DAY 3
Where things do not go
according to plan, Kenneth discovers his inner-child, and we all learn a little
something about science and alcohol.
Having decided the night before that we’d take a ride down to
Universal Studios Hollywood, we all got up earlier than usual, feeling excited
and exuberant. Unfortunately, even after a one-and-a-half hour wait, the driver
never showed up. Saddened by this unexpected turn of events, we retreated to
our beds and, after a tense, lengthy discussion, decided to head down to the
California Science Center (CSC).
A fighter plane landed right outside CSC.
The past two days, we had spotted advertisements for a Dead Sea
Scrolls exhibition at the CSC. I was particularly interested, being Catholic
and all. Kenneth and Shaun expressed some interest as well, so our first order
of business upon reaching CSC was to buy tickets for the special exhibition.
We got out tickets and immediately headed upstairs for the exhibition.
It was an insightful look into the history behind the rise and fall of the
Jewish people as well as their various enemies and conquerors. The exhibit also
featured displays with information on famous biblical references such as the
Ten Commandments, artefacts that gave hints to how the ancient Israelites
lived, and the myriad practices and symbolisms that would persist in modern
religions such as Christianity and Islam, even today. Audiences even got a
glimpse of bits and pieces of the actual Dead Sea Scrolls, which provided the
foundations for the most influential book ever written.
Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed inside the exhibit hall, but
the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition was, for me at least, still a mind-opening experience.
After the exhibition we headed down to the cafeteria for lunch. I
ordered some homemade apple juice and a bacon cheeseburger with a side of
fries. The ingredients tasted fresh and the meal was satisfying, albeit a
little pricey.
Delicious and fresh.
Feeling recharged from the meal, we went to check out some of the free
exhibits in the center. They had some hanging displays featuring various
satellites, and several smaller exhibits about different aspects of the
environment.
Satellites!
Some highlights included a creepy-looking salamander, a maggot farm
and a huge walk-in aquarium. Most of the attractions were geared towards younger children, but Kenneth in particular was having a sincerely fun
time, trying out all the different interactive displays like a kid in an
arcade.
Science! Creeping kids out since the Big Bang.
Despite Kenneth’s intense enjoyment, the rest of us started feeling a
little tired. We beat a quick retreat to the hostel using the city Metro, but
not before snapping a shot of the University of South California’s campus.
Outside USC.
Our Metro trip wasn’t entirely smooth-riding, but at least it allowed
us to experience LA’s public transport system (and better appreciate
Singapore’s vastly-more-efficient one). We managed to make our way back to the
hostel, where we took a short nap before heading out once again for dinner.
We went down the street across from Banana Bungalow and found a place
called Prime Pizza. They had cute artworks hanging on their walls and large
pizza slices waiting to be devoured. I ordered a meat-less slice of Sicilian
Pizza, which tasted pretty delicious, though it paled in comparison to Domino’s
Pizza. But none of that really mattered, because they also had a cute Korean girl serving up the pies.
Our final stop for that evening was at Biergarten, just outside the
Grove, where we sat down for drinks. I had a Hoegaarden because I had no idea
what anything else on the menu was. Moses attempted their house-brewed beer,
while Jieqi had cider and Kenneth braved a glass of Chimay White (no idea what
that is). The friendly service and chilled-out ambience certainly helped improve our drinking experience.
Biergarten, or Beer Garden?
But alas, sleepiness, jet-lag and alcohol definitely do not go well together. We eventually dragged ourselves back to the dorm and onto our beds, each secretly admitting to ourselves the truth we dare not face: damn, we're all getting older.
No comments:
Post a Comment