Searching for the stars in Hollywood

I felt that the trip to Los Angeles was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime event, so I vowed to make the most of it. Even if that meant being a typical tourist. So, I bought a Marilyn Monroe t-shirt from Macy's and signed up for a double decker bus tour of Hollywood.  (www.starlinetours.com)

I was ready for a cheesy, narrated tour. I wanted to see and do all that Hollywood had to offer! I wanted movie stars and wax museums and pictures and Rodeo Drive. And that's exactly what I got.

I was doing this bus trip solo, and never worried about safety or feeling out of place. Starline was very comfortable and professionally run.

Starline Tours offers a number of routes and passes and prices. I opted for the flexible, 24 hour "hop on, hop off" pass. It was $44. You just paid on-board and the driver was able to accept cash, debit, or credit cards. For my $44 I was given a pair of earbuds, a map, and a seat upstairs in the sun.

What interested me most was the TCL Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Walk of Fame. The TCL Chinese Theatre has also formerly had the names "Grauman's Chinese Theatre" and "Mann's Chinese Theatre."

The TCL was the Starline Tours "head office" and main pick up/drop off location. This was the only place I chose to hop off the bus and spend some time. As lovely as it was to drive down Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills, I knew it was beyond my budget and I chose to keep my wallet in my pocket.

It cost nothing to walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I took several photos. The crowd was light that day and I had no trouble at all with street performers, or pushy sales vendors. There is also a 3 level shopping mall right next door. It's got plenty of eateries and popular shops, PLUS a view of the HOLLYWOOD sign in the distance.

I paused briefly at the stars which resonated with me. The beauty of the the walk was that there are actors, actresses, musicians, directors and such from all eras. I'm sure whether you are 20 or 75 you would recognize names and pause to smile.