During my run, I caught a glimpse of the Hollywood Sign, towering over the city. On my last evening, I made my way to the Hollywood Sign. The bus doesn't go directly there, so you have to walk about 30 minutes to get some great photos at the Innsdale Trailhead. It's a lovely hike past numerous beautiful homes with a great view of Los Angeles. Many of the famous stars live in gated communities with private roads where only residents are allowed to drive. I was alone, so I asked a man if he could take my photo. He agreed and said he was a photographer. How lucky to meet a photographer by chance. We chatted and discovered he was from Santa Cruz. I told him about my volunteer work at Camphill California in Soquel, near Santa Cruz. He told me that his parents had their own movie theater in Santa Cruz—the Nickelodeon. Many of the Camphill employees still remember the theater, but unfortunately, it had to close during the COVID pandemic. He offered to drive me back to Hollywood Boulevard so I didn't have to walk 30 minutes back. I had a very interesting conversation with him. Growing up in Santa Cruz, he studied to be a teacher and began working as a teacher, but then decided he wanted to go into the film world. He then studied cinematography at the Los Angeles Film School and now lives and works in Hollywood. He has collaborated with stars like Jack Black and worked on productions such as "History of the World: Part II," "A Futile and Stupid Gesture," and "A Black Lady Sketch Show": https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm0974172/

Thank you for the great conversation!

Griffith J. Griffith bought Hollywood in the 1920s and developed the hilly land into a popular residential area. He erected the "Hollywoodland" sign in 1923 to advertise the properties. The sign was made of wood and sheet metal, each letter about 15 meters high, and illuminated by around 4,000 light bulbs. It flashed at night in three phases: "HOLLY," then "WOOD," then "LAND"—and then all of them together. In 1903, while staying at the Arcadia Hotel in Santa Monica, Griffith attempted to murder his wife Christina in a fit of paranoia. He forced her to kneel and swear oaths to the "Almighty" before shooting her in the head with a pistol. She survived but was permanently mutilated and blind in one eye. For this, Griffith received a two-year prison sentence. A lenient sentence that turned many people in Los Angeles against him. After his release, he tried to salvage his image. He donated money for a public observatory and amphitheater (now the Griffith Observatory & Greek Theatre) and donated 1,200 acres of land to the city. Griffith Park is now one of the largest urban parks in the United States. And with success: many associate the name Griffith with the Hollywood Sign and the Observatory, but the attempted murder remains unknown. The Hollywoodland Sign was never intended to be a permanent monument—it was originally only meant to stand for a year and a half. In 1949, the City of Los Angeles decided to restore the sign—but without the "LAND" symbol, because they wanted to focus more on the Hollywood district itself, not on the old real estate project.

A guide drew our attention to the bear statue in Griffith Park. The bear statue is located at the entrance to the Fern Dell Nature Trail in Griffith Park, at the corner of Los Feliz Boulevard and Fern Dell Drive. The statue depicts a standing bear and was designed in 1976 by the Berlin sculptor Renée Sintenis. It was crafted by the Berlin-based Noack foundry and presented to the City of Los Angeles by the citizens of free Berlin as a token of gratitude for its support during the Cold War. Other bear statues can be found in San Francisco, Munich, and Berlin. A plaque on the statue bears the inscription:

"To the United States of America in gratitude for their aid, friendship, and protection. Presented to our sister city, Los Angeles, by the citizens of free Berlin."

It is customary for the bear to be dressed in knitted garments on various occasions. This tradition was started, among others, by an anonymous artist named "Captain Hook," who adorned the bear with handmade outfits. The bear statue is a symbol of the friendship between Berlin and Los Angeles.

The Griffith Observatory is located on Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. From up here, you'll have the best view of Los Angeles. Take a bus or be prepared for a long hike—don't drive, as parking fees skyrocket the closer you park to the observatory. From here, you can also see the Hollywood Sign, but the Innsdale Trailhead is a better place for a selfie, as you're closer. At the observatory, you can learn about astronomy, stars, and planets. With over 9 million visitors since its opening, the telescope is the most used telescope in the world!

Los Angeles is often associated with the Hollywood district. Hollywood Boulevard runs through Hollywood, and over 2,803 star plaques have been inscribed on its sidewalk, honoring individuals who have distinguished themselves in film, television, music, radio, and theater. The Walk of Fame was established by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in 1957/58.

The official selection criteria include three points:

• professional achievement in the respective star category,

• at least five years of continuous presence in show business ("longevity of five years in the field of entertainment"), 

• charitable contributions ("contributions to the community").

Muhammad Ali did not want "people trampling on the name of my beloved prophet, from whom my name comes," so in 2002, his star was not inscribed on a sidewalk plaque, but affixed to the facade of the Dolby Theater.

The Germans honored include:

• William Dieterle (1960)

• Marlene Dietrich (1960)

• John Ericson (1960)

• Emil Jannings (1960)

• Kurt Kreuger (1960)

• Fritz Lang (1960)

• Lotte Lehmann (1960)

• Ernst Lubitsch (1960)

• Lilli Palmer (1960)

• Luise Rainer (1960)

• Henri René (1960)

• William Steinberg (1960)

• Frederick Stock (1960)

• Bruno Walter (1960)

• Siegfried and Roy (1999)

• Heidi Klum (2007)

• Eric Braeden (2007)

• Hans Zimmer (2010)

• Christoph Waltz (2014)

If you want to visit Hollywood Studios, you should definitely stop by Universal Studios. A large theme park with numerous roller coasters and attractions awaits you, including a replica of Hogwarts, Springfield, and Jurassic Park. There's also a fantastic studio tour, where you can glimpse the sets of American and European cities, learn more about film production (how are weather effects created? How are special effects used?), and drive through the sets of famous films such as "War of the Worlds," "Jaws," "Murder She Wrote," and "Nope." "All Quit on the Western Front" was also filmed at the studios.

In the early days of Hollywood, spectators were even allowed to watch the filming! The reason: in talkies, it didn't matter if the audience shouted and made noises in the background. They were even encouraged to clap for the heroes and boo the villains. Their stands were above the dressing rooms, so the actors always had to walk past the audience so they could catch a glimpse of their favorite stars. With the advent of talkies, silence had to prevail on the set, and tours and custom sets and shows began to be designed for tourists.

On the tour, there was a video in which Steven Spielerg talked about his first visit to the studios. He was on a guided tour, but during a break, he hid in the bathroom until the tour bus moved on. Then he sneaked out and visited recording studios and sets. Since the sets are so busy, he didn't attract much attention. This allowed him to gain numerous insights into film production. The tour group didn't notice his absence, and he managed to avoid getting into trouble. Today, he is one of the best-known and best directors!

My lowlight was definitely Downtown Los Angeles. From the Griffith Observatory, you can see how few skyscrapers Los Angeles has. There are 21 skyscrapers over 600 feet and two skyscrapers (Wilshire Grand and U.S. Bank Tower) over 1,000 feet. Most of Los Angeles is fairly flat, but stretches to the horizon, as the city is surrounded by numerous other cities (Torrance, Long Beach, Santa Anna, Anaheim, Pasadena, etc.). Downtown itself isn't very glam; it's quite dirty, and you'll encounter a lot of drug addicts and homeless people. You can also see a work by street artist Banksy here, though. Prices are expensive, so there's relatively little to do here, apart from a few museums. The beach and Hollywood are further to the (north)west, so when choosing a hotel, don't assume that your AirBNB or hotel has to be close to Downtown—that's not where you'll be spending much time. My hotel, the Freehand Los Angeles, was wonderful, especially compared to the AirBNB in ​​Miami. I shared a room with eight people there, but there were two bathrooms and it was considerably more comfortable. The hotel has a great lobby with breakfast and a restaurant, and the best part: a rooftop bar with a view of Los Angeles and a pool! It costs $38 a night, but that's a fair price for Los Angeles. I enjoyed swimming in the rooftop pool after the marathon and then relaxing on the lounger under the patio heater. One evening, while I was lying in bed, a security guard came into the hotel room. He asked a guest to come to the reception desk, who replied that he had changed rooms and was now sleeping in the room. During the conversation, it emerged that the security guard recognized the guest from the camera surveillance. Apparently, the guest had sneaked into rooms in the past under the pretext of changing rooms. While people were sleeping, he stole their valuables. So I consider myself lucky that the security guard was so attentive and threw the thief out. However, the incident has made me decide that I'm tired of sleeping in eight-bed rooms and would rather spend more money on my own room in the future. Then I can sleep in and not have to worry about whether my valuables will still be there the next morning.

In front of the Chinese Theatre, which is also located on Hollywood Boulevard, the handprints, shoeprints, and autographs of numerous celebrities have been located since 1927. Here, I found the prints of Quentin Tarantino and Keanue Reeves, among others. The very first print was apparently created by accident when actress Norma Talmadge accidentally stepped in wet cement. Prints are rarer than Walk of Fame stars; there are only about 300 sets of prints in existence. Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote "I'll be back," R2D2 and C3PO left robot footprints, Lassi gave paw prints, and Whoopi Goldberg pressed her dreadlocks into the cement.

Established in 1985, the Rockwalk is located on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CA. This pedestrian walkway and a landmark recognized in the music industry honors musicians who have made significant and lasting contributions to the development of music. Lemmy and Motörhead were immortalized on the Hollywood Rock Walk on September 1, 2003. The band's tribute included Lemmy's signature middle finger gesture. Motorhead is one of my favorite bands, and I once presented Lemmy's biography for a book presentation at school.

I saw the film "Mickey 17" at the Chinese Theatre. Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) wants to get off Earth and so he signs up for a space expedition traveling to a distant planet. As a so-called "expendable," or expendable employee, he must undertake very dangerous tasks. In the event of his death, a new body is generated in which his memories are intact. One day, he survives a dangerous mission, but the crew assumes his death and clones him. When he returns, he meets his new clone. But who has the right to stay alive? An exciting premise! Unfortunately, the film was quite a disappointment. Mark Ruffalo plays the leader of the colonists and, in a very clumsy way, plays a Trump knockoff who is neither funny nor offers intelligent criticism. Topics such as cloning ethics, colonialism, and immortality are touched upon, but little is done with them. The humor is also very strange in many places and probably aimed more at an Asian audience. Korean director Bong Joon Ho won a well-deserved Oscar for "Parasite," and I was so impressed by it that I still excitedly show the film to friends today, thus sparking interest in Korean cinema. "Parasite" is truly impressive and offers a very intelligent social critique, while at the same time, the film builds a great deal of tension and atmosphere throughout. A captivating film; if I didn't know, I wouldn't believe that both films were by the same director. But the cinema itself has a large, prestigious auditorium, which is often used for film premieres. Sitting here was very impressive and honors the film as a cultural asset.

The Dolby Theatre is also located on Hollywood Boulevard. The Academy Awards have been held here every year since its opening in 2001. The magnificent interior seats 3,400 spectators. Broadway productions and concerts also take place here. Unfortunately, I didn't have time for a tour of the theatre, but it's definitely worth it for Oscar fans. Between 1944 and 1950, the ceremony took place at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Before moving to the newly built Dolby Theatre, between 1990 and 2001, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Shrine Civic Auditorium hosted the Academy Awards.

One evening, my feet aching from the marathon, I went to the "Scum and Villainy Cantina" bar. Star Wars fans will love this bar, as it's a replica of the one in Mos Eisley. They have many delicious cocktails, and that evening, there was a public viewing of a series (The Penguin), which was very entertaining. I struck up a conversation with the bartender, and a little later, a friend of his came by. Where are they both from? From Santa Cruz! What are the chances of randomly meeting three people in one evening who are also from the same city? I had a great conversation with both of them about their European travels, the openness of Californians (in Germany, I never struck up conversations with strangers so easily), and my work at Camphill. I had a wonderful evening at the bar, which is also located on Hollywood Boulevard.

On my first day in Los Angeles, I stored my suitcases at a store on Venice Beach (Bounce Luggage Storage Venice in Native American World). The staff was very friendly and helpful, and they stored my luggage at a very reasonable price. Afterwards, I sat at a Starbucks, enjoyed the view of Venice Beach, and video-called with friends and family. After a delicious breakfast, I strolled along the beach. The beach is very different from Miami Beach; it was also much cooler in California, and the weather wasn't perfect for swimming in spring.

Not far from Venice Beach you'll find Little Venice. This neighborhood was built in 1905 by Abbot Kinney, who wanted to create a neighborhood that would evoke the feeling of Venice. With the advent of automobiles, the canals were deemed obsolete, and some were filled in in 1929 to make way for streets. In 1992, the canals were renovated, restoring the neighborhood's former glory. Many of the old buildings have since been replaced with modern ones. What I really like is that all of the canals have public paths, so the expensive houses don't have direct access to the water, allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful canal landscape.

Marina del Rey is the world's largest man-made marina. Here, you can stroll, visit one of the numerous restaurants, and enjoy the waterfront views and expensive yachts.

Arriving at the Santa Monica Pier, I immediately recognized many things from the video game "GTA 5," which I played a lot with classmates as a teenager. On the pier, there are many shops and an amusement park where I rode a roller coaster. It was a lot of fun; from the top, you have a great view of the ocean and the beach. The legendary Route 66, which starts from the Atlantic coast in the East, ends in the West, in Santa Monica Pier on the Pacific coast. This is the last point of Route 66.

When I think of Chinatown, I immediately think of the 1974 film "Chinatown" by Roman Polanski with Jack Nicholson. During my marathon, I ran through the streets of Chinatown, where you can see many lanterns, teahouses, Asian archways, and Chinese shops. It's especially worth a visit during Chinese New Year, as the streets are bustling with celebrations.

My hotel, the Freehand Los Angeles, in downtown was wonderful, especially compared to the AirBNB in ​​Miami. The historic building dates back to the 1920s. Although I shared a room with eight people, there were two bathrooms and it was much more comfortable. There's a great hotel lobby with breakfast and a restaurant, and best of all: a rooftop bar with a view of Los Angeles and a pool! It costs $38 a night, but that's a fair price for Los Angeles. I enjoyed swimming in the rooftop pool after the marathon and then relaxing on the lounger under the patio heater.

One evening, while I was lying in bed, a security guard came into the hotel room. He asked a guest to come to the reception desk. The guest replied that he had changed rooms and was now sleeping in his room. During the conversation, it emerged that the security guard recognized the guest from the CCTV. He had apparently sneaked into rooms several times in the past under the pretext of changing rooms. While people were sleeping, he stole their valuables. So I consider myself lucky that the security guard was so attentive and threw the thief out. However, the incident has made me decide that I'm tired of sleeping in eight-bed dorms and would rather spend more money on my own room in the future. Then I can sleep in and not have to worry about whether my valuables will still be there the next morning.

The park is located in Little Venice and isn't particularly large or spectacular in itself. What caught my attention, however, was a connection between the canals and the park. A section of the park is cordoned off, where large groups of ducks gather, which would otherwise swim through the canals. Playing children and park visitors can observe the ducks, which have their own protected area. A nice idea!

Located on the ground floor of the Homer Laughlin Building, right next to the Angels Flight Railway, is Grand Central Market, Los Angeles' largest and oldest public market. There are over fifty different stalls, so I had a hard time deciding where to eat. Israeli, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, American, Italian, Salvadoran, seafood, and even German cuisine are represented! The "Sausages - Berlin Currywurst" shop offers currywurst, pretzels, Leberkäse (meatloaf), beetroot salad, sauerkraut, fried potatoes, German beer, and hot dogs with Nuremberg sausage. I bought two empanadas from "Nonna's Empanada," one with Pepperoni and one with Nutella. Delicious! They even had Milk Chocolate covered Gummi Bears.

The site was originally a ranch owned by oil tycoon Arthur Fremont Gilmore. An old gas station still bears witness to that past. In the summer of 1934, 18 farmers decided to sell fresh produce from their trucks on the property. Gradually, the caretakers built wooden huts, and many residents came by to buy directly from the producers. Founded in 1934, the Farmers Market has over 100 stalls offering fresh produce, sweets, street food, and delicacies from all over the world. The prices aren't cheap, but it's fun to browse. American, Asian, Brazilian, Cajun, French, Greek, Middle Eastern, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Polish, seafood. I saw an interesting sign. Guide Dogs, Signal Dogs, and Service animals for the Disabled are allowed. But„Emotional support, Companion and Therapy Animals“ are not allowed. Violations can be punished up to 1000 $ per instance and up to six months in jail. Apparently, many people try to bring their pets and argue with the staff: „Please be kind to the staff when asked as they are doing their job“. 

If you want to visit a market, I'd recommend the Grand Central Market, as you'll also have a wide selection there and the food is much cheaper.

Next to the Farmers Market is one of Los Angeles' exclusive outdoor shopping centers. It features elegant boulevards and expensive designer shops. There's a large central plaza with an animated fountain. The musical fountain show takes place hourly, but there's also a non-musical program between the shows. The choreography of the water is reminiscent of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas; it's a lot of fun to grab a nice drink and sit by the fountain. Eating or shopping here is very expensive, but the pleasant atmosphere makes it worth the visit.

I love fried chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is also available in Germany, so I wanted to try the Tennessee chain. Nashville Hot Chicken is a type of fried chicken that originated in Nashville, the capital of Tennessee. Typical hot chicken is a portion of chicken breast, thighs, or wings marinated in a water-based spice mixture, floured, deep-fried, and finally coated with a paste or cayenne-pepper sauce. It's then served on slices of white bread with pickled cucumber slices. At the restaurant, you can order the fried chicken on its own ($4.99) or in slider burger buns ($7.29). I ordered two sliders with chicken and fries for $16.69. They ask if you want it spicy. I ordered one regular and one spicy. The regular was delicious, while the spicy was borderline hot. If you like fried chicken, check it out! It is within walking distance of the Chinese Theatre.

As with every marathon, you had to pick up your bib bag beforehand. This wasn't just a booth in a mall, like at the S25 race in Berlin, but an entire trade fair: the Lifestyle Expo. The expo was held in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium; the space was needed with the thousands of participants all queuing to pick up their numbers. Luckily, I had a good podcast with me, otherwise the almost 40-minute wait would have dragged on. Dodger Stadium opened in 1962 and is the largest stadium in Major League Baseball (MLB) by spectator capacity. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers. After getting my bib bag, I walked through the expo and bought T-shirts and jackets with the marathon logo. Numerous exhibitors were there offering samples of drinks, ice cream, snacks, and nutritional supplements. I walked from booth to booth and ate free chips, cookies, ice cream, and fruit. There were also booths for charity events and information on mental health. My highlight was the United States Marine Corps booth. The Marines had two pull-up bars where you could win prizes. I did 11 pull-ups and received a USMC bag, stickers, and a pen.

In the large Union Station, it's easy to get lost. An employee was super nice, asked me if I needed help, and then explained the way. Since it's not very clear there, he even accompanied me up several flights of stairs to show me the right turn. I was so impressed by the employee's dedication to helping me catch the train; I'm very grateful! Especially compared to Miami, I was very satisfied with the public transportation here.

If you want to read and see more about my marathon experience, read my blogpost for week 34.

In 1987, Lillian Disney donated $50 million to build a concert hall as a gift to the citizens of Los Angeles and as a tribute to Walt Disney's dedication to the arts and the city.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall opened in 2003. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra is based here, and 2,265 people can attend concerts and cultural events there. I watched a lot of "The Simpsons" as a child. I remember an episode that parodied the concert hall's design. Architect Frank Gehry crumples up his mail and throws it on the floor. The crumpled paper inspires him to design the hall in its iconic form. It actually looks like this! You can watch the scene here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MyT-wk0DuI

In the same episode, there's a scene where the rap band "Cypress Hill," stoned, requests the London Symphony Orchestra to perform. They then perform "Insane in the Brane" together. 28 years after the episode aired, Cypress Hill tweeted the scene, prompting the London Symphony Orchestra to offer a collaboration. The songs, which combine rap and classical music, are really good!

https://youtu.be/sTWYgUlHPHs?si=6gfs_juUJlDF2_5V

During the marathon, I ran through Little Ethiopia. The neighborhood is located in the Carthay District between Fairfax Avenue, Olympic Boulevard, and Pico Boulevard. Before the 1990s, it was a neighborhood with many Jewish shops and was known as "South Fairfax." Since the 1990s, numerous Ethiopians and Eritreans have settled here, offering their national dishes, such as injera, doro wat, and spicy lentil dishes, in numerous shops. For a time, the neighborhood was unofficially called "Little Addis," after the capital of Ethiopia. In 2004, Little Ethiopia was designated an official neighborhood.

Every "Die Hard" fan will immediately recognize the skyscraper, built in 1987. In the film, the 35-story tower is called "Nakatomi Plaza" rather than "Fox Plaza." US President Ronald Reagan had his office on the 34th floor after his term as president. In 2018, an open-air performance was held in front of the tower to mark the 30th anniversary of "Die Hard."

During the marathon, I ran through Little Ethiopia. The neighborhood is located in the Carthay District between Fairfax Avenue, Olympic Boulevard, and Pico Boulevard. Before the 1990s, it was a neighborhood with many Jewish shops and was known as "South Fairfax." Since the 1990s, numerous Ethiopians and Eritreans have settled here, offering their national dishes, such as injera, doro wat, and spicy lentil dishes, in numerous shops. For a time, the neighborhood was unofficially called "Little Addis," after the capital of Ethiopia. In 2004, Little Ethiopia was designated an official neighborhood.

Since I came to Los Angeles to run the marathon, I wanted to avoid getting blisters before the race. So, I took the "Los Angeles: Half-Day Best of LA Tour" from Get Your Guide. It costs $75 and promises to take you past the most important highlights of Los Angeles:

• Hollywood

• Sunset Strip

• West Hollywood

• Beverly Hills

• Rodeo Drive

• Avenue of the Stars

• Santa Monica Pier

• Fairfax Avenue

• Miracle Mile

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art

• La Brea Tar Pits & Museum

• The Original Farmers Market

• Melrose Avenue

• Paramount Studios

• The Greek Theatre

• Griffith Observatory

• Capitol Records Building

• Hollywood Walk of Fame

On the tour, we also saw Keanu Reeves' house. It has an infinity pool and a great view of Hollywood Boulevard. In Hollywood, an acre costs $1 to $2 million! We passed the house of a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Whisky a Go Go bar. In June 1966, The Doors were the house band here, launching their career.

The tour had three stops: a 45-minute break at the Santa Monica Pier, a 75-minute break at the Original Farmers Market, and a 45-minute break at the Griffith Observatory. The guide was very nice, told lots of jokes, and kept us entertained. The breaks were very long; I would have liked to have been out more and had him go into more detail during the tour. You don't learn much about the history of Los Angeles; it's more of a starting point for your own explorations. The guide had learned from me that I was running in the marathon. During the break at the Griffith Observatory, I ran to the bus to make it back in time. As I boarded the bus, the guide humorously congratulated me on my speed ("I'll think of you next time I exercise!"), and the whole bus applauded. It was a very enjoyable tour!

I definitely want to visit the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, a huge film museum, next time. I also want to visit the coffee shop Pat & Lorraine's, where Reservoir Dogs was filmed. A colleague recommended "The Last Bookstore," a huge bookstore with book tunnels! "The Broad" is supposed to be a very worthwhile art museum. The Getty Villa, whose fantastic garden was my desktop wallpaper for a long time, was unfortunately temporarily closed due to the wildfires. The building, modeled after the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, houses the Getty Museum's antiquities collection. In 1945, oil magnate J. Paul Getty acquired a 26-hectare property directly on the Pacific coast. The private museum for art exhibitions was opened to the public in 1974. J. Paul Getty died in 1976 and left a large legacy to the museum; the antiquities collection now boasts 44,000 objects. Next to the villa is a small open-air stage in the style of an ancient Greek theater. Ancient dramas are performed here. This is number one on my to-do list for my next LA vacation!

At the end of my trip, my feet sore from the marathon, I was looking for a place where I could relax, eat something, and video conference without being disturbed. I came across Halo DTLA on Bunker Hill, a small mall in the atrium of the Wells Fargo Center in the business district. I saw a bench for shoeshine boys, something I only remember from movies. There were very comfortable seating and a good pizza place: "Danny Boy's Famous Original Pizza." They serve authentic New York-style pizza. I ordered a delicious slice of pepperoni pizza for $5.50 and did a video call with my mom for two hours. It was lovely.

Within walking distance of the Wells Fargo Center you will find the Angels Flight Railway. This historic funicular connects the Bunker Hill area with lower downtown LA. It is 91 meters long and first entered service in 1901. When it opened, it was billed as the "shortest railway line in the world," but the Zagreb funicular is actually older and shorter. In 1962, the railway was designated a "Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument," but in 1969, service was discontinued and the railway was dismantled to redevelop the run-down residential area. In 1996, the railway was rebuilt at a different location, connecting Hill Street and California Plaza. In 2001, a cable broke, and a passenger was killed when the two cars collided. The railway was closed again and did not reopen until 2010. The passenger who was killed, Leon Praport, was a Holocaust survivor who had wanted to celebrate his 54th wedding anniversary in Los Angeles. In 2013, one of the two cars derailed. The train appears in many films, including "La La Land," "The Muppets," and "M."