Pasadena revisited

I love California, and Pasadena is one of my favourite places there. However, despite constant badgering by travel industry friends there to pay a return visit, it has been almost 17 years since my last visit.

But boy, do I have some wonderful and enduring memories of that trip. 

It was July 1994 and the travel trade publication I was features editor of, TTG, was having an international editorial conference in Los Angeles to tie in with the World Travel Awards at Hollywood's Universal Studios, which we were producing a special supplement for. I was involved in both. 

World Cup opening ceremony at the Rose Bowl
Photo: Leonardo Hauer  

Also happening at the same time was the 1994 football World Cup, being hosted by the USA for the first time. The World Cup Final was at the historic Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena - and I was lucky enough to be given a ticket to watch Brazil play Italy, along with several colleagues. The event itself was amazing, as were the traffic jams, which made us late for the opening ceremony.


Baggio's famous penalty miss

So we missed seeing the staged penalty shot that Diana Ross took, and missed!

But we got to see the miss of the day after the tense but scrappy 0-0 draw had been fought out. We were lucky enough to be behind the goal where the penalty shoot-out took place - and Roberto Baggio's penalty miss sailed over the crossbar into the crowd just below us, handing Brazil victory. 

As we made our way out of the stadium the queues were so long for buses half a dozen of us walked along the streets for a while, until a pick-up truck full of Brazil fans saw us with our World Cup regalia and stopped to give us a lift. 

We squeezed into the cab and open back of the truck with our new-found friends, waving Brazil scarves and flags and blowing horns at passers-by until we reached Old Pasadena.

There, the party was already in full swing, with scantily-clad Latin ladies from all the South American nations which had been in the World Cup dancing salsa, samba, merengue, mambo and conga in the streets while we hit the bars. I don't remember how I got back to my hotel, but I do remember the street party lasted all night long.

My return visit was a far more staid affair, and Old Pasadena seemed to have been spruced up a bit since my previous encounter. It must have taken them weeks to clear up after that. Although I was back in town for a few days, I was there for the One Travel Conference and most of my time would be spent indoors. 

I did manage to get out and about with my cameras on Sunday afternoon, though, after my three-hour foray in Macy's (see previous blog). People were out enjoying the cobalt-blue skies and 80F temperature, having fun in Central Park, strolling the streets, shopping and sitting at outdoor cafes and bars. It was a lovely atmosphere.

I didn't get to see as many places as I would have liked to, as I needed to get back for the opening event of the conference. But I got some nice pictures of the park and neighbouring buildings, including Castle Green with its twin circular, Mediterranean-style towers and domes. I also wandered around the impressive City Hall and snapped a few shots.

Stupidly, I forgot to take my camera to a wine-tasting evening at the lavishly-decorated Civic Auditorium.

The old part of the city is full of other architectural gems and beautiful gardens. Amazing to think that all this history was so nearly swept away for redevelopment in the 1970s. Sadly, I had no time to explore more. But with any place I love to visit and photograph, I always need an excuse to return again to see the things I missed before.

Arnie may no longer be California state governor now, but as he famously said: I'll be back.