Heading back to San Fran now and was going to head up the I5, but there is snow in the mountain passes so am sticking to the coast on Highway 101.

Spent the night in Hollywood and did some more of the sights. Its the day after the Oscars and they were still cleaning up. Did the classic movie stars tour to see some of the mansions the stars live. There are some wonderful properties in Beverly Hills with some wonderful price tags.

In the evening went up to the Griffith Observatory to see LA at night. It's an amazing view, with the skyscrapers of Downtown LA standing proud above the flat plains of the valley. Its like someone has taken Manhattan and stamped all round the middle flattening the buildings into an immense cauldron of human life.

Didn't stay in the park to long as the Coyotes come out at night,

Spent the weekend in the Desert at Palm Springs, or rather just outside at Desert Hot Springs, which, as the name suggests, is full of Hot Springs. It lies more or less on the San Andreas Fault which I guess is the reason why. The springs seem to attract a certain type of American. Large men with pony tales and even larger women with bizarre hairdos.

Went up into the mountains on Saturday to visit the San Jacinto state park. It was very icy up there especially once you get your park permit and venture into the wilderness. Some beautiful vistas overlooking the whole Coachella Valley.
On Sunday ventured into Joshua Tree National Park. It's full of Joshua Trees, not surprisingly, and some wonderful rock formations. You had to take care walking around the Cactus Park though.

Driving from Long Beach to Palm Springs I had a choice of attractions to visit. Disneyland or the birthplace of Richard Nixon. So Micky Mouse cartoons or Micky Mouse politics take your choice.

In the end I decided to go for the Presidential Birthplace and Library. The prefab house built by Nixon's father is still standing, but alongside is now a massive museum and full size replica of the East Room in the White House. The museum was very interesting and gave quite a balanced view of the former Comander in Chief, including a large section on Watergate.

There is also the Presidential Helicopter in the garden and the Limo in the museum.

Braved the LA traffic to venture south to Long Beach. Although still part of the Greater LA City, Long Beach is 35 miles from downtown LA and the traffic is something that needs to be experienced to be believed. Think M25 on a Friday evening and double it.

Main reason for coming down here was to visit the wonderful Queen Mary. Bigger that the Titanic and once the luxury way to cross the Atlantic, The Queen Mary is an impressive beast. The fixtures and furnishings have not been changed since its heyday and you have expect to see David and Wallis strolling along the polished wood deck.

Took a trip up to the Griffith Park Observatory for a stunning view over Los Angeles. Well what you could see through the smog. It certainly is a vast city, and you can look straight down the roads as they disappear into the far distance through city block after city block.

You can also see the Hollywood sigh a bit closer from up there. I was shocked as to how small it seamed from down on Sunset Boulevard. You can't get that near as it is protected by alarms and security gates. The original sign read Hollywood Land and was an advert for a new housing estate. Now one of the most iconic images in the world.

After seeing the places where the living stars reside, took a visit to the place where the dead ones can be found. Its called Forest Lawns in Glendale and it is absolutely chock full of celebrity bodies.

Trouble is the owners safeguard the privacy of the dead stars so won't tell anyone where they are. A bit ironic as these people spent most of their life trying to be the centre of attention and would probably like a visit or two after they are dead.

As it was I managed to pass the memorial and ashes of Walt Disney, the bodies of Nat King Cole and Clara Bow, and to see the enormous mausoleum that holds the bodies of both Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson, somewhere in its darkest depths.

Took a VIP tour of Warner Bros studio complex at Burbank. The site has been home to thousands of moves and TV programmes. The Waltons was filmed here as was Dallas and The Dukes of Hazzard. Quite a lot of the exterior sets are still standing and have been used over and over again in various productions. It maybe why the fake streets and houses all look somehow familiar.

One small set still stands from the making of Casablanca and in the museum you can see the original, tiny, piano from the movie. Its also chock bloc of Harry Potter memorabilia, even though the movies were filmed in Europe.

Took a trip up to Hollywood to see the sights. It is getting a bit busy with preparations for the Oscars next weekend, so the main road was blocked off. You could still see all the main sights though including the walk of fame and the footprints and hand prints of the stars outside the Chinese Theatre.

There is quite a mix of prints from Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Junior, to the stars of Harry Potter. Michael Jackson appears to have five hands. Is that what is meant by the Jackson Five?

Continues down the coast towards Los Angeles via the picturesque Santa Barbara. Its right on the coast with a delightful wooden pier and some beautiful Spanish architecture. Spend a few hours wandering along the Boulevards.

Headed into the city via the Malibu Coast road. Malibu is where an awful lot of stars live, such as Larry Hagman, Shirley McLaine and Barbra Streisand. The road is a bit twisty so I hope Babs is carefully when popping out to the Supermarket. Maybe she gets James to drive?

Took a side trip up to Hearst Castle which has a stunning view perched on the peak of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Oceon.

It is the former home of William Randolph Hearst, who spend the thirties entertaining the likes of Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill in his fortress on the hill.

It must be one of the most picturesque places in the world in which to live, such a pity they build a monstrosity to live in.

Don't get me wrong, the little spanish villas are chaming, and I'm sure the origional plan for a bungalow was delightful. But the dark gothic mock cathedral they came up with as the centerpiece is pretty hideous. It's crammed full of furniture and treasures ripped out of churches across Italy and Spain, which I'm sure looked lovely in a little Spanish church, but looks a bit incongruous in a mansion. Still the view outwards are stunning.

Took the freeway south heading towards Los Angeles. Dropped in at Montery a couple of hours south of San Francisco. It was an old Canning town, now redeveloped with the main eye on the tourists passing through, Unfortunately the museums were close through lack of funding! The seals were performing a plenty in the bay though.

Further south the scenery got more dramatic with the road clinging to to the sides of sharp hills diving into the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean. Some magnificent views and half way along a colony of Elephant Seals to entertain. They were almost wiped out due to seal hunters but now numbers have recovered dramatically. And the way they were mating they have no intention of nearly dying out again.

Walked down to the Golden Gate Park, 1,017 acres of green slam bang in the middle of the city bringing wilderness into the heart of the urban. Similar in shape to its famous cousin in New York, Central Park, it's actually 20% larger and over five miles from end to end. The one thing it doesn't have is a view of the Golden Gate so not sure what lead to the name.

Plenty of attractions inside though, including a Japanese Tea Garden, The Botanic Gardens and the California Academy of Sciences with its amazing collection of flora and fauna. Rather to many kids screeching around for my liking though.

Took a trip out to Alcatraz Island, once the home of some of Americas most notorious criminals. You can wander through the cell blocks once occupied by the likes of a Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz) and George "Machine Gun" Kelly.

It certainly was a bleak place if today's weather was anything to go by, with biting winds sweeping across the bay and the Golden Gate bridge a hazy sentinel half hidden in the mist of the morning. It must have been a frustrating place to be imprisoned, with the sparkling city just over the frigid waters. The Rock has now been reclaimed by the sea birds who cover its baren shores.

Visited the maritime museum in the afternoon, which features some old sailing ships, which once plowed the route from England to California. It took five months in those days, traversing the treacherous waters of Cape Horn en route. Even so,iIt was still cheaper to transport materials from Europe to build the new city than it was to ferry them across the continent by rail.

Arrived in a sunny San Francisco. Well it was sunny when I arrived but that didn't last long as the clouds descended in the afternoon. Took a walk up to Fisherman's Wharf, once the heaving centre of the city's dock life, now a haven of tourist attractions and restaurants. The Sea Lions still occupy several pontoons just off the jetty and drew a sizable Sunday crowd. Took the short cut over the hill to get back to Union Square where I am staying. Boy they certainly have hills here. No wonder they invested in Cable Cars.