At the risk of this being a repeat of the last two posts, I was stunned by the difference between LA and SF too. Of all the big cities I have ever visited, LA was the worst. Ugly, boring. A dozen suburbs in search of a city, as the saying goes. Except for Disneyland it's a complete waste of time. Well at least for a tourist. A conglomeration of this size surely must have some places where the locals go for a good time. Or maybe they all do hang out at Venice beach all day long, flaunting their silicons and steroids.

By contrast, SF and the Bay Area are fantastic. It's bustling with life. A gorgeous city with a proper city feel, almost European, and all set in beautiful natural surroundings. I crossed the Golden Gate into Marin County and above, gorgeous. A bit windy and cold for my liking, but if I would ever move to the States I'd go to San Francisco.