Diary from the States, Day 2 | City Lights

The sky over Los Angeles isn't what you expect. They call it June Gloom. Mornings are gray, almost chilly. It greets the kids on the field, while on the UCLA campus, preparations for Graduation Day are in full swing. On the green grass, the ball rolls for the first time, as the city slowly wakes up all around.Every corner of the city has its own ritual. Some start with a jog, others are already on the field: a glove, a ball, a bat. The day begins like this — with swings and hits, dust and dreams of glory to chase.When the sky opens up and the sun begins to warm the asphalt, people pick up the pace, start running. While waiting for the evening lights, it’s the signs, the sounds, the background noise that shape a day that started quietly but grows livelier by the hour.Hollywood pulses, as always. The stars on the Boulevard, the driverless cars, the street vendors, the stores overflowing with gadgets: in the place where film history is made, soccer jerseys appear too — among the street performers who bring life to the Walk of Fame.The roads traveled by taxi at the end of the day reveal a city gradually tuning in to the approaching tournament. Drivers ask questions, talk, await the fans. The wait feels slow, but little by little, it fills the days in the City of Angels.