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Red Eye
By Eric Tiettmeyer
"I wish I was on some Austrian mountain range. I got no reason to be there, but I imagine it would be some kind of change."
Bob Dylan
How many times do we plan extended, far-away journeys, and not even consider a weekend, a day or even an hour exploring our local surroundings? Many people feel that the best adventures can only be found 3,000 miles away. For instance, a recent poll conducted by SWT revealed that only 7 percent of students were interested in visiting the United States, as opposed to 54 percent who wanted to travel abroad. And while it is encouraging to see more and more students traveling each year, it's unfortunate that fewer and fewer want to travel within the U.S.
I am the first to admit that I haven't seen half my hometown Los Angeles and the surrounding area. It was only recently that my girlfriend moved out here from New York that I made it a priority to show her that there was more to Southern California than "Tinseltown" and Disneyland. We made it a priority to explore something new in California each week. And you know what? We found some pretty cool places, most by coincidence, tucked away in this amazing state.
One of the more amazing places I saw was the J. Paul Getty Museum. This behemoth structure was erected on top of a hill and overlooks all of L.A. Inside, the architectural masterpiece showcases quite a collection of Impressionist art, as well as some remarkable historical displays. But the mos interesting part about visiting the Getty was that it took me two years to actually do it, and the museum is five minutes from my house.
My day trip to the Getty was the first of many in L.A. My trips to Brazil, Philippines, the beaches of France, and Nepal will happen soon. But for the time being, I need to find more hidden treasures in my own backyard. I hope you also look in yours.
Stay on the move,
Eric
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