As I was catching up on NZ news and needless to say despairing over what I was reading - this caught my eye - very well written and encapsulates my thoughts exactly...
United States of O'merica by James Robinson
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Back to the bush and real camping...
Camping in NYC is quite hard work as you can imagine...as much as we loved the big apple we couldn't wait to hightail it out of there in a 32 ft motorhome. We are heading up to Maine so decided to stop off in Connecticut. Drove through Yale, Stamford all those posh places with fandangle universities to a place in the middle of nowhere called Strawberry Park. Ahhhhh back to peace and quiet and trees and this time a nice pool and a hot spa for adults only - bliss....first time we have had a spa since we left the Paua bubble.
Went through some dinky towns as our policy is to try and stay off the interstate and enjoyed a beverage or two in the trees....
Went through some dinky towns as our policy is to try and stay off the interstate and enjoyed a beverage or two in the trees....
 |
| Cruising down the freeway in the hot, hot sun (who recognises those lyrics aye??) |
 |
| A world away from NYC |
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
New York, New York....
Two big cities in a row....we found this classic RV park right in the heart of Jersey city and across the water from NYC. Fantastic location but the most minimalist RV park you ever did see. They have roped off the Liberty Harbour Marina and turned carparks into some RV parks and charge a decent amount for the privilege. We didn't care - after negotiating the RV through the streets of the city - interesting! We couldn't believe the primo location. We could catch the ferry to Wall street outside the door of the RV - hey we are used to living in marinas!
So on a coldish, foggy day we head to the big apple. Packed in a lot in a short space of time. Headed from the ferry up Wall Street (that place has a lot to answer for!) to the World Trade Center. They do not refer to this as Ground Zero any more - time has moved on but construction hasn't. After 10 years the memorial still is not finished and it is still one big construction site. See photos below.
We then headed up town to the theatre district and went to the Empire State building, roamed around Times Square, checked out the 'Met' (Museum of metropolitan art - not Mike's favourite place in the world but I loved it), then strolled back to Broadway through central park to see Jersey Boys on Broadway. Had a few champagnes and then headed to the show - fantastic - got a standing ovation and we were both very impressed. Through Times Square and millions and millions of people to catch the train home - that was an event in itself.
The next day saw us getting up early, and catching the ferry to the Statue of Liberty - scored tickets to the pedestal. I wanted to get up into the crown which has reopened but the tickets are booked out until October! After some seriously tight security we got up there - views were amazing.
Love New York, but hate the fact it took us hours to get out of the city and its surrounds, the many tolls one as much as $16 and the traffic which is something else. Makes Auckland look good on a bad day (well kind of).....That grungy vibe and history you just can't beat though...
So on a coldish, foggy day we head to the big apple. Packed in a lot in a short space of time. Headed from the ferry up Wall Street (that place has a lot to answer for!) to the World Trade Center. They do not refer to this as Ground Zero any more - time has moved on but construction hasn't. After 10 years the memorial still is not finished and it is still one big construction site. See photos below.
We then headed up town to the theatre district and went to the Empire State building, roamed around Times Square, checked out the 'Met' (Museum of metropolitan art - not Mike's favourite place in the world but I loved it), then strolled back to Broadway through central park to see Jersey Boys on Broadway. Had a few champagnes and then headed to the show - fantastic - got a standing ovation and we were both very impressed. Through Times Square and millions and millions of people to catch the train home - that was an event in itself.
The next day saw us getting up early, and catching the ferry to the Statue of Liberty - scored tickets to the pedestal. I wanted to get up into the crown which has reopened but the tickets are booked out until October! After some seriously tight security we got up there - views were amazing.
Love New York, but hate the fact it took us hours to get out of the city and its surrounds, the many tolls one as much as $16 and the traffic which is something else. Makes Auckland look good on a bad day (well kind of).....That grungy vibe and history you just can't beat though...
 |
| The next apprentice...mmmm....I don't think so! |
 |
| World Trade Centre (formerly Ground Zero) - memorial is where the trees are and the big building behind them |
 |
| How very New York like...strolling through central park with some shopping :) |
 |
| cool |
 |
| Lunch time - braodway and times square |
 |
| King kong is lost in the fog |
 |
| Me at the Met |
 |
| The Met |
 |
| Through the fog |
 |
| Foggy NYC at night |
 |
| billboards galore |
 |
| Self taken shot on the ferry to Statue of Liberty |
 |
| New York New York |
 |
| She's green because the copper has oxidised |
 |
| Michael |
 |
| The head |
 |
| Looking up from the pedestal |
 |
| a new immigrant perhaps? |
 |
| City shot |
 |
| On the way out of NYC driving on a bridge |
 |
| Speaks for itself |
Monday, June 27, 2011
Mike and his famous US Open Golf Putt
Check this out - quite good considering it was free (and some good advertising for Lexus) Mike's putt video from US Golf Open - click here
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Washed up Atlantic City....
After hundreds of tolls and negotiating the traffic in DC and bypassing the biggest IKEA I have ever seen (I am a secret IKEA junkie and I wasn't allowed to stop - Mike has seen me in Brisbane IKEA action mode) we headed to Atlantic City - I had some deadlines for work so what better way to do that than in a big trashy casino town. We are experts at the new phenomenon - casino car park camping....so two nights - no slide-outs, gambled, good food, outlet shopping, walked the oldest boulevard in the US and the awesome pier right over the atlantic ocean we had fun - except for the work and the wind... at least still nice and warm. You would be surprised at how many people live in carparks at casinos for real...
 |
| the pier over the ocean |
 |
| you can walk you know... |
 |
| The boulevard |
 |
| Atlantic City |
 |
| a cool bridge |
 |
| Atlantic city beach from the pier |
Washington DC...
After the golf it would be a shame for us not to hang around and check out DC. I have spent time there before but we are talking a long time ago. So we caught the bus and metro and headed into town. Checked out Georgetown = this place is awesome and the usual sites - Capitol, White house, etc. I had a work meeting so headed back and Mike stayed on and checked out Arlington cemetery and a few other bits and pieces. Besides the traffic and awesome city all round....Mike bumped into Barack first hand....wish I had - war, education so much to talk about!!
 |
| Mike and Rory |
 |
| Me and the Capitol- if I look like I am grimacing - I am - Mike is taking this photo....he is not good with cameras and it takes a while |
 |
| Washington Monument - ps we have lost the nice weather |
 |
| Hi Barack |
 |
| Just a cool shot |
 |
| Imagine teaching at this school - looks alright to me except it would be standards based testing...don't get me started about the US education system and the way ours is heading!! |
 |
| Canal at Georgetown |
 |
| Arlington and too much war |
 |
| Mike bumped into Barack on the way home - everything stops in their tracks |
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Rory'in (not the cat) away with the chasing Day....
WARNING: this is written from a non-golfer's point of view
The reason we are in Maryland is because we purchased tickets to the US Golf Open - the last day - thinking it might be close - hah!
So we find out that the closest RV park to the Congressional Golf course is 17 miles away. So the plan was bus to metro - change metro - then bus - then walk. To be fair it all got a bit hard.....so then we tried taxi - didn't turn up in the wops.....so as I am calling another taxi - I look across the RV park. I see a woman wearing white 3/4 pants, sleeveless black top and a visor and it screamed to me GOLFER....then I saw the husband and they reminded me of Bryan and Adele.....these people are golfers. So in true Kiwi style I say...hey there, are you guys going to the golf - sure enough they are golfers going to the golf (gotta love those golf outfits for clues)....I bludge a ride, call Mike over, get in the back of a small jeep with no seatbelts and end up at the US Golf Open.
Ok, what's with the tightest security at a sports event I have ever seen. No cellphones (weird seeing nobody with a cellphone in their hand) - and they are strict on this, no cameras, no this, no that, no water but can take the empty bottle, a bag 8 inches by 8 inches - It's like the airport - through screening, etc etc....of course our bag was too big - so we took stuff out carried it, tied the pack up with a strap, got through security - untied it and put everything back in again he he.....
The Congressional is awesome, think exclusive country club setting, wealth aplenty - I think one guy said 50,000US to play there a year not including membership....beautiful park like setting, heaps of trees - perfect for golfing!!! We arrived, hit the lexus tent where you could do cool stuff - like hit a golf shot in front of a congressional picture and get a free flip book....have your photo taken with the trophy - see below - looks fake but its the real McCoy, free video of you acting out winning on the 18th etc all for free. The merchandise tent was scary - think the size of the warehouse chocker block with bad golf outfits and people fighting over light pink visors!
We had tickets to the trophy club pavilion - sounds posh but really only quicker bar action and nicer toilets and some air conditioning - which was much needed. Got out on the course but after trying a few holes and seeing nothing because of the crowds we secured good seats on the 18th hole grandstand. PERFECT! Saw everything - well Mike did - I wandered around a bit....Right by the golfers walking back to the clubhouse and biffing their golf balls into the crowd.
Rory was awesome....no exaggeration about the crowd, fully behind him, we were fully into the 'Rory' chant and saw the dad on the sidelines - quite teary really.....We were supporting Jason Day - from down under and with that surname! The trophy presentation was right in front of us.....awesome.
All in all a good day (ha). To find our way home was a mission - no signs and a confusing map so after trekking through the golf course again, and bumping into famous golfers aplenty wandering around after everyone had pretty much left, we charged through the clubhouse to a random cab line at a nearby school and caught a cab home. All good.....got the pastel shirt to prove it.
PS because of no cameras have got absolutely no photos to prove we were there - except for this lexus tent shot with the REAL trophy....if you want to check out the congressional click here
PSS forgot to mention - American express handed out these ear pieces for free tuned to the Golf commentary on the radio - awesome, everyone had these white things hanging out of their ear but it saved my life - I at least then knew what was going on...
PSSS I never thought I could write so much about golf - well there you go!
The reason we are in Maryland is because we purchased tickets to the US Golf Open - the last day - thinking it might be close - hah!
So we find out that the closest RV park to the Congressional Golf course is 17 miles away. So the plan was bus to metro - change metro - then bus - then walk. To be fair it all got a bit hard.....so then we tried taxi - didn't turn up in the wops.....so as I am calling another taxi - I look across the RV park. I see a woman wearing white 3/4 pants, sleeveless black top and a visor and it screamed to me GOLFER....then I saw the husband and they reminded me of Bryan and Adele.....these people are golfers. So in true Kiwi style I say...hey there, are you guys going to the golf - sure enough they are golfers going to the golf (gotta love those golf outfits for clues)....I bludge a ride, call Mike over, get in the back of a small jeep with no seatbelts and end up at the US Golf Open.
Ok, what's with the tightest security at a sports event I have ever seen. No cellphones (weird seeing nobody with a cellphone in their hand) - and they are strict on this, no cameras, no this, no that, no water but can take the empty bottle, a bag 8 inches by 8 inches - It's like the airport - through screening, etc etc....of course our bag was too big - so we took stuff out carried it, tied the pack up with a strap, got through security - untied it and put everything back in again he he.....
The Congressional is awesome, think exclusive country club setting, wealth aplenty - I think one guy said 50,000US to play there a year not including membership....beautiful park like setting, heaps of trees - perfect for golfing!!! We arrived, hit the lexus tent where you could do cool stuff - like hit a golf shot in front of a congressional picture and get a free flip book....have your photo taken with the trophy - see below - looks fake but its the real McCoy, free video of you acting out winning on the 18th etc all for free. The merchandise tent was scary - think the size of the warehouse chocker block with bad golf outfits and people fighting over light pink visors!
We had tickets to the trophy club pavilion - sounds posh but really only quicker bar action and nicer toilets and some air conditioning - which was much needed. Got out on the course but after trying a few holes and seeing nothing because of the crowds we secured good seats on the 18th hole grandstand. PERFECT! Saw everything - well Mike did - I wandered around a bit....Right by the golfers walking back to the clubhouse and biffing their golf balls into the crowd.
Rory was awesome....no exaggeration about the crowd, fully behind him, we were fully into the 'Rory' chant and saw the dad on the sidelines - quite teary really.....We were supporting Jason Day - from down under and with that surname! The trophy presentation was right in front of us.....awesome.
All in all a good day (ha). To find our way home was a mission - no signs and a confusing map so after trekking through the golf course again, and bumping into famous golfers aplenty wandering around after everyone had pretty much left, we charged through the clubhouse to a random cab line at a nearby school and caught a cab home. All good.....got the pastel shirt to prove it.
PS because of no cameras have got absolutely no photos to prove we were there - except for this lexus tent shot with the REAL trophy....if you want to check out the congressional click here
PSS forgot to mention - American express handed out these ear pieces for free tuned to the Golf commentary on the radio - awesome, everyone had these white things hanging out of their ear but it saved my life - I at least then knew what was going on...
PSSS I never thought I could write so much about golf - well there you go!
 |
| The real mc'coy |
On to Maryland...
We ended up staying in Williamsburg for two nights. I forgot to mention in the previous post Williamsburg is in the state of Virginia. This is a great state - and one of our top 5 - very beautiful, clean and well looked after. On the way out of there we decided that we might as well carry on with our education on American history and as we were passing through it anyway thought we would stop and check out Fredericksburg (not sure what all these 'burg' places are all about).
This place is still in Virginia and was the site of major battles in the American Civil war. More than 13,000 were killed during the Civil War in 4 battles fought in a 17 mile radius. Its all very sombre but really quite interesting. If you ever saw their battle plans you would have to wonder - like basically stand up and fight, march towards each other and shoot - surely someone could up with a better plan than that! Anyway we did a short walking tour of a battle site to try and get some perspective of the blood shed and history and then decided a cafe on the waterfront was sounding good. Drove the RV into the centre and wandered the cobbled streets and bookstores and cool cafes - very pretty.
We then negotiated the city of Washington DC to find our RV park.....back to traffic jams, crazy drivers, many many lanes and spaghetti junctions and masses of exits....phew found it and even found a supermarket on the way. DC is not a state it is a district - it shares a land border with Maryland and a water border with Virginia - most people live in one of these states and travel to DC for work. I like DC it is a cool capital city - well designed, funky and green.
This place is still in Virginia and was the site of major battles in the American Civil war. More than 13,000 were killed during the Civil War in 4 battles fought in a 17 mile radius. Its all very sombre but really quite interesting. If you ever saw their battle plans you would have to wonder - like basically stand up and fight, march towards each other and shoot - surely someone could up with a better plan than that! Anyway we did a short walking tour of a battle site to try and get some perspective of the blood shed and history and then decided a cafe on the waterfront was sounding good. Drove the RV into the centre and wandered the cobbled streets and bookstores and cool cafes - very pretty.
We then negotiated the city of Washington DC to find our RV park.....back to traffic jams, crazy drivers, many many lanes and spaghetti junctions and masses of exits....phew found it and even found a supermarket on the way. DC is not a state it is a district - it shares a land border with Maryland and a water border with Virginia - most people live in one of these states and travel to DC for work. I like DC it is a cool capital city - well designed, funky and green.
 |
| The big gun... |
 |
| Civil war cemetery at Fredericksburg - the flat stones indicate graves with unknown soldiers - lots of them multiple |
 |
| The lovely town of Fredericksburg |
The birthplace of America
Escaped from Myrtle Beach and the spooky plantations and headed north towards Washington DC. Decided to do a little bit of a history tour - groans from all around me but it turned out ok....
We headed to a place called Williamsburg. On the way across the border between South Carolina and North Carolina we discovered a place called South of the Border. Giant Mexican men statues everywhere - stopped just to see what the fuss was about and decided very quickly it was struggling, tacky and really weird - it did have a giant fireworks supermarket though.... North Carolina itself is supposed to be pretty amazing - smoky mountains inland and then the Atlantic Ocean side where the Wright Brothers launched their first plane - apparently beautiful but we had to get to the golf so straight through the middle of North Carolina it was with no stopping.....have to go back there!
Sick of the big long boring interstates we decided to go offbeat and trial the parallel road - cool. Ended up going through dinky towns, seeing some amazing houses and ended up at a free car ferry which we drove the RV onto and ended up in Jamestown - a short distance from Williamsburg.
So for a short history lesson - Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown form the 'historic triangle'. This is America's birthplace. Jamestown is the site of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Williamsburg saw the start of the American Revolution and Yorktown is where America finally won independence from Britain - see that wasn't so painful!
We stayed in Williamsburg - a very pretty town - all renovated to the brick cottages of old and full of trees and limits on the size of signs. We both loved it here - even without the history. We spent the day at Colonial Williamsburg - even the lonely planet says it is one of the most astounding and authentic living-history museums in the world. It's not really a museum more a living, breathing working village as if you had just stepped foot in the 18th century. People actually really are silversmiths - but are just in costume etc. Occasionally they do a few reenactments of key moments in history - but you feel like you just stepped into the past. Odd but surprisingly quite cool. Costumed patriots like Thomas Jefferson stand on soapboxes outside taverns and rally the crowd to war and fight for freedom etc...being typical American the crowd all responds and probably would march off to war.
You can be walking down the street and the next minute you are standing next to some dude in a wig wearing tights. Not so different to K Road or Cuba St I suppose. These people talk to you as if it was the 18th Century and you can ask them questions. It is a real town not a place you go to - don't think I am describing it too well - ah well you will just have to go there!!
We headed to a place called Williamsburg. On the way across the border between South Carolina and North Carolina we discovered a place called South of the Border. Giant Mexican men statues everywhere - stopped just to see what the fuss was about and decided very quickly it was struggling, tacky and really weird - it did have a giant fireworks supermarket though.... North Carolina itself is supposed to be pretty amazing - smoky mountains inland and then the Atlantic Ocean side where the Wright Brothers launched their first plane - apparently beautiful but we had to get to the golf so straight through the middle of North Carolina it was with no stopping.....have to go back there!
Sick of the big long boring interstates we decided to go offbeat and trial the parallel road - cool. Ended up going through dinky towns, seeing some amazing houses and ended up at a free car ferry which we drove the RV onto and ended up in Jamestown - a short distance from Williamsburg.
So for a short history lesson - Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown form the 'historic triangle'. This is America's birthplace. Jamestown is the site of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Williamsburg saw the start of the American Revolution and Yorktown is where America finally won independence from Britain - see that wasn't so painful!
We stayed in Williamsburg - a very pretty town - all renovated to the brick cottages of old and full of trees and limits on the size of signs. We both loved it here - even without the history. We spent the day at Colonial Williamsburg - even the lonely planet says it is one of the most astounding and authentic living-history museums in the world. It's not really a museum more a living, breathing working village as if you had just stepped foot in the 18th century. People actually really are silversmiths - but are just in costume etc. Occasionally they do a few reenactments of key moments in history - but you feel like you just stepped into the past. Odd but surprisingly quite cool. Costumed patriots like Thomas Jefferson stand on soapboxes outside taverns and rally the crowd to war and fight for freedom etc...being typical American the crowd all responds and probably would march off to war.
You can be walking down the street and the next minute you are standing next to some dude in a wig wearing tights. Not so different to K Road or Cuba St I suppose. These people talk to you as if it was the 18th Century and you can ask them questions. It is a real town not a place you go to - don't think I am describing it too well - ah well you will just have to go there!!
 |
| Yip not all it was made out to be |
 |
| Best part of South of the Border |
 |
| The car ferry to Williamsburg |
 |
| Harvey on the ferry |
 |
| Colonial Williamsburg - but its really a village |
 |
| Just like the old days |
 |
| Wiliamsburg street |
 |
| We had lunch in a tavern hidden away - Mike with his tankard |
 |
| War anyone? |
 |
| Mighty hot in that outfit |
 |
| The way Mike likes it |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)