{"id":150080,"date":"2018-11-29T11:31:46","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T16:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/?p=150080"},"modified":"2024-10-31T12:41:32","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T16:41:32","slug":"loving-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-blogs\/loving-los-angeles\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing My Tune: How I Learned to Love L.A."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A
\nOriginally Posted:<\/strong> 11\/29\/18 | November 29th, 2018<\/p>\n

Maybe it was the traffic. Maybe it was the smog. Maybe it was the apparent vanity of everyone I met. Or the “woo woo” way of life (I’ve seen people pick meals by using crystals). Maybe it was my innate pride in being an East coaster. I know<\/em> it was definitely in part the lack of public transportation. <\/p>\n

While I could never really put my finger on a single reason, there was just something about Los Angeles<\/a> that just always rubbed me the wrong way. <\/p>\n

Sure, I\u2019d go to see friends or attend conferences and, while I enjoyed that fun, I hated the city itself. <\/p>\n

Whenever I had to visit, I’d just think, “Ugh, another trip to L.A.! I hate that place.” <\/p>\n

I just never got<\/em> the city or why people lived there. There were always a million other places I’d rather be. <\/p>\n

After each visit, I always felt that if I never returned, I wouldn\u2019t be missing anything. <\/p>\n

Heck, I even wrote a blog post<\/a> about my disdain for the cirty.<\/p>\n

And then, one day while I was visiting, I woke up and realized really liked \u2014 nay, LOVED<\/em> \u2014 Los Angeles. <\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know when it happened. <\/p>\n

I can\u2019t pinpoint one precise moment or event. <\/p>\n

After all, my routine in LA is always the same: see a few attractions, eat and drink lots, catch up with friends, maybe head to the beach, do some work, and host a meet-up. <\/p>\n

But, one day, I just woke up, looked around, and said, \u201cYa know, I really like it here. I think I\u2019ll extend my stay.\u201d <\/p>\n

The more I visited, the more interesting places I discovered or was taken to, the more offbeat sights I saw, and the more I got to know the city. I learned its history. I learned how to get around, when to brave the traffic and when not to. I found markets and hole-in-the-wall taquerias and noodle shops. I had too many martinis at the historic Musso & Frank\u2019s. <\/p>\n

And then as I walked down the street to visit a friend on my last visit, the reason why it took me so long to love the city finally hit me:<\/p>\n

I realized I hated LA for the same reason I originally hated Bangkok<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And now love LA for the same reasons I fell in love with Bangkok.<\/p>\n

Let me explain:<\/p>\n

Los Angeles isn\u2019t built for tourists. <\/p>\n

Yes, tourists go there. Yes, there are a lot of touristy things to do there. <\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not like Hong Kong<\/a>, Paris<\/a>, Buenos Aires<\/a>, London<\/a>, Sydney<\/a>, or other places where you can go down a long list of attractions, drink in the culture, get around easily, and get a feel for the city in a short period of time. <\/p>\n

No, the sprawling nature of Los Angeles, the traffic and cost of getting around, the lack of a city center, and the transient nature of its inhabitants make it a bad “tourist” city. <\/p>\n

To get to know Los Angeles, you have to live there. Just like Bangkok. <\/p>\n

Like Bangkok, L.A. requires you to stay awhile. It\u2019s an onion with layers you need to peel back over time. <\/p>\n

The spirit of L.A. is found in its restaurants, markets, ethnic enclaves, offbeat bars, and coffee shops. It is found on hiking trails and beaches. In art and music shows. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s found in day-to-day pace of the city. Los Angeles is a place you just “be” in. <\/p>\n

I began to love Bangkok when I got to know it beyond the big temples and Khoa San Road backpacker trail. When I found hidden markets and amazing street stalls frequented only by locals, became friends with residents, and understood how it operated, I knew why people loved Bangkok so much. <\/p>\n

Bangkok<\/a> is not a city for tourists. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s for residents. <\/p>\n

Just like Los Angeles<\/a>. <\/p>\n

When I realized that, I stopped looking at Los Angeles through the lens of a tourist. When I began to look at through the eyes of the people who lived there, suddenly the city becomes alive with things to do and places to explore. <\/p>\n

It turns out L.A. is a wonderful, diverse, and eclectic city if you know where to look.<\/p>\n

I just never knew where to look until now. <\/p>\n

\n

Book Your Trip to Los Angeles: Logistical Tips and Tricks<\/h4>\n

Book Your Flight<\/strong>
\nUse Skyscanner<\/a>. It’s my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.<\/p>\n

Book Your Accommodation<\/strong>
\nYou can book your hostel with Hostelworld<\/a> as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com<\/a> as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. Two of my favorite hostels in the city are:<\/p>\n