Los Angeles, also called City of Angeles, is a metropolis situated the State of California the United States of America. It is the second largest city in the country and the largest in California. Its great area covers more than 88 000 square kilometers in the southern part of the state on the Pacific coast. Los Angeles is a symbol of America and of realization of the American dream for both Americans and Europeans.
Los Angeles is divided into many districts, depending on the nationalities that inhabit them. El Pueblo is a Mexican district whose inhabitants are especially known for their characteristic cuisine and cheerful way of living. One out of ten people living in Japanese area of Los Angeles comes from Asia. There is also a district called Koreatown whose inhabitants comprise mainly wealthy Koreans. The founders of Little Saigon, which peopled by the Vietnamese and was established after the Vietnam War, were the followers of the communism. Predominant religion in the district is Buddism. Eastern part of the city, inhabited by the Spanish, is considered one of the most dangerous areas of Los Angeles. Its inhabitants earn a living doing casual work, like for example washing cars. Poor people's district is called Ruts. In Marina del Ray, which is the largest port worldwide, 6000 ships can be moored. Venice is a wealthy district of Los Angeles. It used to be famous for its hippie community. Today Venice is crowded with tourists strolling along the streets. Westwood is known as the district of Los Angeles where flats are the most expensive and which is abundant in cinemas.
Physical culture is very popular among the city dwellers. Many of them visit gyms regularly and practice various sports. In the city there is even a special beach called Muscle Beach which is only for athletes.
California is a very sunny state and there are 270 sunny days in Los Angeles. Therefore, the city dwellers spend a lot of time on beaches sunbathing, swimming, surfing or playing volleyball. Santa Monica is the biggest beach in California and also one of the most well-known.
Other important places in Los Angeles include Westwood Village-a large business concern, the University of California or Mormon's Sanctuary. The city is also famous for its Disneyland. Melrose Avenue is a street known wordlwide for its many boutiques which introduce and popularize new fashions. Los Angeles is a very busy city, crowded with multitude of people and cars. The traffic is very heavy during the rush hours which are from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m. Fortunately, commuting is facilitated by the subway which consists of three lines.
The most important and famous place in Los Angeles is Hollywood which represents the excitement and glamour of the film industry. The world's major film companies have studios there and many famous film actors live in its fashionable and expensive Beverly Hills district. It is the place where money can buy an expensive lifestyle but the pressure to succeed can ruin people's lives. One of the most famous streets of Hollywood is Sunset Boulevard, also called "the strip" or "Sunset Strip", where many early film companies had their offices. Charlie Chaplin also lived there.
