Author: David Taylor

          We arrived to Helen’s welcoming dinner.  It gave David, Chris and Helen a chance to catch up since last they saw each other.  When the wonderful meal was finished they all meandered over to the Half Pint for a beer.

           A nice breakfast was shared in the backyard in the morning before taking a stroll in the neighborhood.   David took Chris to see what a Wegmans supermarket was like.  Wegmans originated in Rochester.  David used to shop there in 1963. They bought some Peanut Butter and Cranberry Bread for the road.  That evening David took everyone to his favorite restaurant in the area for Pizza, Wine and Cheese.  It had been a relaxing visit but David was to meet his daughter in Buffalo so left the next morning.
           Jennifer was anxious to show her new house to her Dad.  It was large with lots of room and a small apartment upstairs where Lytisha, her daughter had been staying until they got in a silly row and Lytisha hasn’t talked to her since. David took them out to lunch and after returning home they were to meet two of the Grandchildren and two of the Great Grandchildren. It was still early so they drove to Batavia and checked into a hotel for the night they returned in time to see Alexis and her two children Cordell and Gavin.  She was working two jobs, taking care of the children, trying to get ahead and behind on car payments. Rose, David’s oldest and first Grandchild showed up with her wife Paris and their daughter.  It was a nice visit and good to see the children again.  David bid goodbye and drove to Alexis’s Restaurant in Batavia for Happy Hour.  He hoped Mary Fredrick’s was tending bar but her husband Fred’s children and grandchildren were visiting Attica so she took off to spend time with them.

          Chris and David were tired and ready to return to Phoenix.  They checked out of the hotel the following day, drove to Attica, had breakfast at Twilight Meadows then checked in to the Attician Motel.  It was $100!  That was outrageous in Attica but it was the only place to stay and their was the Annual Rodeo and the Legion’s Lawn Fete.  People came from all around for both.
         David visited both Cemeteries.  One to pay respects to Pat Fitzgerald’s Memorial to the Attican’s that died in Vietnam.  The other to visit his gravestone and David’s future gravestone which is part of both his Father, Bernard and his Mother’s Olive grave site.
              That evening they had the famous Attica Hotel Fish Fry then visited the Lawn Fete hoping to see some old friends.  It was packed but for the first time they hired a band.  No one could converse and all were disgusted.  The reason it is such a popular event was because it was an informal reunion of people that hadn’t seen each other all year or even longer.  So when Fred called me over to the table to meet his visiting family and chat with our friends, I couldn’t hear anything over the din. I saw Audrey, Mom’s hairdresser and friend all her life but left early to get a start on the trip home.
          I left Attica without ever visiting the street I grew up on or seeing a lot of the people I would have liked to see.  It was bitter sweet.  We stopped in Jamestown for lunch and to visit the LucyFest.  Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown and is buried there.  Every year they have a big parade and 4-5 day celebration of her life with guest comedians and  a look alike contest.  David met Desi and Lucy then headed southwest for 4 days with a stop over at Pappy’s BBQ in St Louis , Mo.  He finally arrived in Phoenix and concluded his trip.

            When we left White Tail our first destination was Richmond Virginia and the Fine Arts Museum which David highly recommends.  Richmond was the Confederate Capitol during the Civil War and a very historic city.   The plan had been to spend two or three days in Richmond touring the old homes and seeing the old capitol building.  The Museum was excellent and one of the best David had toured.   The visit only lasted the morning and after lunch they were off for Sunny Rest Naturist resort.
           The ride to the Poke Your Nose Mountains went well and was beautiful in the area coming into Sunny Rest.  It was another world class Naturist Resort and the oldest in the US…dating back to 1938.  People were friendly though the Trivia Team Me & You placed next to last at Happy Hour.
   The trip to David’s cousin Helen and her husband, another David was only a few hours so they stopped in Catskill, where they kill all the Cats and mount them on the Parking meters.  They arrived at the “Farm” (no Longer) and Helen’s sister Barbara, David’s other cousin came over with Arjay her son to visit.  We all went to an outdoor restaurant along the Hudson river for dinner and cocktails.  It was uneventful but nice to catch up.
        They watched a movie “Swing Kids” and retired early.  The next day, David and Chris picked up his 94 year old Aunt and took her to lunch at their favorite place.  The food was tops and though Char had a stroke and was forgetting things, like where she was, it went nice.  She came to the door and waved after David dropped her back into the house.  Later she fell and couldn’t get up.  Barbara, who lives next door, stopped in to check on her then called the ambulance.   No broken bones so they put her in Rehab to help her balance and strengthen her.The plan is to place her in a care facility where she can be monitored and socialize with others. We all think she may live to be 100 easily as she was always fit.

        David took the family out for dinner the next night and despite his wanting to return to where they had lunch, Helen opted for another restaurant David now forgets.  Helen likes to wander over and have a cigarette with her sister who is trying to give up.  The outdoor patios make it comfortable for doing that though the food may not be the greatest nor the cheapest.

                 It rained a bit while we were there so most of the time was spent visiting and catching up on the computer.  Jenny, Helen’s granddaughter whom she spoils, is a dancer/performer that is quite talented and lives in a little apartment downstairs in the same house.  It was a nice visit but time to head North to see Uncle Johnny, David’s Uncle.  That trip was horrendous.  The rain came in sheets for hours.  The Interstate was littered with cars and a semi truck too.  Traffic was down to 30 mph and you were lucky if you could see the car in front of you.  We stopped in Burlington , Vermont for lunch.  The rain did too.  We returned to the road, the rain did too.
                   We arrived around 4-5 pm but no one was home.  I don’t know if I gave the wrong date but we had moved the trip up a day because we were both anxious to get home and knew the return trip would be longer than planned.  We waited at a comfortable little restaurant while enjoying…??? Happy Hour.  When we returned, they were home and welcoming. I hoped to visit Dennis my cousin , restaurateur but  his cook quit before the season was over and he was stuck cooking so we ate at Uncle Johnny’s .   It was  a nice visit and the next day we visited a Farmer’s Market and had breakfast at Aunt Polly’s Pancake House.

  Chris and I went to the Mount Washington Hotel to sit and the veranda and look at the view.   That evening we went the Beale House  in Littleton for dinner.  It was lovely.  One of the oldest B and B’s as well as the building itself, and the food was excellent.  Uncle Johnny tried to get a hold of my other cousin Danny but no reply.  I did call and talk to his son, my cousin Ron in N.Y.
           We headed for Rochester, N. Y. to stay with Helen, one of my friends I met while in Spain.

They trip to Ivor went the long was so they could experience the Skyline Highway through the National Park from Front Royal Virginia all the way to North Carolina…we opted to get off after two hours and opt for the expressway the rest of the trip. White Tail was a classy resort and we had a lovely “hotel type” room, close to everything.  The faculties consisted of a beautiful large club house with attached restaurant.  There was an indoor and outdoor pool with a snack bar and cabana.  No pictures allowed of course…sorry.  We were close to Jamestown and Williamsburg so took a trip the next day to visit.  We spent some time in the town of Williamsburg but because of the heat and the expense, decided to forgo the Old Williamsburg.  We visited the museum in Jamestown and also decided not to go to Virginia Beach.  The travel took us across the James River in a Ferry and returned us across the James further down the road, on a bridge.  There was a Pig, Pine and Peanut Festival in the nearby town we tried to see one day.  There were no signs and after over a half hour driving the town from one end to the other we gave up and returned home.  Our 5 days at White Tail was a very relaxing break in the trip.  Now we headed for Richmond Virginia and on to the Pocanos for a stay over at another Naturist Resort…Sunny Rest.

I flew into Tan San Nhat Airport just on the outskirts of Saigon. It was my first time back since 1997 and though I had been warned, I wasn’t ready for all the changes. I lived just down the street in 1967. The Airport had been rebuilt and was fairly modern and up to date compared to before. The taxi fare was $7 and took almost an hour in heavy traffic. Most of all the bicycles and Cyclos ( bicycle with a chair or seat in front and driver on bicycle seat behind) were gone and replaced by Motor Bikes. Millions of them. I welcomed the warm weather. High rises were everywhere and weren’t any, they were under construction. It reminded me of Panama City. High rises everywhere but no infrastructure so getting back and forth took all day. None of those existed in 1997. If this is the kind of rapid change with in just 13 years…what is the next 13 years going to bring. Saigon has become a very upscale Major city with Rodeo Drive on every downtown intersection but no parking so all the Motor Bikes and cars park on the sidewalks and the pedestrians walk in the street with the traffic.I checked in to the Linh Linh, then took a Cyclo to O’Brian’s Factory to have a pint with the owner, Bernard Duval. I got to the street

I hired a taxi and for $2.50 he dropped me at O Brians. It does have a small entrance and is hard to see from the street. It has moved since last I was there, hence some of the confusion. It moved up and across the street. Much nicer digs I might add. Bernard does a great job of paying attention to detail. Nothing is overlooked and everything is maintained with high standards. He doesn’t come in until 7pm. I gave the barmaid my photo of me with Pius, Bernard’s friend and told her to give it to Bernard to pass on to Pius. I put my name and date on the back. She said Pius had been in twice yest

erday. Pius is also one of my Facebook friends but now Facebook is off limits in Vietnam. He was named after a Pope and his Uncle is the Archbishop of Malaysia…last time I was here. Maybe he is the Pope now?

I have to return tomorrow. I have a Happy Hour meet up with the InterNations group at the Xu Bar which is right next door to O’Brians . I’m an Albatross member so get in for free and first drink is free. That only costs $100. The barmaid shared some Pompolos with me. It is a sweet Grapefruit that is 5 times the size of ours and excellent. You dip pieces of the fruit in a mix of salt and cayenne. Same with Pinneapple and other fruits. Nice healthy bar snack. She bid me good by with promises of passing on my message and I wandered home.

I stopped at an ATM in the Saigon Center…Shopping High Rise Building of the future. I was on my way back to the Central Market, after a Vietnamese Coffee at the Highlands when a little shop caught my eye. It was full of statues and collector’s items…GI Zippos. They sure looked like the real thing. Difficult to imitate a GI. When I was here before Zippos, along with lots of war memorabilia, was everywhere. US Missing in Action reps put a stop to selling Dog Tags but a lot of the other stuff still exists…like any war.

My umbrella saved the day and made it a pleasant walk in the rain. The temperature was ideal…just wet.

This neighborhood in Central District 1 Saigon is within walking distance of pretty much all of downtown Saigon and points of interest. A taxi anywhere is at the most $2.50. Tonight the “LePub” drew me in for Happy Hour. It was quite busy. I sat alone and read my Vietnamese news propaganda sheet while sucking down a couple Saigon beers before venturing out to explore more of this wonderful vibrant area. It had been raining all day and finally stopped. I went down a back alley and over to a part of the “hood” I have not been to. There are a lot of Xpats here in Guest Houses and hotels.

I passed a place called Pearl Garden with a Vietnamese fairy Queen gesturing with his hands and exclaiming in a high pitched sing song voice…oh honey you have to try this…or something on that order. He did catch my attention but I wanted to check out my options so continued around in a circle. When I got back to Pearl Garden I walked in and was surrounded buy people pulling out my chair, handing me a menu, offering to get me a drink, bringing me a glass of tea, setting up my table like I was going to be there for three days! I was overwhelmed. I asked my waiter where the toilet was and he grabbed my arm and helped me out of my chair then escorted me down the hall to the Men’s room and opened the door for me. I thought he was going to come in and shake it off after! I had a beer and some Sweet and Sour BBQ Pork Ribs then left. I thought the “Greeter” was going to kiss me goodbye! He had hugged all the guys leaving and shook the ladies hands. My waiter came out to bid me goodbye and requested I return again. All for $4 worth of business. No wonder everyone likes Vietnam.

I ventured back to a little joint I noticed in my travels for a night cap. It was called “Bread and Butter” It had 8 seats at the bar, one table of 4 and one of 2. It was full of Aussies . They were all business men, and all eating. The food looked great. Nothing over $5 and portions were gigantic. All beef was advertised as imported. Imported from where…Cambodia? I had a Nuda Vietnamese beer brewed in Hue the Danish Way…whatever that means. It was the only beer they served. The menu said …to quote Frank Zappa: “Every country needs a beer and an airline. A good football team and some nuclear weapons help to but beer is most important?” I thought the bartender/owner was Australian until my hearing aide kicked in and I heard him say something about the Mayor of Baltimore being Irish. I asked if he was from there and he was. We introduced each other and I told him I was originally from upstate NY and had living in Phoenix for 30 years. Dan told me to come back tomorrow night because his fill in Barmaid, Eliza, was from Syracuse. I will have to make last call after O’Brian’s and the Xu Bar with the InterNation group. I better get some sleep so I can meet Minh tomorrow if it isn’t raining.

Today I couldn’t find anyone that spoke English INTERNET CAFE…not hard to understand…would you like to see the menu…NO INTERNET CAFE….WiFi? Yes anywhere OK….INTERNET CAFE…COMPUTER! ….you want buy computer?….RENT AT INTERNET CAFE..you wait I get girl…INTERNET CAFE….I am sorry I no understand…ONE HOUR COMPUTER..PRINT..INTERNET…sorry. ME TOO…two hours looking and couldn’t find one…one person directed me up the street..;.the other back down the street.;… I walked a lot and two hours later I returned to the hotel to get ready for my outing this evening…I’ll leave early and maybe find an internet cafe downtown.

When I was here in ’97 I would see a sign…Internet Available…on a house in the window. You could knock on the door and the lady would invite you into her living room where her children would be watching TV. The dog would greet you wagging his tail and the lady would bring you a Coke on ice while you were checking for email. That was for 50 cents. Vietnam now has 38% of the country on the internet at anyone given time! It is the fastest growing internet user in Asia and I can’t find an Internet cafe to print out my Airline ticket.

I left the hotel early to try and find an internet cafe. I first went on line before leaving to see the different listings in Saigon. When I was in Hoi An…they were up and down the street. The Cafe’s were mostly gaming rooms for internet players but still offer access to the internet and a printer. I was surprised to find only 3 listings in all of Saigon. Two were right around the corner and the other in a different district. One was the Cafe I visited earlier that had no connection. The other , when I ventured out to locate it, no longer existed.

I passed the Bread and Butter bar and restaurant and remembered the lady who was working was from Syracuse so I popped in and said excuse me, are you from Syracuse…and she replied…Wow do I know you…who are you!!!! I explained that Dan, the other bartender from Baltimore, told me you would be here so , as a fellow New Yorker I just wanted to say hi before I left for downtown. I agreed to stop in that night or next day for lunch depending on what happened and bid goodbye.

I was traveling back to the first Internet Cafe to see if I couldn’t connect this time, when I saw another small place with four computers and one was open. I jumped on it and printed out my new InterNations Albatross membership that was supposed to entitle me to a free drink and free admission to our Happy Hour get together. I also printed out my revised Airline ticket on SWest from LA to Phoenix.

That done, I took a cab to O’Brians for a quick cup of soup and a beer before entering the Xu Bar to meet the members of InterNations that lived in Saigon. There weren’t many people there , just a few Xpats in the corner discussing late night TV Hosts. I paid and walked over to the Xu Bar …very yuppie upscale place that really didn’t offer much other than high price drinks.

When I arrived at Xu, Isabell , the hostess, greeted me and questioned the fact that I didn’t live in Saigon. I told her I used to and was visiting and as an international I felt InterNations was a group I wanted to belong to and promptly showed her my newly printed receipt for the Albatross Membership. She then gave me a name tag and with no seats at the table available I sat at the table nearby with a backpack in the other seat to converse with. Eventually, Elsa from Lyon France showed up and the backpack was removed to allow her a place to sit. She was very gracious and friendly. Elsa had lived in Saigon for 9 years and worked for an Export company called M-Power Group out of Singapore. She owned a home in Gia Dinh near the airport and traveled a lot to Du Bai , NYC and other world capitals. She maintained an apartment in Paris. She said it was the only quiet place she felt at home. Saigon is constant stress with noise and your mind has to be alert all the time. After two glasses of wine, at $10 a piece,

I left to return to OBrians in hopes of seeing Bernard. I thought there would be more Americans at the Happy Hour. I know 12 were registered members. I think Bernard’s wife was filling in for him, while he remained home. I just had a quick beer then left and negotiated a 30000 dong taxi return, or $1.50. This is getting better and better. I know that if they use the meter it is $1.

When I read the membership roster of InterNations, one of the Americans was from Syracuse and I thought was the Eliza, the barmaid at the Bread and Butter. I asked her when I returned and though she lived there for 9 months, she never heard of the group. It would not have been her cup of tea anyway. She was a working class bartender/cook and restaurant manager like me, not a corporate climb the ladder mover and shaker. I received an email the next day from Isabelle with pics of the Happy Hour…they must have waited until I left. Didn’t want to give a bad impression of their group.

When I arrived in Vietnam I commented on how vibrant and alive it was. It is , but I can now see that it will take it’s toll on anyone that stays here for any lenght of time. The Xpats meet on a roof top swimming pool every Saturday to get away and relax from their daily grind. Yes they are young and can handle it. Me…no way. I know why Shangri La in New River has such an allure for me…it is quiet and peaceful. My retreat to get renewed.

There is a job in Saigon for my friend Marjorie…teaching swimming to blind Vietnamese. No pay but she would love it.

Today I had breakfast and returned to the room after dropping off my laundry. I didn’t leave until around 1pm and walked for 5 hours. I stopped at the Cyclo area where Minh is supposed to hang out. I showed his picture again and this time one of them said he no longer has a Cyclo but is offering services as a Motor Bike driver. I knew he didn’t want to ride a bicycle all his life. He said it was too hard. I gave the man my card and asked if he would pass it to Minh. He immediatly replied…you give me money! I offered him 15000 and he demanded 100000 so I ended up giving him 50000 to invite Minh to my hotel the next morning.

I then went on to stop at the War Museum. I had been there before and there was nothing of interest then or now except it was housed in a new building. You see a lot of Americans on a tour or in groups that are Vets . You can’t help but try and see if you might recognize some 43 years later.

I walked by the Palace in my old neighborhood. I remember in ’67 a parade celebrating the “free election of President Thieu” with soldiers marching down the main street in front of the Palace and jet planes flying overhead. I took pictures then and today. It was the same street and Palace that was in every news broadcast when a North Vietnamese tank crashed the gate (on your right in the picture) at the entrance and drove right up the steps of the Palace during their Saigon arrival and take over. We had been evacuating last minute personnel from the Embassy Roof top down the street.

I walked over to the street I lived on when I first arrived in Saigon. Some of the old villas still standing but not mine. It was a plaza. I walked and walked right off the map before circling back toward the center again. I stopped by a street vender cooking a cake in a cup. She would heat it up, pour the batter around the edges of the inside and then put a lid on it and sit it on a charcoal fire until done. She would then add grated fresh coconut to it and put batter in the bottom of another cup with a lid and cook it. She would use that for a lid to go on the coconut cup. Kind of like a cup cake and excellent! I also stopped at an exclusive Vietnamese Coffee shop for an overpriced Latte. I then took a taxi home to pick up my laundry and finally eat at “Bread and Butter”…because man cannot live on bread alone! I had the Australian Cheesburger, salad and fries.

Minh never showed up this morning. I walked over to a new place, Bobby Brewers, that Leif recommended. The coffee was excellent. They have a movie theatre on the 3rd floor that shows 5 or six movies a day at scheduled times that you can watch while sipping a latte or a beer. Pretty good food too and internet access. I may siesta then plan a night out at the Apocalypse Bar.

I ventured out and stayed in the neighborhood. Had a nice seat on the corner of the GO2 Cafe.This corner attracts every sales peddler from Sunglasses, DVDs, Books, etc and shoeshine boys. Well I decided to have my sandals polished for $1.50 but this cunning boy comes back after and explains, with his nose held and a nasty look, that my shoes stink. He then pulls out these odor eaters and puts one in the sandal and asks me to try it on. Does it feel comfortable? Do you want these? These sandals have been all I’ve worn since I left, except on the airplane and 3 days in Sapa, plus all over Europe two summers. Well OK..now I’ve been shamed into buying them. I forgot to ask how much! He then glues them on to my sandals and puts them on for me and promptly asked for $8. I protested but he was firm so I gave in. I left for last call at Bread and Butter. Dan , the bartender, had the Australian Tennis Open on TV and there was a tennis pro from Melbourne watching it. He has ;played professional tennis most of his life and traveled to London to work and live for more than a year. Nice man. Also there was a lady from Austin Texas that was traveling and teaching English. Another couple , he was a musician from Long Island that had been in a band in Melbourne and she was from Portland, Oregon…great fun and then I retired.

Earlier that day I had a great lunch at Kim’s. Never, NEVER put your chopsticks in a bowl like this. It looks like incense sticks they burn at a funeral and is considered the ultimate affront.

I got a message from Pius when I got back at 7:30 to meet him at some bar downtown for a beer at 5pm too late so I countered with an offer for tomorrow but he is taking a dinner cruise on the river with his wife.

I did nothing today. I was very fatigued so stayed close to home. I watched a movie in the room and got a good nights rest.

This morning I still felt stiff and aches so decided to work it out. I wasn’t tired so took right off for the day. I had my usual Latte at Bobby Brewers then started walking. 6 hours later I arrived back home.

I walked to the Cathedral where I celebrated Mass on Christmas Day in 1967. They had a Mass for Nuns only and some weddings scheduled for the day. I went across to the Post Office to see about mailing a package tomorrow…no problem. If I had known they were open on Sunday I would have mailed it today. I then walked to the Zoo and did take the little train that could around the park. It was a bad zoo in ’97 but had improved considerably. There were no animals out except us humans as it was now afternoon and HOT. There were a lot of families and groups of children having picnics and enjoying the day. When I was there in ’97 they had a controversial Merry Go Round that had stuffed animals you would ride. Like a stuffed Bengal Tiger or Lion…it was weird but shut down then and soon after removed.

I walked around a little and saw a live, one man balancing act with music that was quite impressive and entertaining then left for the River area.

I used to ride guard on the supply trucks that would go into Saigon at night to the wharf and pick up equipment and supplies. I did it just so I could see Saigon. Shortly after I was living there and made trips to the docks myself. When a Captain or Colonel in charge of a Company or Battalion needed replacement parts or equipment that wasn’t available in Vietnam yet, they had to requisition it from the States. A year later , when it arrived, they were gone so the docks were overloaded with all kinds of tools, parts and equipment that for the most part was rusting out. Also, when there was a serious attack like Tet offensive, supply roads leading out of Saigon were closed so food arriving by boat, like apples and oranges couldn’t get delivered so they would give it away rather than waste it. I used to pick up boxes of both and take it to street corners and drop them off. Both Apples and Oranges were precious and costly on the market.

The Saigon port is a major ship building area as well as a large busy shipping in and out. You can see the derricks and cranes to load and unload the ships. The skyline has added a few high rises. Seven million people now and 3 million Motor Bikes.

I sat at a riverside restaurant and had a fruit salad and coffee before going to check out the prices at the hotel I stayed at in Saigon when I was visiting in ’97. I passed Apocalypse Now, a long time favorite Night Club and got a price list on my old hotel. It went up $10 a night. Not too bad. O’Brian’s is closed Sunday afternoon so I had some Beef Carpaccio and taxied home.

 

The last few days we wandered around with different indoor/outdoor activities depending on then hot weather.  We took city tours, tours of Arlington National Cemetery, The Basilica, Smithsonian museums, National Sculpture Garden, Portrait Gallery, and  Monuments to include the Vietnam Memorial, Jefferson, Washington and Lincoln.

There was the Museum of Natural History where David asked the guard how much was the Hope diamond valued at?  He replied the last time it was estimated at 80 Million dollars but now they estimated it’s value to be invaluable.

The sculpture gardens were very nice and a nice walk.  Some of the Monuments were visible from this area as is the White House.

Then to see the White House and the Visitors Center near by.

 Then came Arlington and the Tomb of the Unknown soldier and a few that are known.

The final day we took a bus to Georgetown after visiting the National Shrine. A Basilica at the Catholic University.  The largest church in North America.

It was pouring!

Is this going to break my wallet..where is my wallet??

It had been 36 years since David’s last visit to the capitol and he had a long list of things to do. Hayden had oriented him well.  He felt like he knew the layout and could easily get around.  So much to see and do.  His neighborhood was convenient, reasonably prices and comfortable friendly businesses with lots of variety to choose from.  They started at  Stoney’s Pizza…famous for it’s sauce.  They worked their way around the neighborhood Happy Hour’s over the course of the week.  The Commissary stands out and next door another outdoor garden type restaurant with grass fed burger meat and truffle oil popcorn. One evening they got caught in a rain storm and ended up at Pizzolis Pizza for over an hour.  It was crowded with a family that took up all the seats, three black teens, and us.  We stood around watching the downpour until our desire to be in a warm bed drove us into the rain and back to the Hostel…soaked.  Now we carry the umbrella but no rain.

So which way was home?

Big Goddess…little goddess.

The orientation was followed up the next day with a tour of the Capitol Building along with a visit to our Senator’s office for admission tickets to the House of Representatives and the Senate gallery so we could study the inner workings of politics as it unfolded.  Our guide turned out to be the highlight of the day.  He spoke 42 languages and was a retired economic adviser to Reagan.  The man was  a wealth of knowledge about everything including Phoenix Arizona.  The Congress was a bore and broke for lunch when we arrived after spending over an hour in line.  We skipped the Senate.

The Dome

The Rotunda?

The Library of Congress had been recommended by everyone and for good reason.  It was one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.  David couldn’t get inside unless you had a special pass as an archivist, researcher, or some notable person.  Visitors were allowed to roam the entrance area and view the interior from the balcony.

David was thirsty so he and Chris opted for a wee Pint of Guiness at the Dubliner, a favorite Irish Pub near Union Station.

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Then came the Ford Theater.  First you visited the museum in the basement then the original Theater where Lincoln was assassinated by John Booth.

The house across the street was another wait to see the bed he died in….we passed and returned to the Hostel.   Then had Lamb burgers at the Veranda next door. It had been three days now since our arrival.

Our personal Guide arrived at 11am for a day of sightseeing and orientation in Washington D.C.  David had made arrangements with a SERVAS Host named Hayden to spend a day showing us his Washington.  Hayden was educated in the history, preservation, architecture, and politics of Washington.  He was active in the preservation of old buildings and neighborhoods around Washington.  Hayden had a government pass that gave him clearance to enter the National Archives and Library of Congress for the purpose of researching historical documents.

There was a problem though.  The Hostel assured me I had parking in the rear for the time I was there but today the painter’s were coming to paint lines in the parking area and David would have to find another place to park for the day.  David drove around the neighborhood trying to find any spaces on the street but if there were, they were only good for 2 hours and he would be gone the day.  Hayden suggested we drive to Union Station, park there for the day and then return after to re park the car.  We all left in the car but on the way Hayden noted an area we were passing through is one he is working on preserving and wondered if we could stop so he could take a few pictures while explaining to David the history of the neighborhood and why it should be preserved.  Hayden just walked along snapping photos with his Panama Hat on and his nonchalant air while artists were busy adding more to their creations…which if restored, would all be removed.

Hayden looking for Chris…Chris looking for her camera.

            We parked at Union Station , bought passes on the Metro for the week, got maps and took the Metro to the National Portrait Gallery where two SERVAS travelers from Lima , Peru were waiting to join us.  None of us had met until then.  Hayden was a wealth of knowledge and explained the map of DC , all the sites and how to access them, and what he recommended for places to visit , eat, etc.  David was tiring around 5 pm when we all bid good-bye and for $22 he returned his car to the now painted parking lot.

One time United States Capitol..Staunton, Va

The Skyline Parkway’s entrance was a National Park.  My Senior Card got me in without charge.  The road, though very beautiful was a long and winding two lane road through the Mountains with many overlook vistas available.  David cut off to the Interstate Highway after almost two hours of oohs and aahs.  Later that afternoon David took a break in Staunton Virginia.  It is a well preserved village that once was the Capitol of the United States for two weeks when NYC burned down.   It is currently one of the top 50 cities in the US to live.  A brief one hour visit then the day ended as David checked in to a Hotel in Charlottsville, Virginia for the night.
          The next morning David was at the entrance of Thomas Jefferson’s home called Monticello for a tour that lasted till early afternoon.   It was fascinating as was Jefferson and his life.

    David beat the Washington traffic and arrived at his Hostel for check in.  The room was a third floor walk up with shared bath down the hall.  It was more like a closet with a single bed a desk and barely room to put two suitcases.  It’s saving grace was it’s location near Logan Circle in a Historic District of Washington that was close to the Metro, Bus Lines, restaurants, and shops.

 The driving was slow and only during the day.  His companion for the trip was a companion not a driver.  They stopped in Nashville for a break and visited The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s home.  Then the Parthenon that was build at the end of the 19th Century in Nashville for a Centennial Celebration.  The building was falling apart in 1933 so rather than tear it down, it was rebuilt in Concrete and is a major attraction in a beautiful park in downtown Nashville.
          They arrived at Jeff’s home to a warm welcome.  Jeff showed us his beautiful home and set up his office for us to stay in for the next two days.  We did take a tour of downtown Ashville prior to stopping at the house so were ready to relax and set up home for more than a night.  He left to give a concert with a group he plays with in downtown Ashville.  Jeff is an accomplished musician and traveler.  He studied Flamingo with a famous Bass player that plays in the Buenos Aires Orchestra and moved to Ashville from LA over 30 years ago.
        The next day we joined a tour at the Biltmore Estates at 9 am and spent the day wandering the house, gardens, and winery.  Very impressive and beautiful area in the Blue Ridge / Smokey Mountains.  That evening we invited Jeff out to dinner.  He suggested a Restaurant that I already had an interest in.  Pretty Girl’s or something like that.  Ashville is a well preserved town full of interesting Restaurants, Parks, Shops and People.  Our dinner was great and after, Jeff gave us his tour of Ashville, ending at the French Broad, a Chocolate , Wine, and Coffee shop that is truly unique and well worth waited in the line of people that is always there.
        Jeff, a few years younger than me, was a very nice host and fun to share with.  He is very interested in all music, has a small web site for that, and enjoys life.  He bid Chris and I good-bye the next morning.  We left on the Blue Mountain Parkway and enjoyed the vistas all the way to Monticello, near Charlottsville Virginia.