Day 1 Wednesday, May 26, 2010
We traveled from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to Atlanta, GA., via Airplane, which took thirty-five to forty-five minutes. We left at 6 A.M. and arrived a little after 8 A.M.
My husband took us all to the airport. He helped us unload our luggage, and we said goodbye.
We checked in, and I used the kiosk to insert 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, Dr. 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 lower the handle of my suitcase while climbing the stairs, but I lost control and the briefcase tumbled back down.
The pilot who spoke with Sherry during the flight found my suitcase.
He told Sherry he was a pilot and would be working in Atlanta for the next 7 days.
He would be taking short trips, but soon he would be traveling 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 reached 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, but did not realize 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 photos that we missed the upstairs escalator.
Sherry still had my luggage when we once again boarded the Tram.
I was trying to put my camera back in its bag when Sherry slipped and fell while 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 as the Tram started to move.
A man beside 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 began eating the breakfast my husband had purchased from Hardee's.
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, and 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.
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; Flagstafff, AZ; Boulder City, Nevada (where we saw the Colorado River and the Hoover Dam), and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains (what was left of the snow). We flew over Lake Mead National Recreation Area and followed Interstate 40 into the Los Angeles International Airport.
It was neat looking at the land from the Airplane and how the view changed. In Arizona, you could see the mountainous and sandy desert; in New Mexico, the circles and squares of the land; and in LA, the monopoly of houses that covered the land. Many clouds drifted across some areas, casting shadows on the ground below.
We landed at LAX Airport, collected our overhead luggage, and walked outside to catch the bus (Flyway) to the bus depot where Carolyn's car was parked.
I was snapping pictures through the window on the one-hour ride.
When we arrived at the bus depot, we purchased our tickets, and Carolyn paid for car storage.
The cost to store her car was $4 a day for 8 days. We rode to Carolyn's at Picasso and Franklin Streets in Lancaster, California.
Carolyn prepared Chicken patties, cream potatoes, and a salad for supper. After supper, Carolyn went to her Wednesday Church meeting. Sherry and I watched TV, and we were both tired. I went to sleep and didn't wake up until nine the following day.
 |
| 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, and saw McDonald's, Walgreen's, and Wienerschnitzel on the right side of the road. We walked to the red light, left to 13, and left to Picaso to Carolyn's 43637.
For breakfast, I ate half 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 and had brunch.
I ordered a chili cheese hamburger and a Coke. Sherry ordered a double chili cheese hamburger, fries, and a Coke. I ate some of her fries.
Carolyn spent most of the day cleaning because she had been gone for over a week and had left Bill, her husband, to fend for himself. Men do not clean the way most women clean. Carolyn prepared a pot roast with carrots and potatoes for supper. Bill bought a peach and an 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
After showering and dressing, Sherry and I walked the same route (2 1/2 miles) as the day before. We stopped at Walgreens on our way back. Carolyn had gone with Bill.
Carolyn took us to Antelope Valley to see the poppy fields when they returned from the doctor.
The yellowish-orange poppies were about gone, but a few were 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, while Carolyn prepared chicken breast and vegetables for us.
I ate a banana, a slice of spice cake, and a Three Musketeers bar for breakfast that morning.
 |
| 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 AAiForceBase |
 |
| Edwards Air Force Base |
Day 4 Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sherry and I walked the same 2 1/2-mile route every day.
When we returned, Carolyn took us to the Greek Festival in Northridge, CA.
We arrived at 10:00, and the festival did not start until 1:00 P.M.
We walked to McDonald's, and then 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, is the location.
I met Iris while we were walking to the church. She told me she was from Atlanta, GA, had lived in New York, and now lived in Northridge, CA. I told her 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 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 a leg of lamb.
There were several display cases full of Greek desserts.
We each bought a dessert.
We walked through many vendor booths, checking out the wares.
I bought three beautiful Greek bracelets.
Many people joined the traditional Greek dance, and the music was fantastic.
The church was open, and one could tour the gorgeous Chapel.
A young woman explained how the Greeks worshiped God.
This young woman was from Huntsville, AL., and had worshipped at a Greek Church in Huntsville.
I saw a wall between the people and the priest. Three robes were on display. On the wall were the figures of St John, Christ, Mary, and the Child, and all the saints of the church.
On the right side of the church was a table that displayed Christ's death and birth. This table is carried through the church and out into the open.
In the center of the ceiling is a rotunda, and within it is a picture of Christ.
There were stained windows of the saint throughout the church.
A table full of candles, suitable for both the living and the dead, was available for purchase.
We thanked the young woman, 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. It shares a common cultural tradition and traditionally conducts its liturgy in Koine 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 generally covered from floor to ceiling with icons or wall paintings of saints, their lives, and stories from the Bible.
Above the nave in the church's dome is the icon of Christ, the Almighty Pantokrator ("Ruler of All"). Directly beneath the dome is a circular chandelier depicting the saints and apostles, called the horos.
The iconostasis, also called the templon, is a screen or wall separating the nave from the sanctuary and is covered with icons. There will typically be three doors, one in the middle and one on either side. The central one, traditionally called the Beautiful Gate, is used only by the clergy. Sometimes, 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 depict the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.
We ate hamburgers, fried zucchini, and fried onions 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, Calif.Nia The robe |
Day 5 Sunday, May 30, 2010
We all slept late.
The plumber came at eight and cleaned out the pipes.
Everyone showered and dressed, then went to the late service at 11:00 A.M. at Desert Vineyard, 1011 East Avenue 1, Lancaster, CA 93534.
They sold beagles, muffins, coffee, and drinks at the service.
The minister spoke about his trip to the Holy Land.
He said that my friend and I were trying to find a McDonald's.
We wore short pants and T-shirts, which did not fit their culture.
He said we were almost attacked several times. Finally, we asked this huge man for directions to McDonald's, and he gave them to us.
But when we reached McDonald's, it was closed. We didn't take any more chances walking that night, so we took a taxi back to the hotel.
We had praise and worship, and we honored our veterans.
Monday was Veterans Day.
At 1:00 P.M., we went to Bill's son's home, where they were grilling.
We ate hamburgers, bratwurst, hot dogs, and all the fixings. Rob's girlfriend brought strawberries and cheesecake.
After eating, some sat and talked while others entered the swimming pool. Still others played cards.
I talked to Rob's girlfriend and 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 4:30 P.M.
Sherry and I walked our usual 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, where 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-mile routine, and we stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. I ordered a cinnamon melt and a Diet Coke, and Sherry ordered a sausage biscuit and a Coke.
At 2:30 P.M., Carolyn made burritos for lunch.
We went to play Bingo at 5 P.M.
Carolyn went early to get us a good table. The pot for all the games that night was $40, so the tables didn't take long to fill up, and we arrived later with Bill.
We stayed until all the games were played, which was about 10 P.M. Carolyn won $200, and I almost won; I just needed 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 McDonald's and ate breakfast. I ordered a cinnamon melt, and Sherry ordered a Sausage biscuit.
I had my camera with me to take pictures of the beautiful flowers and trees hanging over the homes' walls in the square we walked through. We walked to Walgreens, where I bought a tube of Jergen tanning lotion; it was on sale for $4.99. We stopped at the gas station, where I bought a couple of Mountain Dews (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 such as The Mummy, Zorro, Jurassic Park, Missile to the Moon, The Cars, and many Western films, as well as music videos.
The Canyon offers magnificent views of grey limestone and red sandstone and is home to over 200 mammals.
When I finished taking pictures, I returned to the car and rode to LA.
We are going to see Angel's Flig; it is a sight my grandfather visited more than 80 years ago.
Eighty years later, here I am. I have a postcard my grandfather saved from his visit to Angels Flight. He saved everything and had many postcards of places he visited in the early 1920s.
We will 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 across the overpass of Interstates 5, 10, and 110 to downtown LA. We passed Moore Fort Park Monument, several Federal Buildings, the Civic Center, and 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 sight 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 ridden for 25 cents one-way. 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 for 25 cents one-way. 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, a lawyer, engineer, and friend of President Lincoln, Angels Flight is said to be the world's shortest incorporated railway. Controlled by cables, the counterbalanced cars travel a 33 percent grade for 315 feet. It is estimated that Angels Flight has carried more passengers per mile than any other railway globally, over 100 million in its first 50 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 of 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 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, 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 planned to link the hilltop paradise with the street using a counterbalanced funicular.
A few years 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 town backed down for over 30 years until 196,9 when the colorful cars (then repainted in Halloween orange and black) and the tracks they ran on were dismantled. The hilltop terminal stood in the way of urban renovation, and skyscrapers would sprout atop Bunker Hill.
City officials swore that Angels Flight would return in "a few years." However, a few years became three decades, and waiting for the next lift was long. 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 has made Angels Flight and its soaring course 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 overpasses 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, built during the Mexican-American War. The location of Fort Moore Hill gave it its name, and it is situated 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 the intersection of North Hill Street and West Cesar E. Chavez Avenue. On August 13, 1846, during the Mexican-American War, 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. It's unique, and you can buy two chicken pieces for $1.
Carolyn made homemade potato salad to accompany the chicken. She then went to her Tuesday night Bible Study, Sherry cleaned, and I wrote in my journal.
 |
| Round-trip souvenir ticket for Angels Flight |
Day 8 Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Sherry and I walked our usual 2 1/2 miles. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. Bill went to see a lawyer in LA.
Carolyn took us to Hollywood to see the stars placed along the sidewalks of Hollywood and Vine.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is on Hollywood Boulevard, stretching from Gower to La Brea Avenue, and from Vine Street to Yucca to Sunset Boulevard.
The stars were in silent films, from modern action heroes to movie stars, as well as in radio, TV, stage performances, directing, singing, songwriting, and other fields.
Gene Autry has the most stars, five. The Grauman's Chinese Theater is reserved for true Hollywood Stars.
(Grauman's 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 hosted more gala Hollywood movie premieres than any other theatre. (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 along the sidewalk, but decided that there were too many to take them all.
I took over 600 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 del RÃo, and Anna May Wong.
I saw the Capitol Records Building, Kodak Theatre, Disney's El Capitan Theatre, Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, Hollywood Wax Museum, Guinness World Records Museum, The Kress nightclub, Are You the Star mural, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, and 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, and we left early in the morning.
 |
| Grauman's 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, where we rode the bus to the LA International Airport.
I had problems getting the kiosk to take her flight information at the airport, so I asked a flight attendant for help.
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, they were hard to get.
I got a good picture of the snow left on the Rocky Mountains.
We flew over the Colorado River, Boulder, Nevada, and the Hoover Dam.
We flew over Flagstaff, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
We flew to Atlanta, GA, through Wichita Falls, Texas; Texarkana, Arkansas; Starkville, MS; and Birmingham, AL.
We did not have to rush to our next flight, so I took the time to photograph the NASA Gallery display on 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 it was time for our flight to Muscle Shoals.
Had a great trip, but was glad to be home.
