MXoN fans on tour: Santa Monica & Venice Beach
Traveling around Los Angeles is inevitably a feast of recognition. Due to the presence of the film and TV industry, you will constantly come across places that you have seen before. Santa Monica and Venice Beach are the most famous beaches. We made it a day at the seaside. For personal impressions we called on our Belgian beach girls: Joline Grobben and Charlotte Baetens.
The pier in Santa Monica is one of the tourist attractions in LA. To explore these seaside resorts more actively, we chose to rent a bicycle so that we could ride from Santa Monica to Venice Beach. There is no navigation involved: keep the sea on your right and you will automatically arrive at Venice Beach. Stretching your legs never hurts, but with the necessary stops and photo opportunities, this ride becomes even more fun. “Before we started cycling, we explored the neighborhood on foot. There are also plenty of attractions in Santa Monica so you certainly won't be bored. The Ferris wheel is certainly recommended,” says Charlotte Baetens, “from there you have a beautiful view of the entire coastline.”
Of course, cycling on the water is done in style. And let's face it, a vintage chopper bike looks much better here than in, say, Blankenberge. Joline Grobben: “When you get on such a cool bike, you immediately get into the 'Cali mood'. I was super happy with my pink chopper, so cool!” From Santa Monica it is about 3,5 kilometers to Venice beach. Yet the atmosphere is very different. Santa Monica has been nicely renovated and 3rd Street - where no traffic is allowed - is now a pleasant shopping street. The vibe in Venice Beach is more alternative. Originally this was the hotspot for hippies and artists. That feeling is still there. “Muscle Beach is a must see. It is a stretch of beach where people exercise and fitness outdoors or come to show off their muscles,” Joline laughs.
Also nice to see: the skate park and the street musicians. And as if the devil were involved, we also met some well-known people. Den John (Bryan), the ex of TV BV Astrid Nuyens, spent his day off rollerblading on the beach. Not only did John prove to be a likeable guy, he was also enthusiastic to hear that Belgian supporters had traveled to the US for the MX of Nations. John was completely sold on the 'Olympic Games of motorsport' and let us know that he would also follow the MXoN and the activities of Team Belgium. Even though things didn't turn out as hoped in love, Bryan clearly still has a soft spot for Belgium!
Charlotte Baetens: “Because we had to be back with our rented bikes around 14 p.m., we couldn't hang around Venice Beach for too long. After all, our next stop was Hollywood. And Hollywood is definitely written with a capital H! You can tell from everything that this city is a magnet for glitter and glamour. Large billboards, gigantic villas and expensive cars make up the street scene.” A visit to Hollywood is not complete without the world famous “Walk of Fame”. This is the famous sidewalk where entertainment stars have earned their place for eternal fame with the typical star in the concrete. So you can literally walk among the greats.
Due to the enormous crowds of tourists who pass through the area every day, this is also popular territory for street musicians and artists. They all dream of being discovered, but in the meantime good tips are more than welcome. To end this typical tourist day appropriately, we went to the Hooters sports bar. Anyone who is not familiar with this American catering phenomenon only needs to look at the waitresses to know why the owl in the Hooters logo is so eye-catching. “To end our wonderful day, we went to the Hardrock café for a Hot Fudge Brownie dessert. We are already in love with “The City of Angels,” Charlotte and Joline conclude in unison.
Photos: Gino Maes & Joline Grobben
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