We are very fortunate to be staying in a friend's driveway...a friend who wanted to show us around LA. The three of us left (in her vehicle) at around 9 and decided to stop at the Presidential Library of Ronald Reagan. Although I was a bit apprehensive, I was very pleasantly surprised. It was the first time I had ever been to a Presidential Library and am now grateful for the experience. The library contains artifacts, speeches, diaries, film footage, and many personal items from the two terms that Reagan served as president. There was even the suit, with bullet hole and blood stains, that he wore when he was shot. Reagan's personal story is quite intriguing and although I didn't agree with some of his policies, I have to admit that he was a remarkable man who achieved a lot both during his terms as Governor of California and as President of true United States. The most fascinating part for me was to experience the history of the world during his presidency...everything from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the Iran Contra Scandal. The library is indeed a history museum!
Also in this library is Air force One...the actual plane that Presidents used to travel. When the plane was retired it was added to the collection and open for the public to walk through. You can imagine how enormous the building has to be to house an airplane!
The final stop on the tour was the gravesite of Ronald Reagan. Reagan announced in 1994 that he had Alzheimer's. He shared his illness with the world to bring to the forefront the reality of this disease. His wife Nancy took care of him until he died. Included in the library is a letter that Nancy wrote to then President Bush, encouraging him to promote stem cell research. We left the Presidential library after spending three hours there.
The rest of the day was a decidedly different experience as we headed to Hollywood. We managed to find a place to park, which I understand is nothing short of a miracle in this city, and started walking with heads down as we were on Hollywood Boulevard, reading the names of the stars in the sidewalk. A tour of Hollywood in an open top van gave us a good look at the Hollywood sign, Sunset Boulevard, Rodeo Drive and many houses belonging to the rich and famous including Halle Berry, Tom Cruise, and many, many more.
We drove back to Oxnard via the Pacific Coast Highway and got to see more fabulous homes as well as the Malibu Pier, some sites where "shoots" often take place and some restaurants frequented by Hollywood stars.
After a 12 hour day we were ready for a good night's sleep when we arrived back at the camper. What a fun day!
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