One of the places which I always associated with the Los Angeles area is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. That is the famous and richly historical stadium which hosts the "Rose Bowl" college game every year, of course, after the Rose Parade. But it also has hosted many other major events. That includes World Cup games, including the 1994 Final, when Brazil beat Italy after Roberto Baggio's kick sailed very high during the penalty shootout. Also, the Women's World Cup Final in 1999, when Brandi Chastain took her shirt off after the United States has secured the title. It also has hosted numerous Super Bowls. Specifically, it hosted Super Bowl XI, when Oakland beat Minnesota, Super Bowl XIV, when Pittsburgh beat the Rams, Super Bowl XVII, when Washington beat Miami, Super Bowl XXI, when my Giants won their first Super Bowl by beating Denver, and Super Bowl XXVII, when Dallas beat Buffalo.
Clearly, it is a place with a lot of history.
Moreover, it is set within a striking natural setting. There are mountains towering over it in the distance (but not too distant). There are palm trees everywhere. And, of course, there are roses. At points, you can actually smell the roses in the area as you walk by, and I don't have the strongest sense of smell in the world.
Obviously, it is a special place. I have been watching events there from the time that I was a young boy. The second Super Bowl that I ever watched was played there in January of 1983. In 1994, during the first World Cup in which I actually attended some games, I watched Brazil outlast Italy in the shootout at the Final, to secure their fourth ever World Cup championship. And I watched that Women's World Cup Final in 1999, as well. Also, I have watched some (but certainly not all, or even most) of the Rose Bowl games which were played there.
It was here that France defeated Brazil on August 11, 1984, to win in the Final to win the Olympic Gold Medal. It was here that I also saw my New York Giants win Super Bowl XXI. And of course, this has long been, and still is, the home of the UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) Bruins.
For all of that, and for the richness of it's history, it just seemed like a place worth making the effort to visit, even just from the outside.
That is what I set out to do on my day off while visiting out West.
Getting here proved a bit more challenging than I had originally expected and intended. So I got a car and went to the Rose Bowl first, with the idea of returning back to Los Angeles and getting closer to the hotel towards the end. It worked out.
Below are the pictures which I took of my visit to the Rose Bowl.
Enjoy.
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