This is the blog of Mark Wordsworm, the travelling worm. I’m a 25-year-old bookmark and can proudly boast my own Hallmark serial number, 95 HBM 80-1. You’ll probably want to read all about me and my Travelling Companion (the TC).
Today’s travel notes
Me and the TC are in Long Beach, California. The TC is attending a conference on technical communication. I’ve come along for the ride.
So far we’ve seen the beach, which is long, and some gracious old buildings, which complement the new entertainment complexes, and lots of friendly people.
The TC had a strange encounter on our second day here. As so often happens, she found herself wandering around in places where she’s not supposed to be. At the moment, and perhaps perpetually, the footpaths in Long Beach are in disarray due to some major road reconstruction. The TC went wandering down the causeway, dodging barricades and warning signs, in search of a more interesting route to the shops. She strolled past the only other soul in this bleak area, then did a double take when she noticed that the other woman was weeping. Quite forgetting that she was in California, she turned back and asked the passer by, “Are you OK?” This question elicited a long tale of woe, revolving around the fact that the other poor soul’s “number is 8″ and that the number 8 had not been on a good footing since the 8th of August 1968. The TC, bless her cotton socks, took it all in her stride, commiserated and assured the woman that the wheel of fortune will keep turning and will come back round to her in good time. Then they parted ways, each to continue meandering more or less contentedly on their life’s journey.
I myself stayed wisely silent in the safety of my book.
My impressions? Long Beach is smaller and more drab than this worm expected. Still, it has that great open feeling that I’ve noticed in other parts of California.
Travel tip
Don’t speak to strangers unless you’re ready for them to talk right back at you.
Recommended accommodation
Hyatt Regency, 200 South Pine Avenue in Long Beach. This is the conference venue. It’s plush and convenient, with friendly and efficient service. Photo below.
The book I’m in
Portent, by James Herbert. It’s an unsettling coincidence that the TC chose to start reading this book just before the awful series of earthquakes and tsunamis that have hit Japan, and so soon after the earthquakes in New Zealand and the disasters in other parts of the world. Portent is a somewhat mystical book, weaving natural disasters into an extended Gaia philosophy built upon James Lovelock’s ideas. This worm recommends the book for a good fast read in James Herbert’s best style.
The photos
Me at Long Beach:
Long Beach, California
A building that graces one end of the beach:
Long Beach, California
Another gracious building, in Pine Street:
Long Beach, California
Below is the Hyatt Regency on Pine Street. The waterway around the hotel is part of the Rainbow Lagoon Park:
Long Beach, California
More of the Rainbow Lagoon Park, round behind the hotel. In a fast action scene in the film “Last Action Hero”, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, this park masqueraded as the La Brea Tar Pits:
Long Beach, California
Most days, Arnie is not around and the park is home to a quieter, more contemplative crowd:
Long Beach, California
Here’s a view from the hotel window showing Shoreline Village, a tourist’s delight of food, sweets, T-shirts and lovely water scenes:
Long Beach, California
Moving slightly to the left of the above view, you can see the rest of Shoreline Village, as well as the Queen Mary which is now a hotel and tourist ship, and another ship at dock:
Long Beach, California
The TC and I trickled down to Shoreline Village to soak up the sights:
Long Beach, California
Me looking back at Long Beach proper, from the boardwalk at Shoreline Village. Or, I should say, from just off the boardwalk. As you can see, the TC does not hesitate to dump me in the dirt if it serves to make a better snapshot:
Long Beach, California
A blog post about California would not be complete without a sunset, preferably with some palm trees tangled up in it:
Long Beach, California
That’s all for today dudes.
No 8, *shakes head*, only in CA!
[...] We were at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Long Beach, California. The Travelling Worm was at the conference too and has posted more pictures and words on his blog. [...]
Having met you, Mr Wordsworm, I now am obligated to follow your meandering, er writings!! I do love seeing your photos in various locales (and Long Beach is close to my home!). I think you enjoyed some lovely weather on your visit to the States this year. I hope the TC took a picture of you at the World Famous San Diego Zoo!!
Hallo Sue
It was a privilege meeting you too. The weather so far has been extremely kind to me and the TC. We have heard rumblings that there are storms in the offing, but so far we’ve managed to skip between them. Thank you for escorting me and the TC around San Diego Zoo on Saturday! I decided not to have my photo taken, because there were just too many other cute and impressive characters around. No star likes to be upstaged! However, I do have a lot to say about your lovely home town. This worm will blog about it shortly.
This worm hopes to meet up with you again soon, either here or there or somewhere in between. Anywhere where there’s a good book or two!
With kindest regards
Mark Wordsworm, Travelling Worm