From San Diego to Los Angeles

We are heading north this time: The Pacific Ocean is on our left and the sun is setting. The sunset takes so long that we had a chance to watch every hue of red and orange until satisfied. When we arrive in Los Angeles, it is getting dark. We are there in a huge metropolis, at the main train station called Union Square. We are getting off the train just like everybody else to enter the big city but we have no idea what we are going to do next. Everybody told us that Los Angeles is a city sprawled over a large area where getting to somewhere is difficult and we have to drive. That is why we are walking into a car rental office which is about to close and renting a car. The employee who handed over the keys to us is quickly walking away in the obvious contentment that the working day is over. We now have a big metallic blue car; we are getting in and driving out. The slow rhythm of trains we have grown used to over the days quickly ends among the cars that speed up like crazy.  We are out of our element. Although we are trying to find our way on 7-lane highways, it is not easy for someone coming from Europe. It is however highly recommendable to rent a car in LA since the distances between places are quite big, it is not a compact city and you may find public transportation less easy.