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A man wears a decorative face mask - Source: Reuters -
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Well, this week I write from the "swine" flu-ridden city of Los Angeles.
I'm barricaded in my apartment. I haven't left the house in over a week. It's pandemonium out there. I am masked up and the thought of bacon is the furthest thing from my mind. I have had calls from all members of my family and extended friends to make sure I am still alive. But my will to live is strong... and yes, yes I am.
But all jokes aside, the situation has affected me very little, mainly in the incredible measures Americans are going to, to protect themselves against the flu !
I always knew that when it comes to these folks here in the US, they don't know how to do things by halves and this flu epidemic has really allowed them to stretch their legs, pick the ball up and run with it.
In the supermarket, there are masks, on the bus, there are masks and even in the men's sauna. Yes, the men's sauna.
Now, some may want to skip ahead here. But in an effort at full disclosure, I want to tell you about my first visit to my very busy YMCA gym men's sauna. For the 15 minutes I was in there, the collection of older men, in the nude, sweating, talked in detail about the H1N1 flu, where it came from and how long we all had to live. Allow me to share some of my favourites theories.
One guy thought it was an act of genocide from an enemy of the Mexican people to wipe them off the face of the planet, a laughable conspiracy theory. Another thought it was as the good book had prophesised (I think the Book of Revelation) and he also warned that there would many more plagues on the way to end the human race.
But, then came one rather rational man, stating that in America
alone 36,000 people die each year due to the common cold and thus
far only 20 people have died due to H1N1 flu. As this fact was
coming to me via a 55-year-old naked Russian man, I felt the need
to check this fact out and would you believe this is absolutely
correct. Well done, naked Russian guy!
But of course, I am living in the place where the unusual is usual,
Holly weird, so there had to be at least one Tinsletown casualty as
well.
Just when all that Hugh Jackman's Wolverine film thought it was battling was movie piracy, it now had to take on the flu as well. Wait for it... Wolverine will not be released in Mexico as planned. Oh no, shock, horror. I actually read a couple of funny pieces from Mexican papers - they said the flu was bad before, but it didn't get scaled into a full blown epidemic until Hollywood movies stopped coming.
I must admit, it almost sounds like the plot for a blockbuster: A superhero mutant battles evil pirates and a deadly virus that's spreading across the world. Of course it is not a laughing matter, in Hollywood, we have compiled one more, funny Hollywood take on the outbreak... the top 10 dangerous outbreak movies . Only in LA!
But on to other matters.
I have been getting some great feedback from you about my Los Angeles suggestions, so I have a few more to add to the pile.
Without a doubt, Americans' favourite past time is baseball. Equate it to our love of rugby. So many people here live and die for the game and there is no greater tradition than heading out for a day at the baseball.
From the peanuts, to the 7th inning stretch (where the whole stadium stands, stretches and sings Take Me Out To The Ball Game) to a day in the blazing sun. The LA team is The Dodgers and tickets start as low as 15 bucks , but get in early.
One of the most interesting, yet creepy, places I have visited since arriving in LA is the Salton Sea. It is about three hours out of LA and was a town back in the 1950s. They made a huge manmade lake which they filled with fish and it was supposed to become a thriving tourist spot. However there was too much salt in the earth, so slowly the fish died and everyone left and the town is now abandoned. It's very cool to visit and walk through all the houses. Take a look at these photos. Scary...
Well, that just about does it for another week, but here's a movie you must see. If you like Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Pineapple Express, then you will love I Love You, Man. I didn't expect anything and itwas one of the funniest films of the year so far...
Till next time...
