And yet one more tale from Jose's Small-World Adventures in L.A...
When I got up to the Hollywood & Vine Station, I noticed that the 217 bus was waiting at the corner. So, instead of heading down into the Metro, I decided to take the bus up to the Sunset/Vermont Station and walk to Chris' place from there like I usually do.
Once I was on the bus, I noticed a couple sitting next to me. The husband was looking at a map, and the wife was looking outside the bus checking for street signs. She eventually took the map from him and turned it right side up!
That's when I also noticed their British accents. Ah, well... Well, they still weren't sure they were heading the right or wrong direction... So...
I asked them where they were trying to get to. They pointed to the map they were holding, and the Crowne Plaza on Pico and Beverly was highlighted. The bus routes they were supposed to take were highlighted too. Apparently, they got on the right bus, the 217, but in the wrong direction. Hmm, the Crowne Plaza! I know where that is! So... I just told them to get off the bus with me at the Sunset/Vermont Station, and I would show them where to go from there.
We get to the Sunset/Vermont station, and I walk them over to the guide map. -Just go downstairs, take the Red Line towards Union Station, go two stops to the Beverly/Sunset station, take the 14 Bus on the North Side of the street all the way to your hotel. Thankfully, they had purchased Day Passes for the Metro/Bus system, so they didn't have to worry about buying another ticket. So...
My friend, Jay - not DR Jay - is a tour operator, and he has tours come through L.A. on a regular basis. And when he's in town, he and his group stay at the Crown Plaza on Pico and Beverly. And when he was in town a couple of weeks ago, I went to visit him at the Crowne Plaza on Pico and Beverly. And I took the 14 Bus to get to and from there. So...
Well, Jay is in town this week with his groups, so I called Jay, and asked him if today was one of his groups free-for-all days. It was/is. And I also asked him if his group was from the UK. And they were/are! So, it looks like I may have helped one of his couples get back to their hotel!
Small world!
*And now I'm about to head out to dinner with a bunch of friends... One of whom I introduced to his wife a couple of years ago.... And five years and two beautiful daughters later....