Southern California-Disney Adventure Park

Gerry and I just returned from four great days of fun and adventure in Southern California. The weather was superb! This was El Lobo's first trip back to the city of Angels (or city of water thieves, depending on your point of view) Many love to hate Los Angeles, particularly Northern Californians. Why? Is it jealousy of the weather, beaches, and the movie stars?This mini vacation included:-Disney's brand new California Adventure park-Dining at "Chez Mimi" in Brentwood and "The Lobster" in Santa Monica-Running and relaxing on the beach in Malibu-Touring the UCLA campus, including the legendary Pauley Pavilion -Rolling power blackoutsWe arrived early at the Disney California Adventure park and were quite surprised and delighted to find no crowds or lines. Apparently the park has not yet been drawing. Our first ride was "Soaring over California." This ride is truly wonderful!!!! It is rated a solid, exhilarating 10. On a simulated flight, in an IMAX technology, we soared from Los Angeles to the Golden Gate Bridge, then to Yosemite, then to Tahoe, then Napa then the storied coast. The whole trip was worth it for this one singular experience!! Gerry was a great sport and reluctantly agreed into going on the Grizzly River run, a roaring white water raft adventure. We were both totally soaked when we got out. California Adventure Park is as close as you will get to Grizzlies in California as they were all killed long ago. Reintroduction is being considered.After downing the biggest chocolate cream puff in the world, the sugar rush helped us complete most attractions and adventures. "Its tough to be a Bug" is a humorous, amazing 3D adventure. One of it's stars was the "silent, but deadly" stink bug. This attraction is lots of fun. The California Screamin roller coaster goes from zero to 55 in less than 5 seconds. El Lobo went solo on this one.The park is a true slice of the myth of California and well worth some vacation time. There have been few adventures away from the natural world that El Lobo has enjoyed. California Adventures is one. I absolutely loved it. Ahhhhhh California----------------- The whole state of California thrives and survives by moving water and rearranging the God given hydrology. The economy is richer than all but seven nations in the world, and it grows one third of the table food in the US and none of it within the preexisting natural order. About two-thirds of the state receives under 20" of precipitation a year. Marc Reisner wrote in Cadillac Desert---"California, it fools it's visitors into believing it is lush, is a beautiful fraud"The freeway ride back to the hotel in Bel Air was more California screaming as we survived the aggressive drivers and the slow downs caused by two accidents.On the radio we heard the news that John (Papa) Phillips had passed away and we were saddened. John's haunting melodies propagated the California dream or myth as did the Beach Boys.Mama Cass and John Phillips are gone from this world, but their music and message will last forever.So long John, thanks for the gifts.So what is the real California? Myth, fraud, or dream?I choose DREAM