Disclaimer before we start : For some reason, WordPress stopped allowing me to save “standing” images today. I can save them laying on one side, or upside down. But all except one I uploaded today I cannot save in the correct position. After several hours of frustration I decided to upload and post them rotated 90 degrees and to hell with it. This is supposed to be fun! (and yes, I did try the “fix rotation” plugin, but it gave me a http error whenever I tried to upload a standing picture so deleted it again)

Anyway! Today we drove around in Los Angeles. We start out towards Holywood Boulevard, with the C70. Which is fun as always. It takes about 40 minutes to drive there from the hotel. It’s fun to cruise along the boulevard, because it’s loaded with tourists and our Dutch license plate does turn some heads!

After some walking in the crowd we head back to the car, and start driving in the direction of the Griffith Observatory. Jonathan picked these locations and he’s very excited to be driving.

We are very lucky to be able to drive all the way to the building and park right in front, where a few places are still open. We do pass some fences and parking aides who turn around other cars but maybe it’s luck, maybe it’s the Dutch plage, who knows. We won’t complain.

After some coffee it is time to drive down again and make our way towards Mulholland drive, which will lead us through the Hollywood Hills.

It is fun to drive on these famous roads and in these famous neighborhoods, which we all know from so many movies. While we were on Hollywood Blvd, some people where shooting a scene for a movie. I tried to take a picture but that was apparently forbidden. There was a big guy with a helmet on a very small bike, and a cop car. A camera on some rails was along the road. Lots of bright lights standing around. It was kind of special to see.

We drive down to the city again through Bel Air, which we all know from the Fresh Prince of course. Back at the hotel we walk across the street to Rae’s Diner, where we grab a burger just before it closes for the day.

After a short rest it is time for the final destination today, and in a way the final destination on Route 66 : the Santa Monica Pier. We drive about 3km down to the coast and after some hassle with finding a parking spot manage to park right next to the pier.

It is here that we find the current (or latest appointed) end of Route 66. There are other endings, just as there are multiple starting points in Chicago. But this is of course the best location. It’s a special moment for us both, as well as for the C70, because we drove this car literally from one end to the other end of Route 66. I bought a plate which states “This car drove all of Route 66” and the C70 can now officially show that plate!

With the official part of our visit to the Pier done, we walk to the end to watch the sunset, and also take a peek at 3rd street, a well known shopping area, before we head back to the hotel for the night.