FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec, ISO200)
After the special encounter at the Santa Monica pier in the morning there was only one place to go next – muscle beach.
We never came here on previous trips but now we had no excuse to ignore this part of Los Angeles. Maybe we will meet Arnie again.
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/32000 sec, ISO12800)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/320 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/500 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/750 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/350 sec, ISO200)
Yes we saw Arnold Schwarzenegger again but this time as a mural and I had to use maps to find him. Here it’s young Arnold in his prime on a wall in Venice. No wonder he was so popular as a body builder – a mountain of a man. I just watched The Terminator again. It is an almost perfect movie and considering its budget it is perfect. The Terminator was a real low budget production.
Arnold was the perfect actor to play the killing machine but one thing just hit me when I watched it yesterday: The machines went to great efforts to hide the killing machine under human tissue in order to make the terminators blend in, I got that. But why on earth did they give this killing machine the body of Arnold Schwarzenegger? Arnold blends in like Ryan Gosling as Ken wearing his skater outfit.
I have another example from a Schwarzenegger movie I recently watched for the first time: Predator. Another fine, low budget film featuring Arnold in his prime in a fight against an extraterrestial beast that can make itself invisible. So this advanced life form is absolutely invisible except for its blood which glows bright green in the dark? A rather significant design flaw for a species thats main feature is to remain undetected. But who cares. Exactly – nobody cares! If the movie is good you just don’t care about such things and Predator is a good movie.
OK I have one more famous example. The giant gate that protects the villagers from King Kong. I understand why they built a giant wall to protect themselves from King Kong but why also make a giant gate so that he can smash the door and enter? Did they prepare for the delivery of a house boat or a similar bulky item? The Kong Kong movie from 1933 is another fine example that nobody cares about logic if the movie is great. Jurassic Park had the very same now dino-friendly gate but I think it’s Spielberg tipping his cap.
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/140 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/8, 1/500 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/8, 1/480 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/8, 1/640 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/9, 1/320 sec, ISO200)
So far I wrote a lot about movies but I haven’t written anything about Venice beach so far. The reason is simple: There is not much to write about. It wasn’t very busy when we got there. Maybe early morning is a better time if you want to see some people working out.
At first glance the area looks a little rough but there are way too many fridge magnets, shirts, pants, hot dogs and ice cream shops. It’s an endless stream of shops that all look alike. Venice is a little run down but unlike Asbury Park it had no glory past. So unless you are into body building there is no reason to pay a visit but if you are pumping iron of course it is a must see. Just make sure that you come here at work out rush hour.
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/10, 1/400 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/11, 1/170 sec, ISO200)
There is a car park nearby which is a little pricey and in my case they charged a little extra because of the excessive size of my rental. I think it was justified though. Just look at the picture below: the Rivian R1S is not a small car at all but it looks small beside my Ford Expedition XL.
Anyway: Time to hit the road.
FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (23mm, f/11, 1/12000 sec, ISO12800)