Now I'm back from a hectic 5-day trip to the Southland. It was long and hot but overall enjoyable. We start Wednesday when a bloody-eyed me is awakened by the sounds of rustling outside my door. It's my family who are getting ready to leave. I complain it's 7 AM but they want to leave early. Joy, it's 6 hours in the car with them. Might as well get it over with. Yes, we leave at 10 but who's keeping track? As expected, I sleep again, only to wake up at our destination at 4 pm, Playa del Rey. It's a small and quiet community, save for the massive Los Angeles International Airport right next door. After a few illegal turns by my dad, I see my aunt waiting for us at her apartment and home for the next few days. We promptly leave for dinner in Santa Monica where we come upon The Lighthouse, a cheaper version of Todai. It's an okay place if you like that kind of stuff (stuff meaning sushi). After a stroll through the energetic Third Street Promenade, I'm beat and I'm down within the hour.

The next day is filled with the reason I'm here, a wedding. My cousin, Lo, is getting married to a guy named Lam. I haven't seen Lo or her two sisters in five or six years when they came up here to visit. Suffice it to say, we were complete strangers when we met. But my sister and I got along with the young one, heading off to be a Gaucho in Santa Barbara in the coming year. I know SoCal people are all different but the people I met at this ceremony either smoked, were drunk, or, in the case of some of my relatives my age, a bunch of fobby thugs. Luckily, the people I talked to were neither of the three, though some drunk a little. At last after two hours of waiting at the house in Glendale, I finally got a glimpse of the couple. They seemed pretty enough. After getting to know them a little better, it's obvious that the two don't seem right for each other. Don't get me wrong. I hope things are happy for them. But the groom seems quiet and has some really thick Drew Carey-type glasses. The bride is more outgoing and always speaks her mind. One friend shouted that she'll probably get married 3 or 4 more times until she's really happy. She didn't seem to disagree. After the ceremony, they were separated as the groom hung out with his family and the bride with her friends. It seemed like they didn't speak again until they met up for pictures a hour later. According to my parents, Lo was engaged to a Mexican guy but her parents didn't approve. As a result, this same Mexican guy introduced her to Lam and the rest is now history.

Length of time would be the mantra of the day because after the two-hour wait before, hourlong Vietnamese ceremony, the hourlong lunch, and the two-hour waiting period, it was time for the Buddhist ceremony. This wouldn't be the funnest of times since this could also last an hour with all of us standing up. Luckily I made it through and was rewarded with some good cream puffs only to wait another hour for the ride back. After spending dinner at the house, it was time to go back to my aunt's house. We called her up and she suggested taking a different route home since some madman started shooting up LAX and as a result closed all the roads. But since it was 9, I thought it would be okay. On the way home, remembering it was 4th of July, saw all the fireworks, both big and homemade. Driving down the 110 is really the way to go to see all of them.

Now because the reception wouldn't occur until Saturday, my parents decided that we should all go to Las Vegas on Friday and after a 4-hour drive, we were there. The place has certainly changed little since being there 3 years ago at the Bellagio. This time we stayed at the Monte Carlo, it's a small place contrary to what it looks like outside. Afterwards was a walk through the new Aladdin hotel, complete with a Great Mall-type carousel mall inside. That night, we got to see the magic of Lance Burton. It's a pretty entertaining show. It seems more adult than the audience it wants to cater to but the magic doesn't seem to live up to the hype.

And just like that, the Las Vegas portion was over since it was Saturday and we needed to head to Malibu for the reception. It's in a beach club there equipped to handle about 200 people even though about 300 showed up. The couple seem to be much happier this time, though I heard there was a big fight just a few hours earlier. Good food. Had a big lobster claw. It was a buffet-style dinner so we all had to line up. Remember when I said the club handled 200? Well, the caterer only brought food for 200, so good thing I ran to the line. After the entertainment (the bride shows her version of a J. Lo video, her sister shows a Behind-the-music-type show on the couple, and dancing), that basically brought an end to the trip. The next day, we headed home. Why is it people were only driving 60 on Interstate 5? What's wrong with these people?