The Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena has been on our "must do" list for quite some time. We finally made it come true. We left Wednesday, 12/29/2010 and traveled to Los Angeles to join the YMT tour. The tour took us to Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood Bowl, the Reagan Presidential Library and the J. Paul Getty Center. The Kodak Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theatre were also among the attractions.
Included in the tour was a behind the scene glimpse into the world of float building. The history of the Rose Parade was presented and we had a chance to see the floats up close as they were being built.
The Hollywood Bowl has quite a special place in the lexicon of Los Angeles. It is a venue where the "elite" and the "common" share a bond. All entertainers want to play there. It has played host every form of entertainment.
The Hard Rock Cafe has always been one of our favorite stops. We have a collection of T-shirts from each one we visit.
The float building begins a year in advance. The design must be approved before the building process can take place. Every part of the float must be covered with flowers or organic material.
The parade covers a 5 mile route down Colorado Boulevard. A crowd of 700,000 people line both sides of the street.
It was very difficult to pick a favorite float. They all were magnificent. Here are two of the more that forty.
The Reagan Library and Museum in Simi Valley provides a breath-taking view of the country side. The highlight of the museum is the Air Force One Pavilion. It houses the Boeing 707 that served seven presidents.
Traveling on I-405, the Getty Center can be seen on the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains miles away. The museum's five pavilions houses paintings and sculpture and much more. In addition, the architecture and landscaping are truly remarkable.
