Death Valley

The trip to Death Valley (http://www.nps.gov/deva/) runs without major highlights, as parched desert landscape we now know already. Once supplied with 24 bottles of mineral water and some food we arrive at 14.00 clock in the Furnace Creek Ranch. The rooms are not ready, we could either wait or call every half hour - within the next two hours they might be ready. We have already experienced better service here.

Never mind, it is so cozy with 48 degrees Celsius in the shade - who would want to have a shower. So we make a short trip, because in the interior of the car the air conditioning creates temperatures around 35 degrees. We drive to the Artist's Drive with different colored rocks (or should I say more delicate shades of color?) And then the more impressive Devil's Golf Course with rugged rock flakes that are still stained with the salt of the former lake. Mordor must be just around the corner and Mia is looking out for Frodo and Sam to be able to donate some refreshment.

But insted of that we go back to the hotel, check in and find out that there is a pool. If the water is already scarce, it must be used at least for something useful. We use the luxury and refresh with cool 30-32 degrees water temperature. The charge of the waste water is relative, because a sign pointing me out with the spent pool water the golf course is irrigated. Well then.

We start early to look at the sunset from Dante's View. The family is snapped, I will start already at 17.30 clock, but the topography seems to me something to help and in the 1600 meter altitude of Dante's View, temperature is only 32 degrees. The view of almost the entire valley is worthwhile in any case and gives a completely different picture with giant glittering salt flats.

Despite a comfortable temperature we do not wait until 19.45 clock, but try to catch Sunset at Zabriskie Point. Even severe speeding by some 100 percent does not help and we come about a minute too late, but the warm light on the higher rocks is still impressive.

Back in the room, given the usual National Park prices we eat from what we brought from the supermarket, but thanks to a bottle of Mondavi and fresh vegetables it tastes quite well (apart from the typical American sweet spiced dried meat) and the evening sounds of cute and funny. The children say goodbye to see Star Trek on TV. I wonder why: Here it all looks like on another planet.

The Sequoia Trees

The next day we leave northward out of the Death Valley and the goal promises change: Instead of the valley of death, the largest living creatures on the planet, the Sequoia trees, wait for us. Unfortunately, the navigation device in the Sequoia National Park (http://www.nps.gov/seki/) did not have clear goals and so we decide to retract the park from the south. From there, we want to go to the General Sherman Tree, the largest of all the Sequoia.

For this decision we are rewarded with a beautiful landscape, but punished with a very curvy road and later with the realization that there is no continuous connection within the park. We need to get out of the park for the great sequoias again. This costs much time and so we spend almost all day in the car.

It is also found that the planned arrival time, which gives us the Navi is on twisty roads waste. It calculates general speed limit, but the number of individual panels 25 or 35 mph has not been programmed. And I would like to see an US car that bangs through 55 mph on mountain roads. I heave the Dodge by force through the corners and ignore any possible speed limit, but the race against the Navi I lose almost by hours.

Late, we arrive at almost 2000 meters height at the giant trees and are a little disappointed. Great you know, but sooo big again maybe not. The spruce in the garden of my parents' neighbor is not much smaller. And the General Sherman is neither the highest nor the widest tree in the world as we know, but the one with the largest volume. In addition, his health gradually approaches that of his namesake, a Civil War General. But after about 2200 years of life you have the right to die. In Marketing the Americans were always the most clever ones.

Yosemite National Park and Mono Lake

Quickly get out of the Sequoia Park and back to Visalia, where our Holiday Inn is close to the Highway. The next day we get up early as we expect a long road trip. A breakfast at Starbucks and we head towards Yosemite National Park (http://www.yosemitepark.com). And the journey goes fast, our National Park annual pass for $ 80 (per car, of course, because we are in the U.S.) will save us the entry fee once again, but then we again see Roadwork ahead.

The entire 29-mile access road is construction site, the most without paved roads and sprinkling twice changing the reference curves for lack of second carriageway as Mesa Verde and Bryce Canyon with waiting times of up to 30 minutes. The navigation system calculates that we go along here with 45 mph, but you get the 45 km only in one and a half hours and swallow a lot of dust from the cars in front of us.

The mood at the entrance to Yosemite Valley is subdued and so we are. Therefore we say: It's beautiful, but high mountains with two waterfalls we have at home too. After an hour hike to the Lower Fall, we still dare to undertake the trip to Mono Lake, which lies just behind the other end of the park and the photo in the guide was very impressive to me.

It is a battle against the clock and against the centrifugal force. I chase the Dodge on the mountain roads and scare U.S. drivers off the road, transgress all speed limits by up to 100 percent, overtaking motorbikes and cars on double barrier line and yet I cannot meet the time of the Navigation device. Positive should be noted that the Americans stop at the right when they register a faster man behind - especially when you closely inspect the content of their trunk for some time from top left.

The trip goes through the almost 3000 meters high Tioga Pass and provides us with beautiful landscape, in which we rush by. What looks relatively close on the map, runs along the twisting road to hours. Finally we arrive at Mono Lake - presumably with a historical record time - and to find the tufa rock, which was allowed to ascend because of the thirst of Los Angeles water by removing the proceeds from the lake.

After a sunny day now the first raindrops fall and the expected reward for the long effort on the road literally falls into the water. In the sunshine this bizarre tufa formations the salty lake should be very attractive, they under storm clouds they do not unfold the desired effect.

The planned trip to Western ghost town of Bodie half an houraway is cancelled, so we just quickly fill up our gas tank, which creates the next unpleasant surprise. We paid $ 2.75 per gallon in Las Vegas and 3.00 to 3.10 $ average, but here $ 3.75 are charged. Either in the past two days the Israeli bombed the Iranian nuclear facilities undetected by us or pricing functions in the freest market in the world are a little strange. An empty tank determines clearly the consumer behavior and I hunt the Dodge now 15 gallons heavier back up the pass.

This time we take at least time for photo stops and the sun already very low rewards us with warm colors. However, it also brings out swarms of mosquitos already and once we actually escape into the car. We note, however, that the landscape here at Tioga Pass (probably) counts as one of the most attractive on this trip.

Cornering at the limits of our Dodge is again tested extensively, some frightened shooed US-Thursday at the driver's side of the road and we manage to clock 21.15 in the Oakhurst Shilo Inn. The rooms are still there and the children are crying for fast food. Waiting times in a restaurant they would now classify as a human rights violation.

Next to the McDonalds is a small market, so my wife with all that effort during the day requires a beer, which is not avaiable at McDonald's. Equipped with a plastic bag we shake the entrance door of the still well-staffed McDobalds in vain. It closes at 21.30 clock and now it is 21.32 clock! Curiously, the Drive-Thru is open an hour longer and I feel like to take the expression "Drive-Thru" literally and put the 2-ton Dodge in front of the counter, then leaving the restaurant by the other front glass. But we order well-Mannered over the loudspeaker and at least the beer does not have to be drunk after the meal.

Shortly afterwards, we fall into bed, and here it should be noted that the quality of the beds counts as one of the positive surprises in the United States. Wide was indeed expected, but the mattresses are so good that my back never once protested. Now, after a - apart from the nearby traffic - good night, it's time for breakfast.

This is but one of the worst of this trip - and that means something - out. The orange juice undrinkable, no toaster and no jam exists and the dining room is so full that we eat together with some other guests in the hotel lobby with direct views into the small gym. So we get the half a cubic meter waste dumped in the central lobby and check out quickly.

San Francisco

The trip to San Francisco is largely uneventful. Only one thing I notice on the way: Even when it is obvious fruit grown (and we travel through America's orchard), one has to rely on artificial irrigation. The grasses in the irrigated areas are all dried up and yellow ocher. On the entire trip with very few exceptions such as Yosemite and individual watercourses nothing in July was of natural green.

The approach to the Greater San Francisco we note with the traffic jam on the other side, which is four lanes wide and more than 10 miles long. Is it because of Friday afternoon or you can have it here every day? Later, the $ 6 take on the Oakland Bay Bridge substantially pays off. Not only that we did not swim as my wife points out dry in all respects, but also because of a very nice first look at The City. In fact, the temperature falls as promised: 40 degrees 30 km away from SF, 29 degrees in Oakland and 21 degrees after we crossed the bridge.

The Hotel Whitcomb is surprisingly found quickly and equally surprising the parking fee hits us: $ 28 plus tax per night. For this sum you almost get a room somewhere else. The hotel foyer looks expensive too, but the front desk makes any positive impression destroyed immediately. 20 minutes to wait and 10 minutes processing time for a decidedly unfriendly check-in. I can not remember that in my entire long life it took so long to receive a room key.

The hotel room is then logically only hardly larger than a parking space for the Dodge. The interior is indeed beautiful, but the bathroom door can no longer be closed, the sink does not run from time to time and the central light switch is defective. This is probably called historic charm in the U.S. Anyway, we only want to sleep here.

Now one more promise to the children is met (how many are there, anyway?). Our first destination is Amoeba Music in Haines Street. The shop is great and well sorted, so we get out an hour later with 16 CD for 33 $, and three of us again with very good spirits. What all four of us thrilled is looking at all the charming little Victorian houses in the district of Haight Ashbury (http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/haight/) with bay windows and turrets. As shown in the TV series "Charmed" notice the children. The many beggars and homeless people have not occurred in this series, probably.

We take the car to go to Chinatown (http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/chinatown/) and even get a parking space at the edge of the Financial District. Chinatown itself is then a mix of souvenir shops and restaurants and almost no atmosphere, but the 5-course dinner is the best so far on the journey. There are only Chinese in the restaurant, so the cooking might be quite original. With a delicious feeling of fullness we make our way back and see that the fog again already covered about 30 meters high.

San Francisco - Part 2

The beds in the Whitcomb are the worst so far in two weeks, and San Francisco awaits us with misty 15 degrees Celsius. "If you are going to San Francisco, wear some jackets and some bonnets around your hair," Scott McKenzie would have to sing. Mark Twain was already more precise with his statement of the hardest winter he had ever experienced was summer in San Francisco.

The breakfast is diagonally across: Kind of American lush, but passable. With a little heavy stomach, we'll board the Streetcar in front of the hotel, get to Fisherman's Wharf, take the bus to the last stop, take time to walk and still see the Golden Gate Bridge from a distance. As expected, immersed in the fog. But the Victorian houses are once again charming.

The return trip (after we asked that a bus stop is identified by a small painted sign on a lamp-post) leads us to Fisherman's Wharf ( http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/fishermanswharf/ ), to the sea lions and the souvenir shops. A Hard Rock Cafe is offering two T-shirts and so improve the children's spirits noticeably.

Behind it appears the Telegraph Hill with Coit Tower which we climb on the Filbert Steps. And now San Francisco is incredibly charming and worth living. Wonderful cottages with romantic garden plots, terraced pattern and no direct access by car, but that with great views over the bay - either towards Bay Bridge or Alcatraz. One time I even see a small pool on the roof and the sun comes out to perfection. It must be a pleasure to live here and it must cost a fortune.

The Coit Tower provides beautiful and interesting views in the other direction, but the immediacy of that empathy is lacking in the housing from the top. We climb down the other side and find in the direction of Little Italy on the border of Chinatown, which I am looking for: The Cafe Greco. One Cappuccino, three Cafe Latte and four absolutely delicious sweets. It is a must.

Then we see the third cable car at last resort (why must so many tourists be everywhere around?), But my $ 5 trip ends quickly and I walk up the steep hill back to pick up the still intact lens cap Nikon from the road. The family finds together at the terminus partly proud, partly redeemed and Lisa's mood is improving sustainable, because GAP has friendly tailored two jeans in her body shape. As it just so must be, while Mia's knee going out of support actually provided, but we still plod conciliatory Market Street down to the Whitcomb.

Without purchases we make our way to find a nice restaurant with California cuisine and enter SoMa (South of Market), which according to our guide has particularly cool neighborhood with artists, boutiques, and many trendy restaurants. We find furniture stores, a gas station, some excavations, many odd birds and with growing dismay about the U.S. social policy homeless people in a frequency of about 50 meters. These are not the hippie dropouts in Haight Ashbury, who paint "Cash for research on alcohol" on the sign or "BEE" with coins on the street and ask for the "R". Here are dozens of mostly black people, with one or two plastic bags of their belongings crammed on the sidewalk, in niches or in cases of luxury on a wooden bench.

Since we can not find a restaurant, we continue our search in the northern and expensive architecture equipped area called Civic Center and the image of poverty remains the same. We again find it very difficult to understand this country. The dollar bill that we give is more a symbolic act

In front of the hotel, we finally find what we really wanted all along: Sam's Diner offers great food, friendly service and moderate prices. The chocolate milkshake from Lisa is enough for dessert for three and our children cancel Starbucks for tomorrow because we want to have breakfast at Sam too.

The fog dominates San Francisco already for three hours, but as if to prove the American contradictions three of us caught a sunburn. Here, at 20 degrees Celsius - fissrt wearing a coat, then only T-shirt and sweater.

Highway Nr. 1 and Big Sur

The day begins as planned at Sam´s Diner and we are very full for the next six hours. Although nobody dares to take French toast, which on the day before was poured with an eighth liter of liquid butter, the pancakes or the cheese omelette with mashed potatoes are heavy stuff too.

Then we are out there early and quickly from San Francisco but the way towards Monterey stretches. The fog is with us as well as thousands of sunday drivers and both remain till Monterey to my dismay. 17 Mile drive and big sur were the sites that I've desired to see most and now threaten to be weighed both in the fog. My mood is getting as grey as the landscape all around.

We drive along the 17-mile drive (almost twice as the Navi has guided us to the wrong input), to see the probably beautiful coastline, plenty of magnificent villas and golf courses and much fog. Inside in the pine forests a price tag with 1,599.000 $ for a modest bungalow appeared. With direct sea view the villas are often four to eight times bigger including a small park and private booths for the servants. Multiplying the price by ten may not be sufficient for a weekend domicile which is obviously not even regularly used by many on a Sunday.

But the rich here cannot stay among themselves: each lot Plebeians like we populate the streets and adjust the view on the golf course. Of course not today, because you see at the tee probably no longer where the ball is going.

We drive further to Carmel - a quite charming narrow gauge variant of the previously seen. The houses are no longer pompous but pretty; the gardens small, but looking at same ocean and has even its own beach. And on which seems a little blue sky out. The color of hope is known blue.

Where Big Sur - the Strip coast since reading in Henry Miller's book I always wanted to see for more than 30 years - starts can not clearly be defined. Perhaps where the sun slowly won defeating the fog (short-term). The coast is certainly spectacular (even though my wife thinks Brittany was as beautiful) and the day reconciled me or vice versa.

Again I imagine how it must have been in the 40s and 50s without tourists, without electricity, and with a House every five Kilometers, when Henry Miller spent about ten years of his life here. Repeatedly in the holidays I phantasize of somewhere to live in a wonderful spot as a teleworker. The conditions are certainly ideal as a writer, but I must me make myself quickly clear then, that in my job direct communication with other people is essential and cannot be replaced by Internet and phone.

But then after retiring - then I make up for all. Probably like many others who move gradually substantial parts of their lives to the pension and try to "start living properly", only to find that they expect especially crisis of meaning and boredom.

The landscape is slowly getting lovelier and smoother than Big Sur and we must leave the mythical Highway No. 1 too. We still contact the SAL Luis Obispo mission church, but less attractive than those in Carmel and especially less beautiful than later the one in Santa Barbara.

As a conclusion, we would like to take still Hearst Castle, the monument of the manic newspaper Tsar, but at 5 p.m., there is no guided tour anymore and everything which is possible, would be to climb up the hill from the visitor ´s Center, within a short time before the final close to visit the site from outside and all for $96 fee. Thank you - we do not.

It is a monster stage anyway and we still must go to Santa Maria. This is unfortunately no longer on the sea and the hotel although belonging to the Marriott chain, was built more or less in a commercial area. You are finally on the Pacific Coast after two and a half weeks and then they set one 30 kilometres one between auto parts dealers and truck parking inland. The hotel is ok and breakfast on disposable plates with disposable cutlery and appropriate meal plan also no longer shocked us.

From Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

The next day leads us to Santa Barbara, a nice, clean place which is more Mexican than American. We visit again a missionary Church and the Presidio and picnic on the beach. It shows that our U.S. food tastes among the seagulls significantly better than for us.

We are looking for the Highway No. 1 despite the continuing resistance of Navi again and get rewarded for our patience with coastal landscape - if less spectacular than in Big Sur.

Malibu is our entry in the LA area. Right the stilt villas known from the movies above the beach, left the more up the Hill. What Hollywood but does not show is that you must have a villa for jogging or swimming on the beach, because for miles there is no public access between the houses. And coastal area Malibu winds up for at least 27 miles. Here everything is simply bigger - the distances, the packing and the egos.

Malibu is then transferred into Santa Monica meaning: more urban, less expensive. With the more dense traffic we then realize that we have arrived back in Los Angeles. The loop of 5,000 kilometers net is complete. This means that we have to get back in the little beloved Holiday Inn LAX. Washing again, blow-dry socks, the children's sake in the nearest shopping center drive and then we are too tired at 8 P.m., when the children have spent all the money we gave them, to find a restaurant. Sbarro in shopping center offers Italian cuisine, whose only advantage is it saturates according to sign. But the abundant.

But shopping center and restaurants abound with cheerful, willing to purchase and satisfied Americans, what is amazing because the cities have an incredible density of these shopping centres. Part one pops up at every third street - always on the corner - of these widgets and basically all look the same. Americans want it probably this way it regardless of whether they are in Seattle, Philadelphia or Atlanta. Inside are alternately always the same shops and fast food chains and all of them are well attended.

Sometimes one has the impression, the Americans are living from selling each other goods produced in China. And of course, that the Chinese buy government bonds from them to finance their budget and private household deficits. I have only a suspicion that the Chinese will eventually provide the Bill and then theirs is the East and West Coast and in addition everything, where natural resources are inside. The Americans can then either live in the Plains or pay rent to the Chinese. But when I come back as a tourist then, at least the food will have improved.

Star Trek museum in Riverside and Santa Monica Pier

We get up early to go to Riverside. Where please? Well, there there is not much, but still a Star Trek Museum. In the evening the children have previously checked it on the Internet, opening hours included.

We are lucky and the traffic is always on the other side so we - breakfast in Riverside included - get there at 10.15 A.m. - 110 km behind us. What does one not all to make children happy. We feed the parking meter as the children with worried faces come back. The Museum opens at noon - so wait for 105 minutes. But what does one not all make children happy.

We read in the travel guide, climb a hill, feed a croissant, buy sandwiches, discuss with supermarket guards if you may wear a backpack in the market, look for a toilet, look at houses, sit on park benches and already wait time is over. $15 Entrance per person, this is something only for real Trekkies so I stay out and wait. I can do that pretty well today.

After 30 minutes the rest of the family reappears disappointed tolerable up to strong. The Museum has only one room, rather than as promised instead of the bridge only the Chair of Captain Kirk exists and if you want to make a photo, it costs $19 extra. Taking your own pictures is strictly prohibited in the entire Museum. I am hardly surprised that on 7 employees only 5 visitor - us included - come. The other two visitors tell that there is more to see at any average Convention. What does one not all to see children happy.

We succeed by 2 pm back to Los Angeles. Last stop of the journey is Hotel Erwin in Venice Beach. The first impression is the parking fee of $28 plus taxes plus tip for each deliver or get the car. But at least one of the rooms is already finished and after all three of us fall to bed. I meanwhile try to get the second room which has been announced for 15:00. Not finished. 3 p.m. may mean also 15.30, Latin American Californians tells me. The day seems to consist mainly of waiting.

In general, I have a subjective feeling that Latinos make up the majority in California. According to our guide it takes still 10 to 20 years for it, but at least at points such as hotels, supermarkets and shops you almost get in contact exclusively with Latinos. White Protestants probably remain in their offices, in their air-conditioned houses and their BMWs. In this way the Mexicans get back slowly, what they had to leave 150 years ago and the conversions to the object made by the previous tenant are welcome.

I will now check to see whether 15.30 can mean also 16: 00. I'm actually back at 15.50 albeit because I was already a little harsh at the reception.

19.15 Pm: When all are awakeagain , we go to the beach in Venice. It takes but a minute to make it clear to us: it is simply too cold for swimming. So we stroll down the promenade towards Santa Monica. Sound pompous, but actually is tather fucked-up. Some homeless, some beggars, many tattooing, Tarot, stone jewelry, Portait-and what whatever Street stands and all makeshift. In between the Barker who advertise anything up marijuana doctor. Behind it are partly completely aged buildings, but also some nice hotels and apartment complexes.

Pier in Santa Monica has its better days probably decades behind. So let's just the oblique types and move to fight the cold. Towels we took with us help at least against the wind to protect. And now a dinner with Michael, Carol's ex partner, is next.

Venice Beach (25)

I immediately recognized Michael - after 23 years. The restaurant in Santa Monica is his recommendation - just around the corner, so a 15 minutes drive. The evening is nice and interesting for me considerably enhancing its value as the meeting with Carol. First Michael asks about our route and we describe him all the sights in his country, he still does not know or where he was once as a child.

Then we move on to the politics and comparisons between the U.S. and Europe. At the latest in the comparison of annual holiday weeks Michael said he wanted to emigrate still Austria and Yes, he could try to learn Turkish to be considered as a real immigrant in Austria. You will notice that Michael stands pretty far to the left for American circumstances, but when asked about the many homeless he also reacts rather clueless why we see this as a problem. They simply come to San Francisco or also Venice because they of the municipalities which tolerate them.

Unfortunately Mia is not listed, because your stomach "upset" is how one this typical American transliterations is. We bring from the American grill restaurant a portion of rice and learn from her that we have missed two fire alarms in the meantime. But that remains no real failure, because obviously someone has not understood it yet that smoking in the rooms and the subsequent minutes of flashy shriek on the threshold of pain have a causal link. Twice we have opportunity to do so - once it in the night. We again and again see something new here.

The breakfast at the Erwin is then double unusual: the breakfast room is full, so we give way in the so-called patio - a kind porch directly with access to the four lane street. Very cosy. For this we experience the luxury of eating from real China plates and to drink from mugs. And freshly baked muffins and donuts and taste at least one class better than anywhere else here. You will just notice that the hotel belongs to a French chain - at least when you taste the food and see the tableware.

Universal Studios and Venice Beach

The desire of our children has been heard, so on today´s agenda is Universal Studios for 236 $. We begin to wait after waiting at the ticket office of the trainride further, but the Studio Tour is quite interesting then. There is much self-promotion for past and upcoming movies, but the journey combines information and entertainment quite entertaining. Some frequently used scenes for Western shoots or urban scenes of the 19th century are beefed up with effects (flooding, 3-D-Godzilla attack etc.).

Universal Studios are now mainly an amusement park and for the rest of the day the relationship between entertainment and wait is no longer acceptable. We wait 40 to 60 minutes for each 5-10 minutes 3 D movie or cruise terminator, Shrek and Jurassic Park. Now I had embezzled forgiveness, when Shrek almost the fourth "D" which involves (spits the donkey, the donkey sneezes etc.) via a nozzle in the front seat wet to inject the visitors to appropriate scenes.

Overall this site is almost as bizarre as Las Vegas since also various thematic scenes are built and you go 50 meters in an artificial London to land at the next corner at an Italian piazza. The Americans seem to enjoy themselves but in droves and reduce waiting times with sustained food and drinks for $24.95 throughout the day as "all you can eat and drink" is available. That you do not get too hot during all your eating efforts, almost all surfaces are cooled with massive water evaporator. The water consumption of Universal Studios is probably as high as that of a major Austrian capital.

At my insistence, we just make it for sunset at Venice Beach or the views of individual rays that bumped Malibu at the other end of the Bay. This is a very impressive image and I round off the visual impression with a dip in the Pacific Ocean. Given a probably identical air and water temperature of just over 20 degrees I must overcome a bit, but get richly rewarded. The waves are high and I enjoy the blend of swimming, surfing, fighting against the waves and getting sucked in the ocean immensely. To have reasonably withstood the element completely out of breath, but very pleased I leave the water and we can dedicate the next fire alarm in the hotel. Again that reception tells us it was false alarm, however two stopping fire engines lower a little their credibility.

We decide to end the day in the restaurant next door offering Argentine-Spanish Italian cuisine. We hear from the Co-owner from Palestine about his stays in Sweden, Indonesia and New Zealand, about his daughter in San Francisco and his perception that have burned the kitchen door in the Erwin. Furthermore we speak with the Australian whose father is Austrian, and the Americans who lived in Innsbruck and by the way enjoy the good cuisine. The rib steaks together with Chinese food in San Francisco are culinary by far the best during these three weeks. Then both my mood and my Constitution is enough for the next fire alarm.

Hollywood and take-off (27)

Photo: Walk of Fame with one of my favorite comedians

The last day begins surprisingly but without fire alarm, but obvious anticipation I sleep yet restless and only gradually. The tea at Erwin then tastes of coffee that is obviously otherwise in the pot, but the donuts are again fresh out baked. Yes, they are young, they are warm, they're nice.

Then it is for a change to the next Wal Mart because the children want to bring more candy for their friends. Obviously the coolness factor in some things outweighs the taste. What remained then yesterday still open in the absence of lack of time today is made up: Hollywood and the walk of Fame. The former is easy as easily download photographic area with an above-average density of cinemas and street vendors for celebrity tours; latter then completely disappointed children whether its lousiness and vacuity. We older and already disillusioned of the odds of life nothing have only expected a dubious privilege of age.

Only the random passage through Beverly Hills (there are even no Hills) offers the prospect of architectural complex villas as are usual in us and finally Amoeba falters on music CD collection again. Otherwise, Los Angeles is the perfect conclusion for this trip: the sense of loss is dwindling and the anticipation rises to Austria.

A combination from slowly increasing listlessness and a quarter of our group of already clearly extremely nervousness (because the online check-in failed during the fire alarms), we choose a car already six hours prior to departure Alamo Rent control. The return of the Dodge only takes a brief minute compared to the expensive acquisition and more than 4000 miles ride are now behind us.

Within another 30 minutes we are at the check in counter and the friendly Lufthansa employees named Roger let us with all British courtesy, we had first already reserved four seats in number 52 in Vienna and secondly the onward flight Munich-Vienna was canceled. The combination of German companies and British behaviour tickets on the next plane gives us but less than 20 minutes an hour later, what we already almost with relief to take note of. (Apparent later in Munich while the original flight but should be, but as our seats are again taken.)

The security check is still a delicate situation where the official asks me out buckle under my T-Shirt. I answer him handle the bag with my passport and will dip this. He gets alarmed: stop it, stop it, and a second security guard rushes now to the white as a ghost male to help. I prefer still fearless out my leather case what obviously so quickly can not grab the weapon. Thus they stick to urgent alerts and I manage to metal detector, nudescan, take off shoes sampling and luggage control but still safely to the gate. Travel time is after three weeks take off shoes clearly the most dangerous weapon that is available to us.

Loudspeakers we hear then solicitation that frequently met us on this journey: "Please report…." Regardless of whether it is unattended luggage, unwanted money changers, drunk drivers or tourists who are feeding animals - encouraging the denunciation is obviously own U.S. society.

Back in Vienna (28)

Photos: Highlights have been Monument Valley and Lake Powell

Back. In a not air-conditioned apartment in hot Vienna, but with the lavish abundance of usual property. The first drum full laundry is already suspended, the first things stowed. This is obviously the vitality and agility following five to six hours sleeping phase after 29 hours watch phase. Or is it only duty?

For almost 20 years I have been waiting on this journey and that it is now to end, probably represents the biggest disappointment. This was my dream destination and I know no other that now seamlessly could take this place.

Otherwise it has - all in all - not disappointed me. I tried to deduct all the mythical elevations of the media and the movies although the images still remain in the head. After all, our destination was just the heart of the global film industry - landscapes which have been filmed this artfully juggled by professionals. At the Grand Canyon it was indeed the case that the mere nature given the glorified images could no longer withstand.

Many sights have left deep impressions even we have not expected anything special. Lake Powell or our drive from Grand Canyon to Page were not on the list of those sights that should make the trip unique. A simple dip in the Pacific Ocean at sunset and the fight against the waves or the walk up to Telegraph Hill in San Francisco are experiences which were not on the agenda of the travel agencies, but were highlights indeed.

But above all the big difference was that this was a holiday of full of experiences. The past 18 years brought holidays of rest where the days distinguished above all by the buffet dinner and the change to the next book. They are no longer maturities in the memory.

This time I'm not recovered, possibly even more tired than before, but full of impressions and experiences. I've read in previous vacations, this time I've lived more myself and I take from this very much more with me.

For the children an unforgettable holiday will be present all their life, while it is difficult in almost all earlier vacations for them to remember the location and to call at least a few images in memory. This time we will have the problem to correctly assign the wealth of incongruence in memory because it is a Panopticon impressions available. Not everything was nice, not everything was good and not all held our demands but we have seen a piece of America. We learned something.

Breakfast at home (29)

What pleases one from Vienna (and Salzburg) when he comes back from vacation? High spring water for Twinings tea and hand made bakery.
Breakfast tastes delicious. No sweetened bread, ordinary, strong Earl Grey prepared with good water, jam that tastes like fruit and the luxury of beautiful china plates. I enjoy breakfast even mire because of the fact that I've lost two kilos on vacation, which is unfortunately a minority position in the family.

The better food must be earned because friendliness and service in the Viennese stores is far from US standard. It was quite an impressive experience after three wekks in the US to observe unfriendly faces in the food store, the lack of any smiles and murmured comments. OK, Vienna is probably in this respect the most difficult terrain after North Korea, but after visiting the US in a Vienna business you feel rather as distorting factor and not as a customer.

The common breakfast starts at 8.30, because the Jet lag is generally noticeable. Time to remember, recap and rate. The tenor is unanimous: it was exhausting, but above all beautiful and interesting. The West was really terrific as the title of the round trip has promised.

The slight criticism of the tour operator FTI is also consistent. The last week was too dense. Yosemite was clearly the highlight of a stressy day, but our drive from San Francisco to Santa Maria was felt so too. Regarding the hotels Comfort Inn in Palm Springs and the ramshackle and unprofessional Whitcomb in San Francisco are negative points in memory; others are like the Hospitality Suite Resort in Scottsdale or Aarchway Inn in Moab highlight positive.

Together we have done very well all-in-all despite incriminating factors such as long car trips, short breaks and constantly changing hotels. Now we share the common memory of the most lively of all holidays.

The state of the land (30)

Photo: Even the homeless need to be imaginative to survive in the "land of plenty" ("Can you hit the cup with your coin ?")

The German magazine "Spiegel" reports on the economic and social development in the United States and topped with impressive and frightening numbers what arose for us visitors as vague impression. Every eighth American and fourth child depends on State food stamps. 17% of the population are either directly unemployed or to inadequate feed of their day jobs. And the clear majority expects that their children will be worse than themselves. Where is the proverbial optimism of Americans? Is rising consumption only the last attempt to habe a party before the final breakdown happens?

Since the 1970s the median income for working men is stagnant at 45,000 $, while that of the top earner has tripled since then. How long can faith persist that anyone can make it to the top with hard work? After all, this is one of the basic conditions for social peace in the country.

On the other hand schools in Hawaii close on Fridays, in parts of Georgia public bus transport ended and in Colorado Springs they can no longer afford even the electricity for the street lights. This is no longer the "land of plenty". It is still the nation that cliff on everyone else and holds its own model for superior, but to prove this is increasingly difficult.

Our impressions of missing infrastructure, mobile phone networks existing only in urban areas, poor container houses and especially frightening many homeless people were obviously a true part of reality. The 21st century will probably not be the century of the United States. Visit America as long as it still stands!

Water is becoming scarce

Photos: The water level of Lake Powell and Lake Mead has fallen significantly over the last decade

(31)

The Austrian business magazine "trend" theme world issues around water. Leading in water footprint with 2483 cubic metres per person per year are of course the United States. The consequences are visible not only in the newly emerged Tuff rocks visited by us at Mono Lake, but the Colorado River, the lifeline of the West is obviously also massively affected already.

It rises in the water-rich Rocky Mountains in Denver and has a watershed approximately twice as large as Germany. After more than 2,300 kilometres no powerful river flows into the ocean, but a dirty trickle that often already sands in the summer before the actual mouth in Mexico.

The huge reservoirs and massive irrigation of whole areas are the reason. But also the reservoirs - admired by us - are acutely threatened. Lake Powell and Lake Mead have lost more than half of their volume since the year 2000, the water level fell by an average of 45 metres. Should this trend continue, electricity and water supply of cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego is acutely endangered. Visit America as long as it still stands!

So many homeless as residents in Slovenia

Photo: Wealth and homelessness are close to each other in the United States often - as here in Santa Barbara-

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Our impression of the many homeless in San Francisco or Venice was obviously true. 1.6 Million Americans now live on the street says the Organization "Coalition for the Homeless". This is similar to the entire population of Slovenia or Namibia; It is also 0.6 percent of the U.S. population. For 2011 1.8 million are anticipated already and risk of between recession is not yet included.

The reason is the rising unemployment: Since there is an unemployment insurance in most U.S. States although it expires but usually after half a year. For long-term unemployed, this means the eviction from home because often they no longer are able no longer to pay the rent or mortgage payments. Increasingly, this phenomenon affects hence the lower middle classes when the savings are depleted. And unemployment climbs further: At the moment - and now summer - it is 9.6 percent. Overall economic crisis took the job of around 8 million Americans. So far.
Visit America as long it still stands.

Résumé at home

(33)
Everyday life is back again. From 8.00 to 18.30 at work, dinner, a short computer session, late news on the TV, brushing your teeth. Not necessarily the greatest freedom.

What remains of three weeks in the Land of the Free? 2000 photos which we four have made ? Even the brief summary made our friends so dumb and tired that their eyelids were sinking ever deeper. It reminded me of the old slide shows in student days, even if it now runs on the Wii and LCD flat-screen TV.

Everything has been protected and scheduled on the tour in the so called Great West. No time for the big adventure. It is not the package holiday in the all-inclusive hotel, but each station is a foregone conclusion and the stages are usually decided so that the only choice is to decide whether to stay an hour longer and where you want to have your dinner.

And yet it has been different to other vacations. The children are still proud of their Hard Rock Cafe memorabilia. Not even to think about it for a Crete T-shirt - that would, at best, be good as a night gown. California is cool - no doubt about it.

And for me the West is still evident. My memories are accurate, not blurred as from many other holidays. It is not the long-term test, but I still carry the big file with memories of three weeks well sorted around with me. From Mr. Sanchez at the Immigration in Toronto until the Amoeba store in LA on the last day - all available instantly.

And of course, is the 'good old days "effect already setting in. The hardships of the annoyances will be anecdotes and beauty still shining. Hollywood could hardly done better. I'm happy, I am pleased to have chosen this holiday (because honestly I decided, all others have agreed). It was a plump package - some expected, some surprising, some of it disappointing, but now I do not even want to miss the latter.

I would not even do it much different. Maybe skip Mono Lake to allow time for Yosemite, but even then I would miss the memories, to have chased my Dodge much faster than it wanted over the pass. Antelope Canyon, I would really like to see - now that I know of a video what I missed.

Why are guides often so strange in their priorities? Lake Powell or Tioga Pass in the guides were little more than a little along the way, for that could be worth a look and the Antelope Canyon sounded "very nice". The subjective in the guide books can begin quite annoying when you are the subject itself.

But back to the summary: From our travel agency FTI I would like to have the opportunity for a two or three day break to interrupt somewhere. We would like to have this done on Highway 1, probably in Pismo Beach, but this flexibility is not given at FTI, unfortunately, not even when booking months in advance.

But from the blurred look back after weeks of all little things and "the big picture" still fits. Maybe we'll do it again after retirement and then with as much time as we want to take - because we will have it. Or will it be vice versa?