The Great Wall of Los Angeles

I love writing about my adventures because they don't really sound crazy until I write them down.

Like that one time my sister found this "hidden gem" in the east part of The Valley and we decided, "Sure! Let's navigate through somewhat unknown streets and find it."

We pretty much had no expectations and those are always the best adventures. So with some U-turns and sketchy parking situations, oh and finding this wonderful inside joke street:

... we made it!

I present: The Great Wall of Los Angeles

The Great Wall of L.A. is a 2,754 foot long mural on the walls of the Tujunga Wash; one of the longest murals in the world!



The mural depicts California history, and begins in the very beginning: Pre-history and Colonialism.

We started at the beginning, which I would recommend, but be careful of the bum community scattered along the chain-link fence line. When I saw a pile of cigarette butts, followed but a human foot, I wasn't sure if I was at the scene of a crime or the scene of an art mural.



But Ali and I walked along, checking out the mural and old gnarled TV trays filled with fungus water for ferral cats. I love the section of the mural above, "Youth Team at L.A. harbor." Perhaps the huge duck thing pictured on the bottom right is a prophetic vision to the future duck in the harbor?! And maybe shark-man on the bottom left is ... Sharknado 2?!?

Anyways, it was interesting to see events that were big for America, and events that were specific to California. Or some, like the Mayan corn lady whispering in Thomas Edison's ear. Still trying to mull that one over.



What was even more intriguing, were all the things we hadn't heard of or names we didn't recognize. Guess we have some brushing up to do.



And although a portion of the time was spent avoiding bums, wondering what West Nile mutant strand was growing in the wash, and peering through rusty chain link, it was a cool experience. I love doing new and unique things, especially with my partner in crime.