Day 27: Thursday, 16 June 2011
Ueli and I slept in a little bit before heading out to explore the city. Jonathan had schoolwork to prepare so he stayed at the apartment. We took the T into the city - we got pretty lucky because the train seemed to wait at the stop for 5 minutes until we boarded. In the city, we decided to keep on going with the train all the way to Cambridge, so that we would get the most of our 1-way ticket. So after navigating the somewhat confusing corridors of the Park St station, we got on the red line, which is more of a subway yet still goes above ground over the Charles River, and soon were in Cambridge. At the station, Harvard Square, there were people soliciting tours and others giving out samples of energy bars. I took a free map from one of the tour people, and we walked into Harvard Yard.
We explored Harvard for a bit, and I was very hungry as we entered the Science Building, so I instantly beelined for the cafeteria and got myself a calzone (which was packed with meat). After eating, we continued walking around and eventually wound our way back to the Harvard COOP, where we browsed books for a while and Ueli ended up buying an American English phrasebook. There was a girl performing on her acoustic guitar outside in the alleyway. We walked all the way along Massachusetts Avenue to MIT, where we rested for a few minutes with some cold drinks from Dunkin' Donuts. It was a warm and sunny day, as pleasant a day as you could wish for. We walked through MIT for a bit, then headed to the Charles River, which we crossed back into Boston. We walked up Beacon Hill then emerged near the Massachusetts State House and Boston Common. There I found the Freedom Trail, a well-marked path that links the major historical sites of interest in central Boston. With tourists and 18th-century dressed tour guides all around, I decided to follow the Freedom Trail and see the major sights.
22 June 2011
New York to Boston
Day 26: Wednesday, 15 June 2011
I set my alarm for 8:18am, and we were up and ready by 10:30. Tita M was waiting for a delivery - their new ping pong table was getting installed. She was gracious enough to offer to drive us into Manhattan to catch our bus, which I at first refused, but she persisted and it really was hard to refuse her offer. Ueli and I alternated showering and eating some fried egg and spam for breakfast, then I tried really hard to pack all my stuff into my two bag. It was a challenge, especially because of my sleeping bag! I really need either a smaller sleeping bag or a larger travel backpack - maybe I'll buy one in Boston. But at least all my stuff fits into the bags, for now. I just can't buy any more clothes (and I realized that I have only 1 pair of jeans for this whole summer! Yipes!).
So we said bye to Darren, Nate, and Brian, and then Tita M drove us to Manhattan, dropping us off at the Washington Bridge station, where we got the subway. Ueli's ticket didn't work so he had to ask the attendant to let him in. The subway was quick and easy (though we did have to wait like 4 minutes for it to arrive), taking us straight to Penn Station. Ueli was worried that we couldn't exit the subway with our big bags, but I made it work. We walked over to the MegaBus stop, and I gave some confused tourists directions. There was a small line of about 15 people already waiting for our bus to Boston, so I queued up behind them. The bus was scheduled to leave at 12:10 but didn't until around 12:35. Ueli and I sat in separate rows by ourselves, giving me enough space to splay out my towel and snacks, and the free wifi allowed me to browse on my laptop for the entire ride. The double-decker bus was smooth and quiet; it passed under several underpasses which seemed dangerously close to swiping off the top of the bus. I was in the third row of the top level. In front of me sat a hyper hipster with a pink pigtail and thick glasses. Across from me sat two older ladies who must be colleagues at some music institution because they just chatted about for most of the ride. Behind me sat Ueli, and behind him was a woman who chatted away really loudly on her phone. She spoke with a measured and professional voice, making sure to fully enunciate each word as she proclaimed her self-importance to the rest of the bus: "Thank you so much for sending that package, I really appreciate it."
I used the wifi on the bus to track our route - the bus went north, instead of taking the 95, taking the 287 to the 84 and going through Hartford, Connecticut. We bypassed Rhode Island altogether. There was some traffic as we headed into Boston, near Worcester. The air conditioning was colder than I liked, so I wrapped my torso and arms up in my towel. It was around 5:30 when we arrived in Boston - I feel like the bus could have taken a better route, because I don't think that New York to Boston is usually a nearly 5-hour drive.
I set my alarm for 8:18am, and we were up and ready by 10:30. Tita M was waiting for a delivery - their new ping pong table was getting installed. She was gracious enough to offer to drive us into Manhattan to catch our bus, which I at first refused, but she persisted and it really was hard to refuse her offer. Ueli and I alternated showering and eating some fried egg and spam for breakfast, then I tried really hard to pack all my stuff into my two bag. It was a challenge, especially because of my sleeping bag! I really need either a smaller sleeping bag or a larger travel backpack - maybe I'll buy one in Boston. But at least all my stuff fits into the bags, for now. I just can't buy any more clothes (and I realized that I have only 1 pair of jeans for this whole summer! Yipes!).
So we said bye to Darren, Nate, and Brian, and then Tita M drove us to Manhattan, dropping us off at the Washington Bridge station, where we got the subway. Ueli's ticket didn't work so he had to ask the attendant to let him in. The subway was quick and easy (though we did have to wait like 4 minutes for it to arrive), taking us straight to Penn Station. Ueli was worried that we couldn't exit the subway with our big bags, but I made it work. We walked over to the MegaBus stop, and I gave some confused tourists directions. There was a small line of about 15 people already waiting for our bus to Boston, so I queued up behind them. The bus was scheduled to leave at 12:10 but didn't until around 12:35. Ueli and I sat in separate rows by ourselves, giving me enough space to splay out my towel and snacks, and the free wifi allowed me to browse on my laptop for the entire ride. The double-decker bus was smooth and quiet; it passed under several underpasses which seemed dangerously close to swiping off the top of the bus. I was in the third row of the top level. In front of me sat a hyper hipster with a pink pigtail and thick glasses. Across from me sat two older ladies who must be colleagues at some music institution because they just chatted about for most of the ride. Behind me sat Ueli, and behind him was a woman who chatted away really loudly on her phone. She spoke with a measured and professional voice, making sure to fully enunciate each word as she proclaimed her self-importance to the rest of the bus: "Thank you so much for sending that package, I really appreciate it."
I used the wifi on the bus to track our route - the bus went north, instead of taking the 95, taking the 287 to the 84 and going through Hartford, Connecticut. We bypassed Rhode Island altogether. There was some traffic as we headed into Boston, near Worcester. The air conditioning was colder than I liked, so I wrapped my torso and arms up in my towel. It was around 5:30 when we arrived in Boston - I feel like the bus could have taken a better route, because I don't think that New York to Boston is usually a nearly 5-hour drive.
15 June 2011
The Obligatory Second Day in New York
Day 25: Tuesday, 14 June 2011
New York City. I have a hard time making sense of the place. What you hear about the city is, to a large extent, true: it's a monstrosity of a city, and it has way too many people crammed into too small a place. The only way that traffic (and people) can even get by is if others get out of the way. So you have to be constantly aware of everything around you. And everyone's rushing to get from here to there. You could easily just stand on any sidewalk and watch people all day and find no lack of entertainment. Everyone here is driven and has a purpose. No one (except the tourists, myself included) seems to be in New York just to enjoy the city itself. Yet I was most struck by how helpful and approachable people were. No one seemed to be annoyed that I was asking them for help; everyone seemed to have the attitude that camaraderie, that we're all in this insane city together, so we should help each other out if we can.
Anyway, our second day in New York city got off to a late start. After our exhausting itinerary on Monday, and staying up late with beers in the jacuzzi, Ueli and I slept in until about 11:30am. Which was weird because on this whole trip, I'd always wake up at 8 or 9 regardless of how late I was up. So Ueli and I quickly got ready and scarfed down some breakfast. We had planned to meet up with Christian for lunch, but it didn't look like we'd be able to make it. But we were lucky to be dropped off at (what we thought was) the bus stop. Turns out it was wrong, and we waited for about 20 minutes with no bus. And then, I saw the bus coming the other direction, so I got the driver's attention and started waving furiously. He saw me and pointed down the street to where we should have been waiting. He then looped around the mall, and 5 minutes later he picked us up, somewhat between stops. As we boarded, he was very friendly, giving us round trip tickets and giving us change.
New York City. I have a hard time making sense of the place. What you hear about the city is, to a large extent, true: it's a monstrosity of a city, and it has way too many people crammed into too small a place. The only way that traffic (and people) can even get by is if others get out of the way. So you have to be constantly aware of everything around you. And everyone's rushing to get from here to there. You could easily just stand on any sidewalk and watch people all day and find no lack of entertainment. Everyone here is driven and has a purpose. No one (except the tourists, myself included) seems to be in New York just to enjoy the city itself. Yet I was most struck by how helpful and approachable people were. No one seemed to be annoyed that I was asking them for help; everyone seemed to have the attitude that camaraderie, that we're all in this insane city together, so we should help each other out if we can.
Anyway, our second day in New York city got off to a late start. After our exhausting itinerary on Monday, and staying up late with beers in the jacuzzi, Ueli and I slept in until about 11:30am. Which was weird because on this whole trip, I'd always wake up at 8 or 9 regardless of how late I was up. So Ueli and I quickly got ready and scarfed down some breakfast. We had planned to meet up with Christian for lunch, but it didn't look like we'd be able to make it. But we were lucky to be dropped off at (what we thought was) the bus stop. Turns out it was wrong, and we waited for about 20 minutes with no bus. And then, I saw the bus coming the other direction, so I got the driver's attention and started waving furiously. He saw me and pointed down the street to where we should have been waiting. He then looped around the mall, and 5 minutes later he picked us up, somewhat between stops. As we boarded, he was very friendly, giving us round trip tickets and giving us change.
a day in the new york life, part 2
Day 23: Monday, 13 June 2011 [Part 2]
The buildings got taller as we entered Midtown. The more intimate feel of the Village was replaced by more grit. I had to be more alert, because people were rushing around in all directions doing all kinds of things. It felt, frankly, overwhelming. Just walking around can be stressful. If I lived here, I would totally get a heart attack or pick up smoking (either way, living in Manhattan is not good for your health!). We made it to Times Square, where the tourist hawks came swooping down on us, offering us tickets to all the shows. I played into one of their games, keeping the guy engaged in conversation for like 10 minutes. He just keep talking non stop! It was amazing. He asked me how long he thought he could keep me standing there, and I was wondering just the same. He was going to give us $40 comedy central tickets for $7.50, but I had already decided not to spend any more money that day, so I wouldn't budge for anything that wasn't free.
We sat in Times Square for a couple minutes; a woman was filming some sort of tacky promo for an online dating agency, and some dorky teenage boys were discussing why they can't get any girls and which train they should take. Oh, New York. Ueli and I then walked to Rockefeller Center; I tried to call the NJ Transit hotline to figure where exactly we'd get our bus, but no luck. We passed though Rockefeller, I considered waking up early to be on the Today Show the next morning, and we walked up 5th Avenue, passing St. Patrick's Cathedral. Ueli wanted a frappuccino, so I spontaneously asked the first person to walk by with a Starbucks cup where she got it from. "Trump Towah", she barked back in a noticeably Bostonian accent. I grunted back a thanks and we walked quickly onward. (Man it's so easy to interact with people in New York!)
The buildings got taller as we entered Midtown. The more intimate feel of the Village was replaced by more grit. I had to be more alert, because people were rushing around in all directions doing all kinds of things. It felt, frankly, overwhelming. Just walking around can be stressful. If I lived here, I would totally get a heart attack or pick up smoking (either way, living in Manhattan is not good for your health!). We made it to Times Square, where the tourist hawks came swooping down on us, offering us tickets to all the shows. I played into one of their games, keeping the guy engaged in conversation for like 10 minutes. He just keep talking non stop! It was amazing. He asked me how long he thought he could keep me standing there, and I was wondering just the same. He was going to give us $40 comedy central tickets for $7.50, but I had already decided not to spend any more money that day, so I wouldn't budge for anything that wasn't free.
We sat in Times Square for a couple minutes; a woman was filming some sort of tacky promo for an online dating agency, and some dorky teenage boys were discussing why they can't get any girls and which train they should take. Oh, New York. Ueli and I then walked to Rockefeller Center; I tried to call the NJ Transit hotline to figure where exactly we'd get our bus, but no luck. We passed though Rockefeller, I considered waking up early to be on the Today Show the next morning, and we walked up 5th Avenue, passing St. Patrick's Cathedral. Ueli wanted a frappuccino, so I spontaneously asked the first person to walk by with a Starbucks cup where she got it from. "Trump Towah", she barked back in a noticeably Bostonian accent. I grunted back a thanks and we walked quickly onward. (Man it's so easy to interact with people in New York!)
A Late Start to an Overwhelming Day in the City
Day 23: Monday, 13 June 2011 [Part 1]
We had to return the rental car at 9am at Newark Airport. The drive from where were staying to the airport included several toll roads, which I of course avoided, and thus it took about an hour to get there. We drove through several different New Jersey suburbs, and each seemed nicer than I had expected. The city of Newark was the most urban of these cities, with all the amenities (and presumably the problems) of a large city. It ended up being around 10:30 when we arrived at the car rental drop-off at the airport (Dollar Rent-A-Car was the last of the rental companies, and you have to drive a complete loop around the airport just to get there!). I pulled up and the greeter checked out the car. No problems, until I got my receipt - $320. This was more than the $280 I was charged in Miami. Apparently they charged me for an extra day because I was 1.5 hours late. This sucked. In my experience there has always been a 2-hour buffer for car rentals. Needless to say I was feeling negative about it.
Ueli and I took the peoplemover shuttle to the airport terminals, where we walked through to the local bus stop. There was a pretty nice woman also unsure of where the bus stopped, but it soon came within 1 minute and there was no problem. We took a New Jersey Transit bus to Newark's Penn Station, and then we transferred to the PATH train. There was an Asian couple in front of us at the ticket machine, and they took the longest time to buy their tickets! The other ticket machines kept moving, and we were held up maybe 15 minutes just because they didn't know how to swipe a credit card! They finished, Ueli and I got our tickets very quickly, and we hopped on the train about 10 seconds before it left. Good timing prevailed!
We had to return the rental car at 9am at Newark Airport. The drive from where were staying to the airport included several toll roads, which I of course avoided, and thus it took about an hour to get there. We drove through several different New Jersey suburbs, and each seemed nicer than I had expected. The city of Newark was the most urban of these cities, with all the amenities (and presumably the problems) of a large city. It ended up being around 10:30 when we arrived at the car rental drop-off at the airport (Dollar Rent-A-Car was the last of the rental companies, and you have to drive a complete loop around the airport just to get there!). I pulled up and the greeter checked out the car. No problems, until I got my receipt - $320. This was more than the $280 I was charged in Miami. Apparently they charged me for an extra day because I was 1.5 hours late. This sucked. In my experience there has always been a 2-hour buffer for car rentals. Needless to say I was feeling negative about it.
Ueli and I took the peoplemover shuttle to the airport terminals, where we walked through to the local bus stop. There was a pretty nice woman also unsure of where the bus stopped, but it soon came within 1 minute and there was no problem. We took a New Jersey Transit bus to Newark's Penn Station, and then we transferred to the PATH train. There was an Asian couple in front of us at the ticket machine, and they took the longest time to buy their tickets! The other ticket machines kept moving, and we were held up maybe 15 minutes just because they didn't know how to swipe a credit card! They finished, Ueli and I got our tickets very quickly, and we hopped on the train about 10 seconds before it left. Good timing prevailed!
Philly Pride, Lehigh, and White Castle
Day 23: Sunday, 12 June 2011
This day we drove from Philadelphia to New Jersey. It's not a long drive, if you look at the map, but our journey today took all day, thanks largely to an unexpected traffic jam in Philadelphia. We left around 11am, after another wonderful breakfast prepared by Miss Laura :) After saying our byes, Ueli and I drove into the city so that he could see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
As I drove into Center City, Market Street east of City Hall was blocked by a police car. Hmm, so I'd just head to the next street over and take that across. Good in theory, but that street turned out to be only one lane and was so jammed with cars that it took 20+ minutes just to move a couple blocks. Insanity, what was this? I moved over to another street, hoping to avoid whatever was going on, but then, BAM!, more traffic! The drivers were honking everywhere and people were yelling out of their car windows to get out of the way. (Man, Philly drivers are really rude!)
This day we drove from Philadelphia to New Jersey. It's not a long drive, if you look at the map, but our journey today took all day, thanks largely to an unexpected traffic jam in Philadelphia. We left around 11am, after another wonderful breakfast prepared by Miss Laura :) After saying our byes, Ueli and I drove into the city so that he could see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
As I drove into Center City, Market Street east of City Hall was blocked by a police car. Hmm, so I'd just head to the next street over and take that across. Good in theory, but that street turned out to be only one lane and was so jammed with cars that it took 20+ minutes just to move a couple blocks. Insanity, what was this? I moved over to another street, hoping to avoid whatever was going on, but then, BAM!, more traffic! The drivers were honking everywhere and people were yelling out of their car windows to get out of the way. (Man, Philly drivers are really rude!)
Boring Amish Country and a Chocolate Sugar Rush in Philly
Day 22: Saturday, 11 June 2011
We slept in a bit, and Laura prepared a large breakfast for us - eggs and chicken sausage with Aepfelskiver filled with nutella. It was already around noon when Ueli and I left, and we decided, largely heeding Alisa's advice, to check out Amish country. The drive was scenic. We first passed briefly by Villanova University and then took the 476 to the 76 to the 202, and I somehow missed the exit (the exits seems to appear so suddenly here) and ended up in West Chester. No worries, I took a quick rural road back to the 30, which lead us straight into Lancaster County, the heart of Amish country. There were plenty of small rural stores and houses, and we finally got to see an Amish buggy crossing the street in front of us! Few buildings had street numbers, though, so I easily drove past the Amish House and Farm, our intended destination. I drove us into the town of Lancaster when I realized that we had gone too far. So I turned around and we looked intently for the place - it was right next to a Target, where we stopped for a bathroom and a frappuccino and saw several Amish people shopping right there!
We slept in a bit, and Laura prepared a large breakfast for us - eggs and chicken sausage with Aepfelskiver filled with nutella. It was already around noon when Ueli and I left, and we decided, largely heeding Alisa's advice, to check out Amish country. The drive was scenic. We first passed briefly by Villanova University and then took the 476 to the 76 to the 202, and I somehow missed the exit (the exits seems to appear so suddenly here) and ended up in West Chester. No worries, I took a quick rural road back to the 30, which lead us straight into Lancaster County, the heart of Amish country. There were plenty of small rural stores and houses, and we finally got to see an Amish buggy crossing the street in front of us! Few buildings had street numbers, though, so I easily drove past the Amish House and Farm, our intended destination. I drove us into the town of Lancaster when I realized that we had gone too far. So I turned around and we looked intently for the place - it was right next to a Target, where we stopped for a bathroom and a frappuccino and saw several Amish people shopping right there!
From DC to Philly (Through Crabby Maryland and Orwellian Delaware)
Day 21: Friday, 10 June 2011
"In Maryland we don't say cheese, we say crabs"
Aaron nudged me awake around 7am to say goodbye. It was around 10 that Ueli and I were up and ready to go. We left Annandale and drove into DC, heading straight for the monuments. I was lucky enough to find a parking lot just south of the Washington Monument. So Ueli and I walked all the way through the WWII Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial. There were throngs of tourists walking around the National Mall, and it was hot - on its way close to 100 degrees yet again. The reflecting pool was drained and turned into one big construction area. We also visited the Vietnam Memorial and walked back to the car; I took my shirt off so it wouldn't be covered in sweat (yuck).
It was the early afternoon as we drove out of DC into Maryland through moderately heavy traffic. There was a rest area/Maryland welcome center; I asked the woman for any "Welcome to Maryland" sign that we could photograph, and she immediately snapped back at me, angrily lecturing me that we were 35 miles from the border and why would there be a sign there. She was definitely more confrontational and curt than the people I had encountered in the South; yet she was able to be a little helpful and gave us directions to avoid paying tolls.
"In Maryland we don't say cheese, we say crabs"
Aaron nudged me awake around 7am to say goodbye. It was around 10 that Ueli and I were up and ready to go. We left Annandale and drove into DC, heading straight for the monuments. I was lucky enough to find a parking lot just south of the Washington Monument. So Ueli and I walked all the way through the WWII Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial. There were throngs of tourists walking around the National Mall, and it was hot - on its way close to 100 degrees yet again. The reflecting pool was drained and turned into one big construction area. We also visited the Vietnam Memorial and walked back to the car; I took my shirt off so it wouldn't be covered in sweat (yuck).
It was the early afternoon as we drove out of DC into Maryland through moderately heavy traffic. There was a rest area/Maryland welcome center; I asked the woman for any "Welcome to Maryland" sign that we could photograph, and she immediately snapped back at me, angrily lecturing me that we were 35 miles from the border and why would there be a sign there. She was definitely more confrontational and curt than the people I had encountered in the South; yet she was able to be a little helpful and gave us directions to avoid paying tolls.
12 June 2011
Ueli Writes! [Guest Entry] Virginia to DC
Day 20: Thursday, 9 June 2011 [Guest entry - Ueli]
Richmond, VA
Abigail left before we woke up. We showered and got ready to leave the house. Chelsea was still sleeping and Jason played "A Thousand Miles" on the piano, which didn't sound too bad. After that we headed out to the Belle Isle, which is a small island in the river. We had to park the car on the side of the river and walk over a special pedestrian bridge that bent up and down and took us to the island, where we strolled around for about half an hour. The island was pretty - it was forested, and there were some people rock climbing next to a former quarry lake, where other people were fishing. Formations of rock extended into the river, where some people were swimming or just enjoying the sun. We saw some old Civil War buildings, including a former Confederate war prison.
We walked back to the car (covered in sweat as usual) and drove to a place called Buz and Ned's for lunch. We each had a pulled pork BBQ Burger, which was really good. We were lucky to find a parking space in front of the restaurant, which is not usual in the US. :)
A few minutes later we headed out to Washington DC. As we came there, we first went to the Pentagon and had a short look on this huge building from the parking lot. After this we drove to Arlington National Cemetery, where we went out to visit the Women of the Army Memorial, the President Taft grave, President Kennedy's grave, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers of the Civil War and the Shrine of the Unknown Soldiers, where one soldier was patrolling in front of it. I was really impressed by what I saw: So many graves for fallen soldiers who gave their live for the war of others…
Richmond, VA
Abigail left before we woke up. We showered and got ready to leave the house. Chelsea was still sleeping and Jason played "A Thousand Miles" on the piano, which didn't sound too bad. After that we headed out to the Belle Isle, which is a small island in the river. We had to park the car on the side of the river and walk over a special pedestrian bridge that bent up and down and took us to the island, where we strolled around for about half an hour. The island was pretty - it was forested, and there were some people rock climbing next to a former quarry lake, where other people were fishing. Formations of rock extended into the river, where some people were swimming or just enjoying the sun. We saw some old Civil War buildings, including a former Confederate war prison.
We walked back to the car (covered in sweat as usual) and drove to a place called Buz and Ned's for lunch. We each had a pulled pork BBQ Burger, which was really good. We were lucky to find a parking space in front of the restaurant, which is not usual in the US. :)
A few minutes later we headed out to Washington DC. As we came there, we first went to the Pentagon and had a short look on this huge building from the parking lot. After this we drove to Arlington National Cemetery, where we went out to visit the Women of the Army Memorial, the President Taft grave, President Kennedy's grave, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers of the Civil War and the Shrine of the Unknown Soldiers, where one soldier was patrolling in front of it. I was really impressed by what I saw: So many graves for fallen soldiers who gave their live for the war of others…
11 June 2011
From South Carolina to Duke to Eat at Joe's
Day 19: Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Danielle had left for work and Andy was still hanging around the house when we left in the morning around 10:30. We stopped for a small breakfast at Venus, a nearby diner with a very un-Southern decor but very Southern employees. Before leaving South Carolina, we made sure to gas up the car (the gas here is the cheapest along our route).
Driving along the 95 in South Carolina, you are bombarded with signs for South of the Border, a kitschy roadside collection of tacky restaurants, gift shops, and attractions. Our hosts recommended that we definitely stop by there, and so we did. It was pretty empty, and a weird sight to see in the middle of the Carolinas. We drove on and missed the "welcome to North Carolina sign", so we drove back and stopped for a picture. Ueli drove us to the NC welcome center, where we picked up a map and got another photograph. Then onward to Durham, which took only about 2 hours. The freeway traffic was less consistent and slightly more frustrating to cruise along.
I had planned to visit Duke University in Durham, because I will be studying there this next spring as part of my LSE degree. When we arrived in the city, Ueli and I had a few minutes to kill so we briefly stopped by the East Campus of Duke University, which is the emptier side of campus, reserved mainly for freshmen. Then I drove us to the West Campus and looked for a parking space, which I found at the botanical gardens. We rushed to the admissions office to make our tour, walking furiously through nearly 100-degree humid heat. My camera battery was nearly dead so I plugged it into an outlet at the office. We then joined a tour group as it left. We had two guides, one of whom was a rising senior and was pre-law. I felt that I should have been giving him a tour/advice!
Danielle had left for work and Andy was still hanging around the house when we left in the morning around 10:30. We stopped for a small breakfast at Venus, a nearby diner with a very un-Southern decor but very Southern employees. Before leaving South Carolina, we made sure to gas up the car (the gas here is the cheapest along our route).
Driving along the 95 in South Carolina, you are bombarded with signs for South of the Border, a kitschy roadside collection of tacky restaurants, gift shops, and attractions. Our hosts recommended that we definitely stop by there, and so we did. It was pretty empty, and a weird sight to see in the middle of the Carolinas. We drove on and missed the "welcome to North Carolina sign", so we drove back and stopped for a picture. Ueli drove us to the NC welcome center, where we picked up a map and got another photograph. Then onward to Durham, which took only about 2 hours. The freeway traffic was less consistent and slightly more frustrating to cruise along.
I had planned to visit Duke University in Durham, because I will be studying there this next spring as part of my LSE degree. When we arrived in the city, Ueli and I had a few minutes to kill so we briefly stopped by the East Campus of Duke University, which is the emptier side of campus, reserved mainly for freshmen. Then I drove us to the West Campus and looked for a parking space, which I found at the botanical gardens. We rushed to the admissions office to make our tour, walking furiously through nearly 100-degree humid heat. My camera battery was nearly dead so I plugged it into an outlet at the office. We then joined a tour group as it left. We had two guides, one of whom was a rising senior and was pre-law. I felt that I should have been giving him a tour/advice!
09 June 2011
Driving through the South - Jacksonville to South Carolina
Day 18: Tuesday, 7 June 2011
We woke up in Jacksonville, at Jennie's apartment. I slept on the couch, and Ueli on the air mattress, which had a small hole and slowly leaked out all night (this is the 2nd time we've ad a leaky air mattress). Unfortunately we had no glue, sealant, or even duct tape to fix the hole. Jennie looked noticeably different then she had in the evening, since she was dressed and ready to go to work (at Deutsche Bank) just as Ueli and I were waking up. She left, and Ueli and I soon got ready and picked up Pat at a nearby Dunkin' Donuts. (Jennie's apartment was very close to the house of Pat's friend Joel - we could not have stayed closer if we had tried.)
Jacksonville, Florida, is the largest city in the US (by land area). In any other city, there would be dozens of suburbs all around, but Jacksonville incorporates all those suburbs and beyond into the city limits. We drove back to the 95 and headed north into Georgia, passing by a a nuclear power plant. We stopped by the Georgia welcome center, taking a picture by the sign saying "Glad Georgia's on Your Mind." Ueli took over the driving, and we stopped for gas, searching for the cheapest gas station, but Ueli really did not know where he was driving, making 3 wrong turns just from the off-ramp to the gas station! A short while later, we were entering Savannah. The outer neighborhoods of Savannah looked rough, and you could tell that these areas had been ravaged by neglect, crime, and drugs. But central Savannah is a totally different story. It's charming and quaint, with lots of historic buildings and squares. Pat guided us first to Forsythe park, right in the heart of the city, where we walked around, saw a couple cool cafes, and asked some girls where we could find the bench from the movie Forrest Gump. They directed us to a square up the street, and so we drove there, where a bystander told us that there is no actual bench from the movie, that the bench was put in just for the movie. So we took pictures on a conveniently located bench. ("Good choice of bench," remarked the bystander).
Our main stop in Savannah was Paula Deen's restaurant, the Lady and Sons, located right in the central business district. Pat knew the way to get in without waiting: Go straight up to the 2nd floor bar and order food there. Unfortunately we got intercepted by a hostess at the top of the elevator who wanted to have our reservation card, but Pat was able to talk us into snagging an open table near the bar. We had had a wonderful host, Sidney, who exemplified the polite Southern hospitality we've encountered here and there, saying "y'all" and "sir." Ueli and I each got the buffet, which was $14 (such a good deal!), while Pat left us to find food elsewhere. The bread they gave us, a freshly-baked garlic biscuit and a buttery cornbread pancake, was a major highlight for me. But so were the candied yams, the fried chicken, and collard greens; and not to forget the peach cobbler and banana cream pie for dessert!
We woke up in Jacksonville, at Jennie's apartment. I slept on the couch, and Ueli on the air mattress, which had a small hole and slowly leaked out all night (this is the 2nd time we've ad a leaky air mattress). Unfortunately we had no glue, sealant, or even duct tape to fix the hole. Jennie looked noticeably different then she had in the evening, since she was dressed and ready to go to work (at Deutsche Bank) just as Ueli and I were waking up. She left, and Ueli and I soon got ready and picked up Pat at a nearby Dunkin' Donuts. (Jennie's apartment was very close to the house of Pat's friend Joel - we could not have stayed closer if we had tried.)
Jacksonville, Florida, is the largest city in the US (by land area). In any other city, there would be dozens of suburbs all around, but Jacksonville incorporates all those suburbs and beyond into the city limits. We drove back to the 95 and headed north into Georgia, passing by a a nuclear power plant. We stopped by the Georgia welcome center, taking a picture by the sign saying "Glad Georgia's on Your Mind." Ueli took over the driving, and we stopped for gas, searching for the cheapest gas station, but Ueli really did not know where he was driving, making 3 wrong turns just from the off-ramp to the gas station! A short while later, we were entering Savannah. The outer neighborhoods of Savannah looked rough, and you could tell that these areas had been ravaged by neglect, crime, and drugs. But central Savannah is a totally different story. It's charming and quaint, with lots of historic buildings and squares. Pat guided us first to Forsythe park, right in the heart of the city, where we walked around, saw a couple cool cafes, and asked some girls where we could find the bench from the movie Forrest Gump. They directed us to a square up the street, and so we drove there, where a bystander told us that there is no actual bench from the movie, that the bench was put in just for the movie. So we took pictures on a conveniently located bench. ("Good choice of bench," remarked the bystander).
Our main stop in Savannah was Paula Deen's restaurant, the Lady and Sons, located right in the central business district. Pat knew the way to get in without waiting: Go straight up to the 2nd floor bar and order food there. Unfortunately we got intercepted by a hostess at the top of the elevator who wanted to have our reservation card, but Pat was able to talk us into snagging an open table near the bar. We had had a wonderful host, Sidney, who exemplified the polite Southern hospitality we've encountered here and there, saying "y'all" and "sir." Ueli and I each got the buffet, which was $14 (such a good deal!), while Pat left us to find food elsewhere. The bread they gave us, a freshly-baked garlic biscuit and a buttery cornbread pancake, was a major highlight for me. But so were the candied yams, the fried chicken, and collard greens; and not to forget the peach cobbler and banana cream pie for dessert!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)