#4 The stale freshman

I get occasional breaks from work and I am immediately haunted by these sounds - Dogs barking, the LA firetruck gong berserk on the streets, private planes flying overhead, loud spanish everywhere, gunshots, more spanish. My least favourite sound would of course be the gunshots. Excuse me, but in Singapore when I hear a gunshot, it basically means a pigeon has died. Over in this neighbourhood? Someone would be that pigeon.

All negativity aside, I decided to share another photo S. took when we were in Hollywood last week. 

This Minnie Mouse probably got disfigured after a fall into a big drain. Who knows? Actively seeking for a tourist's attention to earn a quick buck or two. The smile on the mascot's face probably only a facade to hide the scowl of the puppet inside - a puppet of a man unknowingly having his strings pulled by the crowds of Hollywood.

Of course with all the fun, only comes more fun right? Even when there are tons of work to be done. So I packed my lunch, umbrella and bottle, strapped on my bag and made my virgin trip to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

Lunch for the day was a Snow White red apple and this lovely toasted onion bagel, accompanied with roasted turkey, egg and cream cheese.

With the consistent jingle of quarters in my bag, my worst fears came true - I got lost, even before I made it to the campus. It wasn't really my fault because I happen to think I follow instructions pretty well. At the busstop, it says on google maps to take bus 12. Which I did, only that I took bus RAPID 12. How was I to know it was going to be a different route right? Furthermore, all the kids who boarded the bus had UCLA hoodies, so I was kind of gloating to myself, proud that I "made it" on my own. Well, until the bus terminated in the middle of nowhere and the students scattered from it like little hungry ants. 

For 40 minutes, I got lost, walked past the Engineering block, many medical research centers and chanced upon this beautiful sight within the campus of UCLA. I unfortunately, did not bump into my future doctor husband.

 This looks like a castle and not a school? They should charge people for coming into the school and treating it like a museum (a.k.a me). Eventually, I settled myself in a little cosy office and worked hard for hours! Was rather pleased with my productivity (:

I felt like a stale freshman after, while I was walking back to the office after a lunch visit to the cafeteria. Dude walks up to me with a flyer and says: "Hey! Quidditch match next week, USC vs. UCLA. Come watch!" I took his flyer, looked at him confused and said: "What? For real? Real Quidditch?" He was like: "Yea!" Enlighten me someone for I am perplexed. Is he talking about the game in Harry Potter with the flying broomsticks and a snitch?! Either he's delusional or I'm a hermit.

What else would you like to see of Los Angeles? Leave a comment and I'll visit it for you.

There it goes, another gunshot. It is 12:58 in the PM.
Day 13 in Los Angeles. Going strong.