Historic Los Angeles- January 5

This picture was taken as John and I left Union Station. It is the area just outside of the station, looking toward the downtown area of Los Angeles. We thought it would be a different experience to take the Metro light rail system from Long Beach to the historical area of L.A. and Chinatown. We found the Metro easy to use and convenient. It was also fun to see Union Station as we have used Amtrak across the nation and always find it interesting to check out the various train stations. From Union Staion we walked to the El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument. Near this site the city was established in 1781. Here we toured the Avila Adobe, the oldest home in L.A., and we toured the Sepulveda House built in 1887. We also saw the Old Plaza Church, Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles, the oldest church in L.A. It was completed in 1822 and is still an active parish.

 You can't walk through this area wthout experiencing Olvera Street, the oldest street in L.A. It was revitalized in 1939 as a Mexican marketplace. Sidewalk stalls and shops sell many handicrafts, and restaurants serve authentic Mexican dishes.