Day 1 Wednesday, May 26, 2010
We traveled from Muscle Shoals Alabama to Atlanta, GA., via Airplane, it took between thirty-five to forty-five minutes. We left at 6 A.M. and arrived a little after 8 A.M.
My husband took all of us to the airport. He helped us unload our luggage and we said goodbye.
We checked in, and I used the kiosk by inserting my credit card information.
We boarded the airplane and I saw my doctor.
Dr. Boorgu and his wife were going to Maryland for a Medical conference. I replied that we were going to Los Angeles.
As we exited, the airplane doctor Boorgu said enjoy your trip.
Carolyn and I stored our luggage on the first plane.
When the plane landed we had to collect our luggage.
(All luggage with wheels had to be stored.)
We climbed two flights of stairs from the runway. I was trying to let the handle down on my suitcase while climbing up the stairs but somehow I lost control and the suitcase and it tumbled back down the stairs.
The pilot that talked to Sherry during the flight caught my suitcase.
He told Sherry that he was a pilot and he was going to Atlanta to work, for the next seven days.
He was going to be taking short trips but soon was going to be taking trips back and forth to Europe. He had been to the Shoals area to visit his family.
I thanked him for stopping my suitcase from falling.
When we got to the top of the stairs, we started looking for our next stop Gate T.
We took the escalator downstairs to the Tram.
From the tram, we caught a couple of moving sidewalks.
On the level with the Tram is this beautiful display of Zimbabwe Sculptures
I started taking pictures and I did not realize that there were so many.
How can I Rise, Caring Mother, Woman Showing Traditional Salute, Exercising Man, Protecting Spirit, Protecting Family, Water Spirit, Madoka, Who Will Raise the Child, At one with Nature, Galactic Dancer, Traveling Family, Hwata Secretary Bird, Generation Pyramid, Peacemaker, Welcome baby, LeapFrog, Conversion, waiting, Kissing Lovers, Elephants, and Ignailus Zhuwakiyl
 |
| Zimbabwe Sculptures /Kissing Lovers |
 |
| Zimbabwe Sculptures /Protecting Spirit |
 |
| Zimbabwe Sculptures /Madoka |
I asked Sherry if she would hold my luggage while I took a few pictures. I was so wrapped up in taking pictures that we missed the escalator going upstairs.
Sherry still had my luggage when we once again boarded the tram.
I was trying to put my camera back inside its bag when Sherry slipped and fell as she was getting on the tram.
Carolyn stopped in front of me and I almost fell.
Sherry was offered help but she said she was okay and I just stood there watching when the tram started to move.
A man next to me put his arm around my waist to keep me from falling.
We left the tram took the escalator upstairs and walked to Gate T.
We found a place to sit down and we began eating the breakfast that my husband had purchased from Hardees.
Sherry and Carolyn ate sausage & egg biscuits.
I ate a bacon & cheese biscuit.
We each purchased a bottled drink.
When we finished eating, we talked and used the restroom.
We boarded the plane, I sat next to the window and Sherry sat next to me, we sat in 40 E&F.
The Stewart served snacks I chose pretzels and coke.
Sherry had made sandwiches for our flight. She gave me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and she and Carolyn ate a chicken Salad sandwich.
I got my camera out and started taking pictures (I took over 200 while in flight).
We flew from Atlanta, GA toward Birmingham, AL, toward Starkville, MS, toward Greenwood, MS, through Texarkana AK, Withcfalls Ok, Albuquerque, NM, Flagstaff, AZ, Boulder City Nevada, (where we saw the Colorado River and the Hoover Dam) and the snow caped Rockies Mountains (what was left of the snow). We flew near Lake Mead National Rec Area followed along Interstate 40 into LA International Airport.
It was neat looking at the land from the airplane and how the view changed by state. In Arizona, you could see the mountainous and sandy desert, in New Mexico the circles and squares of the land and landing in LA the monopoly of houses that covered the land. In some areas, you could see many clouds floating and their shadows covered the ground below.
We landed at LAX Airport, collected our overhead luggage, and walked outside to catch the bus (Flyway) that took us to the bus depot where Carolyn’s car was parked.
I was snapping pictures through the window on the one-hour ride.
We purchased our tickets at the bus depot when we arrived and Carolyn paid for the storage of her car.
The cost to store her car was four dollars a day for eight days. We rode to Carolyn’s located at Picasso and Franklin Streets in Lancaster Ca.
For supper, Carolyn prepared Chicken patties, cream potatoes, and a salad. After supper, Carolyn went to her Wednesday Church meeting. Sherry and I watched TV, and we were both tired I went to sleep and slept until nine the next morning.
 |
| Arizona |
 |
| Rockie Mountains |
 |
| Colorado River/Hoover Dam |
 |
| Arizona |
 |
| New Mexico |
 |
| New Mexico |
 |
| Flying into Los Angeles |
 |
| Flying into Los Angeles |
 |
| Billboard Sex and the City |
 |
| Massive Grave site in LA |
Day 2 Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sherry and I walked two and a half miles square around the neighborhood.
We walked to the end of Picaso turned right, then left onto 13 left on Avenue K, down to the red light left on 15 then left on J*, walked to 10 East at the Red light went left to Avenue K, We saw McDonald's, Walgreen’s, Wienerschnitzel on right side of the road. We walked to red light left to 13 left to Picaso to Carolyn’s 43637.
For breakfast, I ate half of a banana, and a streusel cake, later that day Sherry and I walked to Walgreens where I bought a pink top, some candy, and tanning lotion.
We walked to Wienerschnitzel where we ate brunch.
I ordered a chili cheese hamburger and coke. Sherry ordered a double chili cheese hamburger, fries, and coke. I ate some of her fries.
Carolyn spent most of the day cleaning because she had been gone for over a week and left Bill her husband to fend for himself. Men do not clean the way most women clean. Carolyn prepared for supper a pot roast with carrots and potatoes. Bill bought a peach and apple pie for dessert.
That night I stayed home with Bill, and we watched TV. We watched CSI Miami. Sherry and Carolyn went to Curves. Everyone was in bed by eleven.
 |
| Backyard of Carolyn's House |
Day 3 Friday, May 28, 2010
I took a shower, and dressed, Sherry and I walked the same route as the day before (2 1/2 miles walk). We stopped at Walgreens on our way back. Carolyn had gone with Bill.
Carolyn took us to Antelope Valley to see the poppies fields when they got back from the doctor.
The yellowish orange color poppies were about gone but there were a few scattered over the fields and among the poppies were tumbleweeds. I had never seen either so I started snapping pictures
We stopped at Edwards Air Force Base a Park full of retired Jets, missiles,
Here is a list of what we saw: A-12 & SR-71A Blackbirds in Blackbird Park in Palmdale Ca, F-86 Sabre N91FS, BB AF 80 099, Plaque with Dick Madison ~James Daniels~John Jack Fabbri, Albert "Pinky" Pinkham Memorial, B-2 Spirit, C-140 Jetstar N814NA NASA, F-101 Voodoo 0-08034, F-100 Super Sabre ~FW 299, F-104 Starfighter ~70915, F-105 Thunderchief AF 652 416 WW, F-14 Tomcat 103, B-52F Stratofortress ~70038, A-7 Corsair II ~54449, A-4 Skyhawk ~145067, F-4 Phantom II ~069, T-38 Talon ~182, F-5 Freedom Fighter ~80324, T-38 Talon ~182 and Scaled Composites 143 Triumph
On our way back we stopped at the dollar store, I bought a couple of avocados, a Father’s Day card, and a birthday card for my son, Andy.
For supper, Sherry cooked chicken liver (which she and Bill loved) and corn. Carolyn cooked us some chicken breast and vegetables
For breakfast that morning, I ate a banana, spice cake, and a three-musketeer bar.
 |
| Antelope Valley to see the beautiful, yellowish-orange poppies |
 |
| Antelope Valley to see the beautiful, yellowish-orange poppies and tumbleweeds |
 |
| Antelope Valley to see the beautiful, yellowish-orange poppies and tumbleweeds |
 |
| A-12 & SR-71A Blackbirds |
 |
| Edwards AiForcece Base |
 |
| Edwards Air Force Base |
Day 4 Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sherry and I walked the same 2 1/2 miles routine every day.
When we returned Carolyn took us to Northridge Ca to the Greek Festival.
We arrived at 10:00 and the festival did not start until 1:00PM.
We walked to McDonalds and we walked to a yard sale.
The family was having a yard sale to raise money to send their girls on a mission trip. Carolyn bought some books.
We walked to St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church located at 9501 Balboa Blvd. Northridge California 91325 where the festival was taking place.
I met Iris while we were walking to the church. She told me she was from Atlanta, GA she had lived in New York and now she was living in Northridge CA. I told her that I was visiting my cousin.
I introduced her to Sherry and Carolyn. Iris received a telephone call and we said goodbye.
Sherry and Carolyn were tired from walking so they found seats and they sat down.
With my camera in hand, I started walking around taking pictures.
The aroma of Greek food was in the air.
There were all kinds of sub sandwiches; and leg of lamb.
There were several display cases full of Greek deserts.
We each bought a dessert.
We walked through many vendor booths checking out their wear.
I bought three beautiful Greek bracelets.
Many people joined in the Greek traditional dance and the music was awesome.
The church was open and one could tour the Chapel and it was gorgeous.
There was a young woman who explained how the Greeks Worshiped God.
This young woman was from Huntsville, AL., and she had worshipped at a Greek Church in Huntsville.
I saw a wall between the people and the priest, there were three robes on display. On the wall were the figures of St John, Christ, Mary and Child, and all the saints of the church.
On the right side of the church was a table that was used to display the death and birth of Christ. This table is carried through the church and outside the church.
In the center of the ceiling is a rotunda in the center of it is a picture of Christ.
There were stained windows of the saint throughout the church.
There was a table full of candles to be purchased that could be lit for the living and the dead.
We thanked the young woman and walked to our car and rode to Carolyn’s.
St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Northridge California
A little history of the church below:
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of the Orthodox Church, sharing a common cultural tradition, and whose liturgy is traditionally conducted in Kline Greek the original language of the New Testament.
The nave is the main body of the church where the people stand during the services.
The walls are normally covered from floor to ceiling with icons or wall paintings of saints, their lives, and stories from the Bible.
Above the nave in the dome of the church is the icon of Christ the Almighty Pantokrator, "Ruler of All"). Directly hanging below the dome is usually a kind of circular chandelier with depictions of the saints and apostles, called the horos.
The iconostasis, also called the templont is a screen or wall between the nave and the sanctuary, which is covered with icons. There will normally be three doors, one in the middle, and one on either side. The central one is traditionally called the Beautiful Gate and is only used by the clergy. There are times when this gate is closed during the service and a curtain is drawn. The doors on either side are called the Deacons' Doors or Angel Doors as they often have depicted on them the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.
We ate hamburgers, fried zucchini, and fried onion from Double Z’s for supper. Sherry and Carolyn took a nap while I washed clothes.
That night Carolyn’s toilets became clogged with paper towels. The next day a plumber came and unclogged the lines.
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Festival |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church dancing |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Lighting the candles |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church inside the church |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church the rotunda |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church |
 |
| St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Northridge California The robe |
Day 5 Sunday, May 30, 2010
We all slept late.
The plumber came at eight and cleaned out the pipes.
Everyone took a shower and dressed and we all went to the late service at 11:00AM located at Desert Vineyard at 1011 East Avenue 1 Lancaster, CA 93534.
At the service, they sold beagles, muffins, coffee, and drinks.
The minister talked about his trip to the holy land.
He said to me and my friend were trying to find a McDonalds.
We were wearing short pants and Tee Shirts and we did not fit into their culture.
He said we were almost attacked several times Finally we asked this very large man for directions to McDonald's which he gave us.
But when we reached Mcdonald's it was closed. We did not take any more chances walking that night we took a taxi back to the hotel.
We had praise and worship and we were honoring our veterans.
Monday was Veterans Day.
At 1:00PM lunch, we went to Bill’s son's home they were grilling.
We ate hamburgers, bratwurst, hotdogs, and all the fixings. Rob’s girlfriend brought strawberries and cheesecake.
After we finished eating some sat talking while others got into the swimming pool. Still others played cards.
I talked to Rob’s girlfriend and I talked to Bill’s daughter-in-law. She said that her husband had passed away from cancer she said she had a son and a daughter.
We left at about 4:30PM.
Sherry, and I walked our routine of 2 1/2 miles and I took pictures with my cell phone.
When we finished our walk we stopped at the grocery store.
Sherry bought several spices at the store that we do not have back home.
We stopped at the gas station and I bought lottery tickets, a couple of mountain dews, and a three-musketeer bar.
 |
| Swimming party and cookout |
 |
| Swimming party and cookout |
Day 6 Monday, May 31, 2010
Sherry and I walked our 2 1/2 routine and we stopped at McDonalds to eat breakfast. I ordered a cinnamon melt and a Diet Coke. Sherry ordered a sausage biscuit and coke.
At 2:30PM Carolyn made lunch of burritos.
We went to play Bingo at 5PM
Carolyn went early to get us a good table. The pot that night for all games was $400 so it did not take long for the tables to fill up, and we came later with Bill.
We stayed until all the games were played it was about 10PM. Carolyn won $200 and I almost won all I needed was the number 14 on two cards.
 |
| Posing |
 |
| Sherry |
Day 7 Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Sherry and I walked our 2 1/2 miles around the neighborhood. We stopped at McDonalds and ate breakfast. I ordered a cinnamon melt and Sherry ordered a Sausage biscuit.
I had my camera with me so I could take pictures of the beautiful flowers and trees that were hanging over the walls that surrounded the homes in the square where we walked. We walked to Walgreens I bought a tube of Jergen tanning lotion it was on sale for $4.99. We stopped at the gas station, I bought a couple mountain dews they were two for $2 and a three Musketeer bar.
We rode to Los Angeles, Carolyn stopped along the interstate so I could take some pictures of Red Rock Canyon. This area has been used for movies like The Mummy, Zorro, Jurassic Park, Missile to the Moon, The Cars, many westerns, and some music videos.
The Canyon has a magnificent view of grey limestone and red sandstone and is home to over 200 different mammals.
When I finished taking pictures, I got back into the car and we rode to LA.
We are going to see Angels Flight, it is a site that my grandfather visited more than eighty years ago.
I can say eighty years later here I am. I have a postcard that my grandfather saved when he visited Angels Flight. He saved everything and had many postcards of places he visited in the early 1920s.
We are going to ride the Angels Flight to the top of the city. It is a beautiful site, with tall skyscrapers all around. This is one of the sites that I wanted to visit while in Los Angeles.
We parked in Chinatown and walked crossed the overpass of Interstate 5, 10, and 110 to downtown LA. We passed Moore Fort Park Monument, several Federal Buildings, the Civic Center, pass a tunnel, where Angels Flight once stood on Hill Street. We rode Angels Flight to the top where we were among many skyscrapers: A beautiful site to behold.
Angels Flight is now located at 351 South Hill Street, Los Angeles CA 90013. It has two funicular cars, Sinai and Oliver that can be rode in at the cost of twenty-five cents one way, and the ticket station is at the top. To ride back down you pay another twenty-five cents. There was a historical marker at the top and Information on a Kiosk at the bottom of the flight.
 |
| Red Rock Canyon |
 |
| Angels Flight |
 |
| Angels Flight |
 |
| Angels Flight Postcard |
Angels Flight is now located at 351 South Hill Street, Los Angeles CA 90013. It has two funicular cars, Sinai and Oliver that can be ridden in at the cost of twenty-five cents one way, and the ticket station is at the top. To ride back down you pay another twenty-five cents. There was a historical marker at the top and Information on a Kiosk at the bottom of the flight.
History of Angels Flight:
Built-in 1901 by Colonel J. W. Eddy, lawyer, engineer, and friend of President Lincoln, Angels Flight is said to be the world's shortest incorporated railway. The counterbalanced cars, controlled by cables, travel a 33 percent grade for 315 feet. It is estimated that Angels Flight has carried more passengers per mile than any other railway in the world, over a hundred million in its first fifty years. This incline railway is a public utility operating under a franchise granted by the city of Los Angeles.
A Penny to “Heaven”
Less than six months after work began, Eddy’s railway opened at Third and Hill Streets, one penny each way. For those who preferred to hoof it, or could not afford the fare, Eddy built 207 steps on the north side so that no one could claim he had a profit-making monopoly on the ascent.
An observation tower was built at the upper end, the Olive Street terminal, and became known as “Angel’s Rest.” This rickety 100-foot tall tower afforded a panoramic view of the burgeoning city. However, after a decade, the rotting timbers used in building the Third Street tunnel below made the ground start to sink.
(Although the tower was reinforced, it soon became too dangerous to climb, and by 1938, it was taken down.)
P.B.O.E
In 1909 the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. “99” built its headquarters atop Bunker Hill, just in time to host the Elk’s national convention. To help lead the way to the new digs, the Elks paid for a red beaux-arts arch and colonnade over the “Angels Flight” Hill Street entrance. The initials “B. P. O. E. ” were carved into the archway to direct visiting lodge members to the hilltop convention.
Flight of the Angels
As the trombones played on New Year’s Eve in 1901, two wingless angels took flight, screeching their way to fame as the stars of the world’s “shortest railway.” “Olivet” and “Sanai,” two black-trimmed, cream-colored wooden cars named for two hills in the Holy Land, chugged at a stately pace, journeying 325 feet on a 33% grade. The tiny two-car incline named “Angels Flight” was open for business, and its business was hauling the wealthy residents of the fashionable Victorian hilltop neighborhood down to the flatlands and back up again, 400 times a day, 18 hours out of every 24, seven days a week.
Ups and Downs
Renovated in 1913, the system continued its ups and downs, catering to society matrons who descended with butlers in tow to carry their heavy packages from Grand Central Market, which had opened in 1917 as the neighborhood’s only full-service grocer.
Civil War Hero
Its creator, Col. James Ward Eddy, was a Civil War hero and a friend of Abraham Lincoln’s, a former schoolteacher, a lawyer, an Illinois State senator, and an engineer. Weary of politics, he had pulled up stakes and headed west. He found Bunker Hill and its mansions to be an island of privilege isolated from the shops and commerce below. He conceived the plan of linking the hilltop paradise with the street using a counterbalanced funicular.
A few years and. and Three Decades Later
In 1935, when the city planned to widen Hill Street and replace Angels Flight with a nondescript municipal elevator, Angelenos protested. The city backed down for more than 30 years, until 1969, when the colorful cars, (by then repainted in Halloween orange and black) were dismantled, along with the tracks they ran on. The hilltop terminal stood in the way of urban renovation and the crop of skyscrapers that would sprout atop Bunker Hill.
City officials swore that Angels Flight would be back in “a few years.” However, a few years became three decades a long time to wait for the next lift to come along. Encumbered with bureaucratic delays, official excuses, red tape, real estate squabbles, and money woes, Angels Flight’s uphill battle to restoration finally ended in 1996, with the Community Redevelopment Agency getting the Cars rolling again.
The tracks were relocated a half-block south of the original path, and a city eager to hold on to its past and revive its urban life - Angels Flight and its soaring course has become the most visible and beloved form of public transportation in the City of Angels.
We walked back to our car which was parked in Chinatown.
We walked across the overpass of Interstate 5 10 and 110 past the Moore Fort Park Monument and several Federal Buildings.
Fort Moore is a historic Fort in Los Angeles, California, during the Mexican-American War. Its location gave a name to Fort Moore Hill, which is located between the modern downtown Los Angeles neighborhoods of Bunker Hill and Chinatown. The Fort Moore Pioneer Memorial now memorializes it.
Its approximate location was at what is now the intersection of North Hill Street and West Cesar E. Chavez Avenue. Mexican-American War on August 13, 1846, early in the conflict, U.S. naval forces under Commodore Robert F. Stockton sailed into Los Angeles and raised the American flag without opposition. A small occupying force of 50 Marines, under Captain Archibald H. Gillespie, built a rudimentary barricade on what was then known as Fort Hill overlooking the small town.
I took several pictures on our ride back to Carolyn’s.
Bill picked up Church’s Chicken for supper. They’re special was two pieces of chicken for $1.
Carolyn made homemade potato salad to go with the chicken. Carolyn went to her Tuesday night Bible Study. Sherry cleaned and I wrote in my journal.
 |
| Round trip souvenir ticket Angels Flight |
Day 8 Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Sherry and I walked our routine of 2 1/2 miles. We stopped at McDonalds for breakfast. Bill went to see a lawyer in LA.
Carolyn took us to Hollywood to see all the stars that were placed along the sidewalks of Hollywood and Vine.
The Hollywood walk of fame is on Hollywood Blvd from Gower to La Brea Avenue to Vine St from Yucca to Sunset Blvd.
The stars are for people that were in silent films to modern action heroes movie stars, radio, TV, stage performers, directors, singers, songwriters, and others.
Gene Autry has the most stars he has five stars. The Graumans Chinese Theater is reserved for true Hollywood Stars.
(Graumans Chinese Theatre opened over 70 years ago, with the 1927 debut of the original silent version of "King of Kings," produced by Cecil B. DeMille. Since then, the Chinese Theatre has been the site of more gala Hollywood movie premieres than any other theatre. (In 1939, for instance, over 10,000 spectators showed up for the world premiere of "The Wizard of Oz.)
The only character that we saw was Batman.
I took many pictures of the stars that were placed along the sidewalk but decided that there were way too many to take them all.
I took over 600 hundred pictures.
I also took pictures of clothing stores, museums, and restaurants.
I saw Madame Tussauds, at the Gazebo. I saw a silver likeness of Mae West, Dorothy Dandridge, Dolores De Rio, and Anna Mae Wong.
I saw the Capitol Record Building, Kodak Theater, Disney’s El Capitan Theater, Ripley’s Believe or Not Museum, Hollywood Wax Museum, Guinness World Records Museum, The Kress nightclub, Are You the Star mural, Graumans Chinese Theater, Egyptian Theater, the magic castle.
As we were leaving I saw the Hollywood Bowl
I missed taking a picture of the Hollywood sign on the hill.
Sherry made chicken and dumplings for supper.
We packed our luggage for we were leaving early in the morning.
 |
| Graumans Chinese Theatre |
 |
| Three Stooges |
 |
| Mural of Movie Stars |
 |
| May West |
Day 9 Thursday, June 3, 2010
We left Lancaster at 4:30 A.M. Carolyn drove us to the bus station called the “ flyaway” and we rode it into LA International Airport.
At the airport, I had problems getting the kiosk to take her flight information so I asked a flight attendant to help me.
Sherry and I went through security okay and we settled in. Our flight to Atlanta was smooth.
I had earphones so I watched TV. I tried to take a few pictures but because I was sitting over the wing the pictures were hard to get.
I did get a good picture of what snow was left on the Rocky Mountains.
We flew over Boulder, Nevada, over the Colorado River, at the Hoover Dam.
We flew through the desert of Flagstaff, Arizona, Albuquerque, and New Mexico.
We flew through Wichita Falls, OK, Texarkana, Arkansas, Starkville, MS, and through Birmingham AL to Atlanta Ga.
We did not have to rush to our next flight so I took the time to take pictures of the NASA Gallery display in the lower level.
These are the pictures that I took:
Vela Supernova Remnant, W49B, Cassiopeia A, Cat's Eye Nebula, North America Nebula, Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, Star-forming Region S106 IRS4, Veil Nebula, Tierra Universo, From Earth to the Universe, Orion Nebula, Cone Nebula, Helix Nebula, Butterfly Nebula, Lagoon Nebula, Carina Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Rosette Nebula, Eagle Nebula, Horseshoe Nebula, Crab Nebula, Antares, Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, Tierra Universo and Pleiades 440 Light Years (star clusters).
We walked upstairs, and I bought us supper at Burger King.
We sat in the lobby talking until time for our flight to Muscle Shoals.
Had a great trip but was glad to be home
