tonight is...
my last night in santa monica.
my last night alone (almost).
my last night separated from all that's familiar by +/- 10,000km.
in 2-3 days i will be back in singapore where it is always sunny, often pressurizing, and sometimes annoying. no matter what, reality has caught up with me and there's nothing i can do but go back to it. i've had my break, these past few months, and i'm so thankful it happened at all. the time's come for me to head back and try to figure my life out again, try not to make too many mistakes, try not to hurt people, try to be on my best behavior.
due to a group of singaporeans i met here a couple of days ago, i guess you can say i've had a slight taste of what awaits my return. oh well i guess i'm gonna need to continue finding ways to get around it.
day 1: walked down to santa monica pier, where most of the tourists were decked in red or purple school merchandise for the big rose bowl game that's to be played in pasadena on new year's day; an annual tradition. this year it was TCU (purple) vs Wisconsin (red). TCU won (btw). glad for the crowd, as it's easier to disappear that way. realized from my walk out to cvs pharmacy about 3 blocks down that walking around alone around here draws (unwanted) attention. spent most of the day on venice beach, a beautiful beach that's exactly what a beach should be like (though i could do w/o the seagulls.. they come too close :P). sat on the sand barefooted, read my book, ate my lunch, then it got too cold so i went back. had intended to stay for the sunset (santa monica's known for one the most awesome sunset views), but i was way too cold (i know right, cold in LA?! and the wisconsin fans were still walking around with ice-creams. shame on me) so i went back. and fbchatted all my friends who would fbchat me (that brought the total to about 3? tops.)
day 2: new year's day! started it the same way i started 25 dec this year (2010); sleeping in. then lounged around some more before heading out and about. strolled (and would you believe it, got lost) around 3rd st. promenade, the shopping/dining district. it was full too, of the hustle and bustle of people getting some shopping done for the brand new year (or carrying their wife/gf's shopping for the brand new year). got tempted by a cotton on top and a f21 top, resisted, walked away. oh the brands that were available! it was like being back in outlets w/o the huge sales, plus sephora. to aid in my resistance, i walked back down to the pier and sat there reading till sunset. it was beautiful. a man, an author, sat and talked to me about his book for awhile cos he saw me reading. he asked me to buy his book from the barnes and noble at 3rd st. promenade or borders in singapore. he showed me a copy of his book; i think i might have seen it before.
day 3: (finally) made a new friend, nicole from HK, at breakfast. we took the bus to hollywood together, passing by the residence of the rich and famous, beverly hils. hitherto i've been afraid to take the bus lest i get lost alone; one of my biggest and quite probable nightmares. we stumbled upon a farmer's market otw to hollywood and browsed through it - it is really pretty cool. then walked a long bit (whoever said you can't live in LA w/o a car got it dead right) along hollywood boulevard, which was less glamorous than we expected, along the star-strewn walk of fame, saw the site of the academy awards (kodak theatre) and took pics with the sign (though you can hardly see it way off in the bg). after coffee and a croissant, i headed back by myself cos nicole wanted to take the guided tour of kodak and visit madame tussaud's after (i took the bus alone! correctly!). missed the bus cos i took a wrong turn looking for the bustop.did i mention that it rained incessantly today.. every single second i spent outside was in the rain. the wet cold rain. recited the alphabet backwards while taking shelter at a nearby gas station waiting for the next bus.
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see ya in singapore!
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