World Cup Diary: In the City of Angels

As the Frontier plane descended and tilted its wings to prepare for landing at Los Angeles Airport, concluding the flight from Atlanta, a vast expanse stretching to the horizon of the city appeared in an instant at the window. A fresh, cool breeze rushed in as I left the airport. Not the warm, humid, and immediately rainy welcome like in Miami last week on the East Coast of the United States. No, this is the West Coast, the Pacific Ocean, in the "City of Angels."

Who wouldn't feel a surge of happiness when the dream of setting foot in a place that has been on one's travel list for years finally comes true? Who wouldn't feel joyful when finally arriving in that vast city whose name always comes to mind when mentioning the United States?

New York overwhelmed me when I first visited it a month ago during my North American journey for this World Cup. But my New York was mostly concentrated in Manhattan, the Manhattan of skyscrapers, parks, museums, and countless streets and avenues. Los Angeles is different; it's so vast, not just the downtown area but an entire region stretching from the sea to the mountains, densely packed with names like Santa Monica, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Palm Springs, Mulholland Drive, and Long Beach. How to explore all of Los Angeles in just a few short days is nothing short of a nightmare for those who love to travel.

What is Los Angeles to you?

Before setting foot in the United States, the 100th country and territory I have visited in my life, Los Angeles was only somewhat synonymous with cinema and literature. And indeed, how else could one approach this city without having been there? Movies mean Hollywood, the annual Oscars are awarded to Hollywood productions, and what else could we call this city if not the place that provides us with dreams?

Dreams of coming to America for wanderers, dreams of coming here to become famous under the glow that cinema brings. And Hollywood itself also creates many nightmares. Hollywood in particular, and America in general, can bring you to glory or drown you in oblivion if you fail. The famous Spanish novelist Carlos Ruiz Zafón once said: "Los Angeles is a place where the famous can become unknown, and the unknown can become famous." Hollywood itself is also very honest and does not hide its dark side. In "Sunset Boulevard" (1950), the renowned director and screenwriter Billy Wilder exposed the dark side of fame and illusions in Hollywood. In "The Player" (1992), director Robert Altman used his extensive industry experience to create a biting satire of the moral decay of film studio executives. And "La La Land" (2016) combines both the romance and the cold reality of life, telling the story of passionate young people chasing their dreams of stardom in Hollywood. And in the Oscar-winning Best Picture of 2011, "The Artist," we understand the harsh transition period in the late 1920s from silent films to talkies. One message: You can have everything or nothing in Los Angeles.

The competition and comparison between Los Angeles and New York are also noteworthy. They are undoubtedly the two cities you most want to visit when thinking of America. And when you've been to both, you'll see the difference. New York is skyscrapers, dynamism and hustle, money, commerce, contracts, and a fast-paced lifestyle. Los Angeles also has that hustle; they also do business, make money, and are the center of a state whose GDP has risen to sixth in the world, but Los Angeles has a more indulgent character, with Sunset Boulevard stretching over 40 kilometers from downtown to the Pacific Ocean, filled with cars with windows down blasting music, a vibrant atmosphere of pleasure and enjoyment in the downtown and surrounding areas, and a sense of racing against time to enjoy life even more. New York is like where you make money, and Los Angeles is where you come to spend it, to prove who you are.

"City of Angels" — is it truly angelic?

It all began in 1781, when Spanish settlers arrived here, and initially, the name they gave was quite long, "El Pueblo de la Reina de los Angeles," meaning "Town of the Queen of the Angels." Why angels here? Was it because the first settlers were overwhelmed by its natural beauty and named it so, or simply because they found it harsh and needed the protection of angels?

Abbreviated to "Los Angeles," it gave rise to the nickname "City of Angels," a name with deep cultural and religious significance closely tied to the Spanish missions conquering this vast land. The Franciscan friars, led by Father Junipero Serra, established missions in the area, including San Gabriel and San Fernando, now major cities, and this played a key role in the region's development. But over time, Los Angeles has taken on more meanings, not just as a place that creates dreams through cinema.

A colleague of mine from the US explained that Los Angeles has different meanings for different people. It is a city with a wonderful climate, but it often suffers from wildfires, and the terrible fires a few years ago turned it into a hell even for the wealthy and movie stars, as their mansions were burned down. It is a place of breathtaking sunsets, but it frequently faces severe smog and pollution. It is a place of dreams, but heavy traffic constantly reminds us to wake up. "And it's a city that, like New York, always reminds us: don't come here if you don't have money or have little money," he added in an email. "Don't forget that violence is also part of life here." He mentioned the 1992 riots when thousands of people looted and burned part of Los Angeles to protest the acquittal of white police officers who had brutally beaten Rodney King, a Black man.

But like New York, this vast city in Southern California embodies a vibrant, lively atmosphere, openness, and multilingual, multicultural diversity, with immigrants from about 140 countries speaking nearly 220 languages, creating a rich, diverse network deeply connecting people. Singer Beth Anderson once said: "Everything in California is better, from wine, cuisine, fruits and vegetables to the comforts of life. Even the musicians are generous, curious, and eager to learn. Everything is wonderful." Actor Denzel Washington once said: "In Los Angeles, everyone is a star." And Farrah Fawcett, the beautiful late actress of "Charlie's Angels" who went through turbulent marriages, once lamented: "Enduring marriages are with people who don't live in Los Angeles." There must be something wrong with this place, even for the famous, right? The City of Angels can become the City of Devils in an instant.

Epilogue

On the first night in Los Angeles, I walked along downtown, listening to the ballad "I Remember LA" sung by Celine Dion in my ears. The sun had long set, and the air was so cool that I needed a jacket. Luxury cars were running on the streets, and lights from towering buildings sparkled. It wasn't the weekend yet, but the atmosphere was already lively. Groups of Spanish and Belgian fans, who had just arrived for their World Cup quarterfinal match, were also eagerly exploring the glitzy glamour of Los Angeles. After the match, they will understand whether this city truly is where angels descended to protect their team to victory.

Even if their team loses, this place still bears the imprint of angels, of a life full of urgency, vibrancy, and total enjoyment, as they themselves are angels in their own lives.

Nobody comes to Los Angeles to wallow in sadness, right?

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