Hello everyone! I missed you all! Here is the first of what I feel will be numerous posts regarding our recent trip to Los Angeles and Long Beach.
I wanted to start the post line-up with a little ditty about Long Beach. Long Beach is about an hour (by train) from Los Angeles. We decided to stay outside of LA to have a coastal, relaxing place to return to each day after pounding the LA pavement! I am so glad we stayed in Long Beach!
The first surprise I wanted to share with you is how incredibly friendly people are in Long Beach and LA! Yes, tis true. I am afraid my preconceived notions about this area were completely false; I thought we would be surrounded by noses in high places and well-heeled inhabitants everywhere! Not so, to my utter shock. Now, I cannot say the same can be said for Beverly Hills et al. We did not travel to that area, so my experiences relate to LA and LB!
The photo you see above is Long Beach at approximately 6:00 p.m. Long Beach is a shipping port; I have never seen so many massive and numerous shipping containers! Apparently Long Beach is a hub for the Pacific Rim and the goods it sells to us here in North America. Large barges and sea-going vessels lined up just like a drive-thru at Tim Hortons on a busy Saturday morning!
I am in love with Long Beach. The easy-going nature of the locals, as well as the unbelievable weather make for a magnificent combination. The weather! Oh, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such perfect conditions! The weather in that area, according to those who study that sort of thing, has been rated one of the best climates in the United States for its consistent, year-round temperatures. It is usually about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (or 24 degrees Celsius) with a cool, gentle breeze! Yes, lovely warm weather and a cool breeze!
It was rather interesting to see people in jeans and jackets when we were dressed in summer clothing! The mornings were on the cool side (to the locals, not to us); we grinned to ourselves when we noticed people in jackets and jeans whilst we were decked out in shorts and sandals!
Next post I’ll be writing about a wonderful ship: the Queen Mary! What a beauty she is, and we had quite the adventure aboard this noble piece of floating history. Please stay tuned! All aboard!!!!
The Chicago Files 