0207 touring the getty villa

We arrived at the Getty Villa (here’s the link) in time for our 1pm reservation and, after parking, met the others near the entrance. Jerome, Liz, Jasmine, Wes and I took the Architecture and Gardens Tour while Brian, Ed, and Tina finished their lunch (see previous post) on the patio.

There was a chance of rains, so I came in the wheelchair to prevent slips and falls, but it was a beautiful day and the skies were clear. We stayed with the group for the tour but had to find the various wheelchair accesses, since the Villa is built on many different levels.

The problem about being in a wheelchair is that during a tour, you get pushed to the front. When the tour guide asks for a volunteer, everyone behind you is pointing at you.

At one point, in order to get to the Outer Peristyle, we had to take a handicapped elevator. It was built inside a small space in a corner of the Timescape Room and was just large enough for the three of us. Well, the two of them, plus me in my wheelchair. I think the lift was three feet wide by five feet long, but you’d have to ask the others. We referred to it as “Jim’s Time-Out Room”. and they said that they could just leave me there and turn out the lights.

The tour highlights were the ancient fountain (with the theater masks) in the East Garden, and the view of the Pacific from the terrace on the southern end of the Outer Peristyle. We took advantage of the setting sun for many photo ops.

After the tour, we took a break on the patio by the Museum Cafe. Wes and Jasmine had to leave early, so we met up with the others and ended up on the upper floor of the museum, in order to gaze upon a mummy, and somehow ended up in a room displaying exhibits of Coins, Gems and Jewelry. One of the items was a hand-painted piece of jewelry entitled “Dog Licking His Rear Leg”. I don’t think that it was his rear leg he was licking.

We also found out what a denarius was worth in Roman terms, but I’ll let you ask Tina or Liz about it.

The Getty Villa closed at 5pm, so we headed for the garage as the sun was setting over the Pacific.

I wrote a review on YELP. Find it here.