Los Angeles ranks as the second-largest city in the nation; its citizens hail from 140 countries and speak 86 different languages. In fact, Los Angeles is one of only two U.S. cities without a majority population.
But unlike many of the world's greatest metropolitan destinations, L.A. is seen more in the context of the present -- even the future -- than the past. This young city is all the more intriguing because that past is fresh and easily excavated (both figuratively and literally); the sense of simultaneously having one foot in yesterday and one in tomorrow is part of what makes discovering L.A. so rewarding. In this chapter, we give you a little rundown on the history of El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles (the Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels), along with some other useful background on the local views and customs that give an insight into the city and its inhabitants.
