Metro Mysteries - L A (Part 1)

Initial Induction

fbb will never visit Los Angeles, sadly, being simply too old and too impoverished! But the brief visit of No 3 son did provide a starter to encourage the old bloke to investiate and imagine what a "live" visit might be like.

Adjacent to the hotel and similarly adjacent to the 10UCA office block was a large 10 bay bus station; there being five bays on one side of a central layover area and five similar but opposite. Unusually Google Streetview had entered the bus station despite well placed warnings to the contrary.

At first glance,  the south western stands were unused.

Activity seems based on the north eastern side with several stands equipped with stop poles and "flags" and some with shelters. Two stands were the US version of "setting down only" ...

... others offered the opposite of "Discharge".

There were electronic departure screens,  but their displays were incompatible with Google's camera technology.

Or maybe they simply weren't working! 

Apart from these screens and the numbers on the stop "flags", there was no information at all at this massive but underused bus station. The shelters were empty of anything timetabular.

But one stand was very different. It was bigger and better lit.

It had a trendy brand up a pole.

Was it LA's version of Superloop?

Streetview shows two parked buses ...

... and one setting off yonder.

BUT, on closer Street Viewing, there appeared to be a non-standard bus stop "flag" on the "empty" side of the bus station sans information or facilities.

Something else to investigate.

On-line information was excellent, but reveals a slight credibility issue.

Metro was not just a metro! The brand applies to all public transport in L A except "proper" trains.

So, effectively, L A has a "municipal" bus and underground system, fully integrated and publicised as one network. 

How refreshing.

The web site had reminders of the recent wildfires ...

... although the free bus fares are now less free.

The replacement is a very good discount scheme.

And there's more.

A closer look at the bus and underground network map reveals the omnibologucal happenings at 10UCP.

fbb guesses that 101, 134 and 170 are road numbers; which leaves ORANGE routes 155, 222, 224 and 240 serving Unversal-land and a 501 that doesn't. The 501 is an "express" via road 134 - possibly more details later.

Other numbers were scattered around but were not in the slightest bit orange.

For no particular reason, fbb will take a look at route 224 in tomorrow's blog.

It is not clear whether the on-line publicity is available as a real paper printed leaflet, but the PDF file is, at least, print ready.

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Birthday Bash Sunday Lunch

Daughter-in-law discovered the Holcombe Farm Shop and Kitchen, just 10 mins from the gaff. The Sunday Lunch was gargantuan and delicious; with top scores (from fbb) for the roast potatoes.

Some weekday menu items pictured on the web site were perhaps less attractive ...

... but, whatever it might have been, surely it would have been delicious. (Risotto?). 

A top delight in the farm shop was the sausage rolls ....

... miraculously and unusually with far more sausage than roll. fbb was too replete after din-dins to contemplate some to take back to the gaff for tea.

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Snippet

During conversation at lunch, fbb commented that he never received exciting emails. So it was arranged for fbb to receive his first "exciting" on-line communication.

Deep joy!!!

 Next Univeral blog : Tuesday 11h Feb