I realise this is a bit late in coming as I have been back in England for almost three weeks now, but I thought I should probably fill you all in on my thoughts and experiences of the Land of the Free, that is the USA.
I landed in LA and immediately had to come to terms with the massive difference in lifestyle compared to Fiji. Coming from a place where the people are so laid back, they’re practically lying down, LA was a definite shock to the system. Everything in America is so full on and over the top, that just walking around and soaking in the atmosphere is exhausting. A lot of this, I think, can be linked to the concept of the ‘American Dream’; the idea that everybody can make something of themselves as long as they have passion and are prepared to work hard. This lends itself to a plucky, ‘can do’ attitude and a lot of very enthusiastic people, which at times can be a bit sickening. America is also a strongly capitalist country, and even the merest whiff of Socialism causes people to go running for the (Hollywood) hills, as has been demonstrated by Obama’s recent attempt to introduce an NHS style health care system to the States. As a result there is a massive gap between rich and poor, noticeably more so than in the UK, and nowhere is this more apparent than in LA. I stayed in Hollywood, just off Hollywood Boulevard, and my hopes of glitz and glamour were quickly dashed as it is very disappointingly underwhelming. The area itself is quite rough, very dirty and not the sort of place you would expect to find A-list celebrities hanging out at glamorous premieres. I was also warned by many of the people staying in my hostel not to go out on my own at night, and even in the day to be careful. This immediately put me on my guard and made me incredibly wary of anyone wearing a hoodie (in Hollywood, that seemed to be every second person) and any cars driving past with tinted windows (again, more common than you’d think). I think this was probably slightly over the top, but the general vibe I got from LA was quite threatening. I decided therefore to head for Beverly Hills and Santa Monica instead- much more civilised, definitely my cup of tea, and immediately you notice that this is where the wealthy people live. Sadly, Beverly Hills was disappointingly average. Again, not the glitz and glamour you are brought to believe. I found this quite a lot with California in general- everything is so over the top that one’s expectations for things are so built up. The reality, however, is usually quite underwhelming. Santa Monica, on the other hand was much nicer- warmer with a good beach and great shopping.
After two nights in LA, I definitely felt it was time to move on and so I decided a trip down south, to the warmer climes of San Diego was in order. I took the train, which was altogether a much more enjoyable experience than train journeys back home. Like an airport, you deposit your suitcase at the station and then collect it again once you reach your destination. There is none of this racing to find a space on the luggage racks at the end of the carriage, or battling to squeeze your bag into the overhead compartments, where it obviously won’t fit. It’s also a lovely way to see a bit more of the country. Arriving in San Diego, my first feeling was one of relief. It was immediately better than LA- it was cleaner, the people were friendlier and the weather was much better. I can only describe San Diego as a really nice city, ‘nice’ being the operative word. It felt very wholesome and quaint America. Whilst there I went to a farmers market in one of the suburbs, and it was your typical American family day out, right down to the live country band playing. I also visited Old Town San Diego which, again, was a typically American experience. Instead of allowing it to be an old colonial Spanish town, it has been turned into what I can only describe as a Disney attraction, without the rides. People were dressed in nineteenth century outfits and every building had been turned into a museum: you could visit ye olde post office, ye olde cobblers, or ye olde Tibetan souvenir shoppe….everything just felt very fake, which is a shame because it probably could have been a beautiful old town. I found much of California like this: whereas a country like Australia, which also has very little history, focuses on the attractions they do have (namely beautiful beaches, and great weather), America seems to take the little bit of history they do have a really ram it down people’s throats in an incredibly unsubtle way. It definitely made me appreciate the history of our own country.
My final stop in America was San Francisco. This was definitely my favourite place in California- it was nicer and less scary than LA, yet was edgier than San Diego and had some of the quirkiness of a European city. I did a lot of walking which was hard work as there are a hell of a lot of hills! In fairness, the hills dictated my route around the city…I took any route that didn’t involve climbing up them! On one of my days in San Fran I visited Haight, famous for being a hippy hang out in the 1960’s, where the likes of the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin (don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of them either) lived. Haight is best described as a cleaner, quieter Camden with great little boutiques, lots of bookshops and quaint little cafes to sit and while away the day. It also leads into Golden Gate Park. This is home to the majority of the city’s museums, but it’s also a lovely place to just sit. Although in the middle of this busy city, it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful. I was only able to spend a couple of days in San Francisco, but of the three places I visited in California, it was definitely my favourite. I also met some great people here, none of them American.
I am aware that my view of America, does not seem overly positive, but actually looking back on my ten days in the states, I did have a really good time, and I definitely have some fond memories of it. This is mainly because of the people I met. It wouldn’t be fair to say I disliked California, I just feel no desire to return: I feel like I have seen as much of it as I need to. Maybe this is very narrow-minded of me, and I am open to being convinced otherwise. I would like to visit other parts of the US though, especially the Deep South, just to see how they compare. Maybe then I’ll be converted to the American way…
No comments:
Post a Comment