CITY OF ANGLES

CITY OF ANGLES at LOS ANGLES HELLO..! EVERYONE…!! I am Dona Nirosha, from the beautiful green island of Sri Lanka. My home- town is Kiribathgoda; it is located 20 km from Colombo (Capital of Sri Lanka). I currently live in my second home in Dubai with my lovely family. I’m a special Educator, Graphic designer, and crafter. Also, I love to trav- el and enjoy life with my loved ones. Behind my success, I have a fantastic partner, my husband, Shantha. He works as a Software Engineer at Emirates Airlines. He consistently encourages me to be an innovative individual and creative designer.

Riding roll- itinerary planned, we ercoasters decided to rest for the and hiking first day as our eyelids up moun- pooled with sleep due to tains are the jet lag. We finally adventures followed our itinerary I typical- on the second day, feast- ly love to ed on a big breakfast at enjoy. With the hotel, and made our my thrilling way to Universal Studios personali- on the LA Metro. ty, I love visiting new places and travel- ling with the people I love. Before the pandemic constrained us, my fam- ily and I were promi- nent trav- ellers. In Although I love explor- 2019, we took a trip to ing my passions in- California in the United depth, the highlight of States. my life so far has been giving birth to my two It was mid-July early children, Ikya (17 years morning; after an ex- old) and Sethika (11 hausting 16-hour flight, years old). From experi- we were dragging our encing their first steps feet through the air- to watching them grad- port. As we walked out uate school with flying of the airport doors, we colours, I have loved were greeted by a breeze motherhood every step of frosty air. It was 17 of the way. However, degrees celsius, which, it’s not all peaches and compared to the 45-de- cream; there have been gree weather in Dubai, tough times like spend- was excruciatingly cold ing nights swept with for us. worry when they get sick or not being able to help The Hilton LA hotel came much when they are under and pickup us up from stress they get from ex- the airport. Although ams. my daughter had a whole

spells in the village. There were too many rides and attractions to cov- er in one day, so we had booked tickets for a sec- ond day. We mainly tried the rides and exhila- rating roller coasters on our second day, such as dragon rides, Harry Potter wizarding rides, etc. We also took the Universal Studio tour, which lasted for about an hour. We learned many things, such as how they had created and devel- oped the Hollywood film industry into what it is now. We even got to be on the set of the mov- ie Jaws! It was unbe- lievable. We had a love- ly time, and we enjoyed ourselves a lot. The employees guided us beings, you would have to a cart that took us up already guessed what our a hill and to the front first stop was. It was De- gate of Universal Stu- spicable Me Minion May- dios. We were overwhelmed hem! After a thrilling by the vibrant signs and adventure through Gru’s variety of areas to vis- Lab and a wonderful AR it. Thanks to my daugh- experience on the roller ter’s well-planned itin- coaster, we headed to- erary, we knew exactly wards my daughter’s fa- where to go first. My son vourite area. was so excited to see the The Wizarding World of first item on our list as Harry Potter! It was it had been one of his surreal to see how they dreams to do so. We made replicated the architec- our way through the bus- ture of the settings in tling crowds into a pre- the movie. She was ex- dominantly yellow cave tremely excited to buy covered with drawings her own Gryffindor robe of bananas. If you are a Hermoine’s wand and try fan of a few tiny yellow out the different magic



The next day, we saw the also took a trip to the ta Monica Beach! We took iconic Hollywood Sign Hollywood Walk of Fame. some aesthetic family and Griffith Observato- We visited the wax house pictures after watch- ry. Then, after a ride to meet a few phenomenal ing a fantastic street through the city on pub- celebrities like Mark dance show and feasting lic transport, we finally Zuckerberg and Beyonce. on a beautiful Califor- arrived at the entrance As a fan of the outdoors, nian pizza. However, we to the hiking trail. I insisted we visit San- couldn’t dip in the wa- We hiked up the moun- ter because the weather tain as the lactic acid was too chilly and the built up in our legs; we wind was too strong. were slowly giving up and considered retreat- ing to the bottom. But just as we were about to head down, my daughter screamed, “I see it!”. I let out a sigh of re- lief, and we took some fantastic pictures. We

at San Francisco After our stay in LA, we before. After stroll- of American incarcera- took a 6-hour long bus ing around Fisherman’s tion, justice, and our ride to San Francis- Wharf, we made our way shared humanity. This co. We stayed at a vin- to Pier 39 to view the small island was once a tage hotel and were in- seals that rest on the fort, a military prison, troduced to a fantastic decks. Next, it was in- and a maximum-security phenomenon called Hap- triguing to visit vin- federal penitentiary. py Hour. They gave out tage candy shops at Pier In 1969, the Indians of free snacks and drinks 39 and try the famous All Tribes occupied Al- to all the customers at Ghillidari ice cream! catraz for 19 months in the hotel. This was an Another unique aspect of the name of freedom and absolute delight! Next, our trip was getting to Native American civil we visited Fisherman’s see the Alcatraz prison. rights. Wharf and tasted the fa- This prison was a huge mous sourdough, which I part of American history. had never experienced Alcatraz reveals stories

Overall, my trip to the US Thus, travelling to dif- was an enlightening ex- ferent countries allowed perience and reminded me me to make up for the ad- why travelling has been venture I had missed out such a significant part of on as a child. I want my happiness. As a lit- to end with a quote that tle girl, I was confined I live by “Wherever you to a small town in the go becomes a part of you neighbourhood of Colombo somehow” – Anita Desai. and never got to enjoy the outside world much.