caution" stickers all over

the "hallowed" hallways of the hostel...muz walk all the way to the end with only the towel to protect our modesty when we go and bathe...haha

the common lounge...one rare plus point of the hostel so far...the TV still quite big and got a up-to-date library of DVDs...doubt we will be using it anyway

nuaing for a while before we set off on my "very comfy" bed...my upper deck still empty waiting for our new room mates' arrival

outside the main door of the hostel...becomin a sort of "tradition" to take a pic outside every hostel i stayed

and this is it...the Hollywood Walk of Fame...right at our doorstep...haha

the man from HK who took Hollywood and the world by storm - BRUCE LEE....heeeee yak!!

Presenting Academy Awards 2006 Best Actor..."Thank you my dear fans *muacks*!! xie xie wo ye ai ni men!!"

spot where your fav celeb stays? btw i'm paying Tom Cruise a visit later

ahhhh...saw that?! our target in the "near" distance...the 9 BIG letters

the famous Los Angeles Film School...where budding "Pitts" and "Jolies" learn their crafts

waiting "patiently" for the Ladot bus to come along sunset boulevard

finally after a 20minute wait...the bus finally arrived...on our way to Hollywood!!

the bus driver auntie told us where to drop to see the Hollywood sign...and when we alighted we were expecting some viewing platform to see the sign or some tourist information booth or whatsoever...but apparently there was none...considering this is one of the most famous sign in the world and they dun even have such a thing...so no choice...we trekked up Ledgewood Drive and after a good tedious 20minute hike up a somewhat steep road...we still sould not get even a glimpse of the sign...something must be wrong...so we asked a local and he told us to go back where we came from and up another Driver...wah Kaoz!! walk down all the way where we came from...terribly need a rest and a water break...quite hot the weather and it is making the 4 of us sweating like mad...so we stopped by a mini supermarket bought some mineral water and continue in our search of the elusive sign...asked another passer-by juz to make sure and guess what...he told us we should have juz followed where we came down from...wah lao eh!! people here telling us different directions to go up and see the Hollywood Sign...they all know one anot...so we followed our instincts and trusted the 2nd passer-by who seems more knowledgeable of the area with his running attire...den we trek up all over again to where we came down from...met 2 middle-aged ah sohs who told us they juz came down from the Sign...Yipeee Yeah!! finally some solid proof we are on the right track...it's getting harder and harder...the roads getting steeper and steeper as we go up...we muz be fools to go all the way up to see juz 9 emblossed silver letters...hahaha...but we are all determined to go all the way up to get the best vantage point of the much celebrated HOLLYWOOD sign...

Americans are allowed to design their own car number plates...with some bearing interesting phrases like these...

juz abt to start our trek up the Hollywood Sign...initially thought ot was juz a 10minute stroll or so...end up to be almost an energy sapping 30minute trek up steep inclines

A cosy little high class neighbourhood off the famed Hollywood Hills

Beverly Hills is already the elite...and Elite of Beverly Hills...wonder this driver come from where man?

at last...glimpse of the Hollywood Sign for once...our destination is near...dun give up fellas!!

reached a clearing where we could get the best viewing point of the sign...at least for a while

Ladies and gentlemen...presenting to u...the HOLLYWOOD Sign!

desperately trying all sort of pose...in the hope to catch the eyes of some Hollywood talent scouts around...hahaha

James Bond...the Incredible Hulk...and a errmmm...act cute wannabe at Hollywood
fooling around right underneath the Hollywood sign

HOLLYWOOD...zoomed IN from the clearing

Obviously we ignored the sign and being the perfectionists we are...went up further to get a better viewing point...hee
This is as close as we can get liao...anymore nearer we will find ourselves in LAPD
and now the final shot of the Hollywood Sign...up close and personal

after admiring and savouring the Hollywood Sign for a good 20minutes or so from as close as we can get...we decided to slowly make our way down from the bus stop we came from...juz in case the LAPD have already gotten news that 4 punks are trespassing the Hollywood sign...haha...thinking about the whole hike really find it very funny...go all the way up juz to see 9 silver emblossed letters...can really send the above videos to America's funniest Home videos with the title "4 fame-hungry idiots up at the Hollywood Hills"...hahaha...but nevertheless had great fun trekking up with the lads...and kindda of another memorable activity to go down for my fastly expanding list of the whole travel experience...

we decided to head to Beverly Hills next...another Hills...alas the whole LA landscape is literally quite full of hilly areas...on the way there we stopped by Farmers' market...a historic LA landmark and tourist destination opened since 1934...offering a wide array of food from Italian, Mexican, French, All-American and guess what...our very own Singapore food...u heard me right...Singapore food right at the heart of LA...and u know what one plate of Nasi-Lemak selling for 6USD...I can buy like 5 plates back home lah...the whole Farmers' market is quite exp too...some kind of tourist trap...so being the "savvy" backpackers we are...decided to leave asap for we maybe tempted to stay and eat if we hang out any longer...nxt passed by the Grove briefly, CBS Television and took a bus to Beverly Center...an eight storey shopping center with high-class exclusive designer boutiques and large Metro-style department malls like Macys...and even got a food court and cinemas...juz like Jurong Point, Lot1, J8 as such...had a filling Mongolian Buffet for dinner at the food court...took a little rest before taking a short bus trip down to Beverly Hills and to the place where the rich and famous shop...the Rodeo Drive!! hopping to catch some stars doing their shopping...but too bad got there like kindda of late...and all the boutiques were already closed...sighz...

so we hang out for a little while sitting at the benches at 2 Rodeo Drive...with Versace, Gucci, Tiffany & Co surrounding us...and lines of Audis, BMWs, Mercedes SLKs parking along the streets...juz simply soaking in the atmosphere of the rich and famous...parking my lamborghini gallardo...walking into Gucci...tell the model-looking salegal to take the latest season of Tux, belts and shoes to the counter without asking the price...andden fine dining at the chic Italian restaurant nearby...ahhhh...ok time to take our bus back to our hostel...while people zip ard in audis and BMWs...we set off to look for our bus-stop to take bus 14...could not find the bus stop and prob coz people dun take bus in Beverly Hills...haha

walk out of Beverly Hills and finally manage to find the bus-stop...waited for like 40 minutes before the bus finally came...wah kaoz...our bladders all bursting liao by then...got back to the hostel running frantically to the toilet...tried to tap the internet but gave up aft a while...so decided to go back and sleep...tml should be going to Universal Studios...so better wake up early...quite an eventful 1st full day at LA I would say...

At Farmers' Market...an historic landmark of LA...now serving mainly as a tourist destination

and look at what we spotted inside the Farmers' Market...Singapore Food!!

they got Nasi Lemak, Rojak and satay and even our President Nathan and his family's photo at the shop when they were at LA for a vacation

the late afternoon crowd at Farmers' Market

CBS Television City...on our way to Beverly Center

the most we are allowed to venture in...the security guard shoo us after this shot
Beverly Center...an eight storey large scale shopping mall

the inside of Beverly Center is juz like any other shopping center back home

taking a little break inside Beverly Center

Victoria's Secret Parade

Bought these 2 lotions for mummy...haha pure seduction for Pa

The food court...Panda Express is like a chinese fastfood chain and it's everywhere in US

my Mongolian Buffet dinner...they give u a bowl and u juz take as much as u wan...for juz 5USD...damn wu hua lah...

the skilful chef in action with his giant chopsticks and wok

totally besotted by what i saw...that piece of frying kungfu by the chef

the final cooked product...yummy...the taste quite power lah...got this in s'pore anot ah?

three da nan ren with a little pink victoria 's secret bag each...no wonder receive alot of curious stares on the way...haha

Maserati!! wah kaoz...i only see one in singapore before loh...right here at Rodeo Drive

and this is one of the world's most well known high end shopping street...Rodeo Drive...rubbing shoulders with Paris Hilton and Co...

Prada has a creative and fanciful way of displaying their latest fashion

and this is 2 Rodeo Drive...a curling street uphill with posh Italian restaurants on top

a final shot for the day...breathing in the same air as the rich and famous