Most signs on the freeways are neatly located just after the relevant junctions. The GPS ("Neverlost" ho ho) issues such convoluted instructions that you have passed the junction by the time it is finished, unless they designed it so that the end of the instruction co-incides with the road-signs.
I make it in the end. Round and round and round the I-405N and the I-710 S and The One (the 1 or the Pacific Coast Highway) until I finally get to the right on ramp leading directly to another off-ramp. It's easy once you realise that your freeway journey is less than 200 yards on the main carriageway. The problem is that the onramp leads into the right hand or outside lane and the off ramp is from the inside lane where the carpool ends. It's amazing how many lorries,sorry, trucks, thunder past trying to stop you changing lanes.
California, Long Beach. Home of the Ahi Poke stack. (Tuna, raw, piled on top of raw carrot and beansprouts liberally soaked in soy sauce and wasabi). Home of the California roll. Now with added jack cheese. Home of the salmon sushi with added creme fraiche. Yes, really, truly, cheese is now king. In one restaurant this week there was NO dish on the menu that did not have cheese. Parmesan croutons. Parmesan breadcrumb coated fish. Melted Jack cheese. Mixed cheeses. White wine garlic cheese sauce. Provlone with everything. Tomato and mozzarella salad. Cheeseburger without the option. Turkey sandwich with melted cheese. Cheesy fries.....I could rant on for hours reciting the menu. I left and went to the Chinese. MSG, sugar,salt, deep fried sweet and sour pork in batter, food colouring, real food at last.
What with that and the grey cool cloudy weather I could learn to loath this place quite quickly. I do hope I'm wrong.
