Off for the Holidays

As I last indicated we were just getting settled into our new apartment in Singapore. But I'll have to fill you in on that later because only two weeks later, I flew back to the States for some visits before the Christmas holidays.  Now John and I have just arrived at our home in Cape Cod where we plan to spend the rest of the holiday season. So the blog will be on hiatus for a few weeks.

In the meantime, here's an example I took a few days before my departure of one of the many beautiful Christmas trees that decorate the city of Singapore!

Hope you all have very Happy Holidays and we'll resume our adventures in Singapore at the New Year in 2012!

It's All About The Food

An array of desserts

As we settle in to life here, it's clear that much of the "to-do" in Singapore is all about the food. Within every block it seems there is some sort of eatery, coffee or dessert shop. The number of Starbucks might rival that in Seattle though there are plenty of other coffee-shops to choose from. Desserts, especially the chocolate variety are also abundant (Julie, you might think it akin to heaven?).

Won Ton Soup and Scallion Pancakes

And for those who crave typical American fast-food, you can find it - McDonald's, Subway, KFC and Burger King (even some that serve beer!) thrive (though so far I haven't spotted a Taco Bell but maybe that's a good thing). For local variety in the Asian version of fast food you can't beat the hawker-stands I've already mentioned. Usually specializing in one food-type or ethnic cuisine, they provide a serious food resource to the community and many if not most turn out excellent fare at very low cost.

One particular shop I've grown fond of I discovered in my search for quality bread. As it turned out, just next to what has quickly become a favorite grocery market, is a small shop called Cedele's. They have a few modest shelves of bread loaves, sweet rolls and other treats like cupcakes as well as a few tables and chairs to use if you decide to stay for a sandwich, soup or coffee and dessert. They proclaim their baked goods to be made of all natural, high quality ingredients and their technique displays genuine craftmanship. I can say with conviction that their chocolate truffle cake is absolutely sinful! I'm afraid I will have to be careful not to indulge too much here before my figure is sorely compromised.

We still have a lot of ground to cover and discover on this topic but I think we're going to enjoy the ride! For now, click here to see more of the delicious delights I've captured so far!

A Flaw (or Two) in this Jewel

It's well known that Singapore keeps a pretty tight rein on certain behaviors and norms in an effort to make the face of this country an attractive jewel in the Asian realm. This is a hard thing to achieve in a multi-ethnic society and there is a lot to commend in their general achievement. In fact, a podcast I recently listened to from NPR Radio about the happiest places to live included Singapore among them. Yet, it can't be perfect - no place is. And then I came across this article highlighting the plight of maids in service (or servitude?) here. Clearly there is much work to be done on this front before that flaw threatens the sparkle on this gem.

On a different front, Asia in general has a high reputation for friendly, attentive service. I think we can say that seems to be generally but not universally true. And here in Singapore so far we've noticed at many restaurants that service is seriously lacking if not a joke! We often have to look around pleadingly for any attention at all and when it comes you may be lucky if they pay attention to your request. In fact, it sometimes feels like you are inconveniencing the staff! Though we haven't needed to use too many other services as yet, time will tell if this is a fluke but so far we rate it very poorly indeed!

John on the Job

I thought perhaps some of you may be wondering more about what's happening with John and his new job. Needless to say, he's been very, very busy and has no time to do his own write-up about this subject but I'll try to give you a sense of things.

Shortly after our arrival Veson announced John's new position in this press release!

On an evening conference call from our service apartment

Besides the obvious tasks of handling existing customer issues, John has been engaged in everything from getting pictures framed and hung to resolving employee issues, reviewing tax and insurance issues, orchestrating product demonstrations to new customers, and looking for new office space as they are entirely too crowded where they are. Occasionally there's the evening conference call with his boss and others back in Boston too. Even I got involved recently as I was enlisted to locate and purchase a mini-fridge for the office and then acquire an assortment of drinks and snacks to appease the masses (so to speak)!

And oh by the way there's still the large and looming issue of getting his employment pass which is crucial to our being able to stay on in Singapore. The first attempt has been rejected and he is now endeavoring to understand why so whatever it is can be corrected.

Yet he would tell you that he is relishing these challenges (with perhaps the exception being the strife over the employment pass). Though it's not a bed of roses by any means but mostly, all is good - for now!

A Tiny Apartment and a Very Large Tree

It's October 25th and two notable things happened today.

First, while I was out and about the city today, I noticed a VERY large Christmas tree going up in front of one mall and many other Christmas-y decorations lined up waiting their turn to be mounted over Orchard Road, the main shopping area. Yes, Christmas decorations are going up in earnest! We think it's so early if we see even a hint of Christmas before Halloween but it's happening here even amidst the black and orange balloons, streamers and Halloween costumes evident all over as well.

Secondly, we learned that the landlord accepted our offer for our chosen apartment and we have a move-in date of November 20th! So now in a few weeks time we'll have a residence where we can settle in. You can read and see more about the apartment here (although in these pictures the kitchen has an oven which we won't have). Here's a couple of my own pics...

View from Living Room

Our small kitchen

Apartment Hunting - Now Fingers Crossed!

It has been a wild week of apartment hunting! The prices are as expected - VERY high and thus, the limits of what we can afford ranges from small (~1000 sq. ft.) to very small (<600 sq. ft.).  We have also insisted on locations that will provide a commute under 30 minutes for John and preferably near an MRT (subway) station and decent food shopping. That eliminates altogether some outlying neighborhoods that might provide more space for the money but we are willing to make that trade-off for a more optimal locale.

Here's a sample of some places we've looked at...

A studio flat with a divider for the bedroom
(our property agent shows us how it works)

A typical kitchen
but this one has an oven!

A nice kitchen but another
studio flat with a divider for the bedroom

Nice living room but the rest of
the apartment was rundown

Now this is a tiny kitchen!

The other reality that becomes very apparent is that cooking and meal preparation is a whole new ball game. Most kitchens in our price-range are efficiency designs, some without ovens. Not only that but so far everyone insists that because of the cost of food here, it is as cheap if not cheaper to eat out (at local eateries; not a fancy restaurant). So most eat out several times a week and if they cook at home, they prepare only very simple fare. This will be my new motto! And in lieu of making my own bread I will have to try to find a suitable retail outlet (though as mentioned in my previous musings this may be impossible). But for meals there is an endless array of restaurants, local fare at hawker-stands of every variety.

So we have narrowed it down and today are making an offer on a place that is 750 sq. ft. "big". It sits on the 24th floor with a lovely view of the water and the city, has a very nice pool, a decent gym and an added plus of an almost private garden and jacuzzi just outside the apartment. It's part of a walkway between two apartment blocks that has been landscaped with tropical plants and provides a quiet place to have a glass of wine and relax without the luxury of our own balcony. Fingers-crossed our offer is accepted!

Look Right, Look Right! And Other Musings

Very quickly I am learning to remind myself to "Look right, look right!"  before crossing the road. Yes, they drive on the left here like in Britain so it's imperative to look right before stepping off the curb!

Durians still R-E-E-K (remember those Carol?) But their local coffee is really quite good - it's a dark brew with condensed milk so just a bit sweet.

Durians

Local Coffee

The weather is as advertised (warm and sticky) but somehow not nearly as uncomfortable as we anticipated - so far. But the monsoon season is approaching and each day the heavy downpours last a bit longer - ugh!

Singapore Dollars are more colorful than U.S. ones and in different sizes depending on their value but I'm still learning their coin denominations.

Some of the "do's" and "don'ts" we were warned of were apparently bogus but at least one is absolute - NO chewing gum!

Really good bread is hard to find in Asia. But if it's soy sauce you need, the array of choices is daunting!

There is a rich mix of ethnic groups here (Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Malay primarily) with varied cultural tastes, ideas and celebrations. I/we still have a lot to learn in this department.

Bumps in the Road but Oh, So Nice!

It's not unexpected. Moving to a new country we are bound to hit a few bumps in the road. And sure enough this has started to happen.

 Originally we had planned to pursue three things we felt to be rather urgent after our arrival. One was to get permanent working cell phones for each of us so that we could make and receive calls both locally and internationally. Another was to open a bank account for obvious reasons and last but not least to submit the necessary paperwork for our ID cards (an employment pass for John and a dependent pass for myself) that would allow us to stay in the country.

As it turns out we really can't do either of the first two things without having those all important ID's. On our first day we were successful with a temporary work-around for the old phone we had kept from our last visit to Hong Kong. But the bank account would have to wait although we brought what we hope is enough cash to get us by (plus a credit card as a backstop) in the interim. As for those passes, John had already been diligently working on that well before we left Boston. He'd acquired not only reference letters from virtually all of his previous employers but others who could attest to his character (some of you may not believe he has friends that will really do that - ha!)! In addition he'd had to retrieve transcripts as proof of his education and other bits and pieces certifying his employment with Veson in his capacity as their regional director in Singapore.

Welcome to Singapore! Yes, they are very controlling and exacting in so many things but at least we have also found that everyone is oh so nice! Here's what I have to say about that at the moment - PHOOEY!!!

First Day

Living/Dining area

After checking into our service apartment (more pictures here) and unpacking we take stock and decide what needs we have. The apartment is like a gloriied but spartan hotel room with stiff, uncomfortable furniture. Not much we can do about that. The bed is king-sized and firm but not unreasonably so. However, the tiny kitchen is barely stocked with essentials and I find only one paring knife, one chef's knife, a soup ladle and a mediocre spatula for cooking utensils. Not even a large spoon to stir or serve anything with! And John decides we need some plastic glassware as well. Plus of course we need to locate groceries and see if there is anyway to make use of this old phone we kept from our last visit to Hong Kong. But the very first thing we have to do is find a money-changer.

Entrance to Chinatown

Our helpful "concierge" points in a general direction and we head off. Just a couple of blocks over and we find ourselves in Chinatown where there are heaps of money-changers as well as a variety of local shops. This area naturally reminds us very much of Hong Kong. John negotiates between a few of the money-changers to get the best exchange rate and then we find a bits and pieces shop where we pick up a few household necessities including some additional kitchen utensils. In our wanderings we stumble upon a stand selling telephone sim cards, prepaid calling cards and other phone accessories. He's a very nice man and John buys a phone charger and a sim card from him so we can at least have temporary phone service. We find out we can use this to call the U.S. for about 8-cents (SGD) or a bit over 6-cents (USD) per minute. This seems quite reasonable since my mother was recently quoted  by AT&T for calls to Singapore from the U.S. at a rate of 45-cents per minute!! What explains this huge difference? We think its greedy telecoms in the U.S. but can't say for sure...

Street view in Chinatown

Herbal shop

Finding a grocery store is another matter. We had been told we could find one in a nearby shopping mall but it turns out to be more like a convenience shop. However, we come across another ex-pat couple in that shop and ask them if they know where we can find a true grocery store. They weren't quite sure how to direct us in that area but were very helpful in explaining two of the main chains available in Singapore. One is called Cold Storage and carries more western-style brands while another called Fairplay cater to more local tastes. So we head back to our flat and use the internet to locate a Cold Storage nearby. Sure enough another block over from Chinatown we find one and set off in that direction. It's located in the basement level of another shopping mall (a typical arrangement in Asia). I find all of the items on my list but am aghast yet not surprised to find prices roughly 25 - 30% more than I would pay in the U.S. At some point I'm going to have to locate a "wet" market where fresh produce can usually be had at a fraction of the cost in these retail chains and that should help with the budget.

In the end, we are feeling like our first day is quite successful.  But now it's late afternoon and jet-lag is definitely catching up so it's time for a nap! When we awake it's approaching dinner-time and I announce that despite the fact we've just bought food I'm in no mood for cooking so we head over to Clarke Quay, a nearby area along the riverfront with a plethora of bars and restaurants to choose from. We end up at a Thai place and enjoy a simple meal of Green Papaya Salad, Green Chicken Curry with steamed rice and a Mixed Vegetable dish. MMM!! Now this part of living in Asia we definitely enjoy!

Mixed Feelings and Foggy Heads

Thursday morning, October 6th was final packing day! We both agreed we had mixed feelings - a bit of excitement that we were returning to Asia but some sadness leaving family, good friends and a certain enjoyable lifestyle behind.

Happy Birthday
to John

Nonetheless, the night before we had celebrated John's birthday at the recently opened new location of The Capital Grille in Boston where we enjoyed a truly sumptuous steak dinner followed by an outrageously delicious dessert trio of cheesecake, chocolate cake and coconut cream pie! That surprise bonus was surely the result of the charms John had bestowed upon our server, Laurie all that evening.  Anyway on this last morning prior to our departure for Singapore, John would go into Veson's offices to pack-up the last bits there and enjoy birthday cupcakes as a final farewell!

Later that afternoon we arrived at Logan Airport with three bags each plus carry-on. Flying internationally we knew we were allowed two bags apiece and our third would be extra. The only thing is we didn't know how much extra that would be. It turned out to be $149 per bag - a bit excessive don't you think? We certainly did but what can you do when you are at the airport with all your moving "kit" in tow? So of course we paid it and put it down as a moving expense.

Next hurdle was an unexpected one that caused some momentary panic (at least for me)! We had one way tickets to our final destination but the attendant checking us in then asked if we had visas which we had determined in planning our trip were not required by Singapore. However, our not-too-kind attendant informed us that as U.S. citizens without a visa we had to then have return tickets within 90 days of our departure. Inside I'm frantic and thinking we're sunk but John in his very calm, methodical way replies that we will solve that problem momentarily though I haven't a clue what he means by that.

John then kindly reminded me it so happened that just the day before I had decided to go ahead and book my return flights for December so if I could acquire proof of this itinerary I would be okay. John however had not yet made his reservations but he quickly proceeded to do so through the company travel agent only to learn it would take close to two hours for his itinerary to officially register. That of course meant we would not make our first flight to NYC in time. Then John had a brainstorm and wondered if our Hong Kong permanent residence ID's would prove helpful. To our surprise (and despite the fact that mine is officially expired), that did the trick! Our new friendly check-in attendant was happy to proceed and soon we had boarding passes in hand! Whew!

Our flight to JFK went as planned but of course we then had to make our way to an international terminal (and go through security again). Fortunately all those bags had been checked through to Singapore from Boston so at least we didn't have to lug those around again. Before boarding our flight John was informed that his assigned seat was broken and wouldn't recline but the middle seat between us was empty and did work. That actually worked to our advantage as we then had the three seats to ourselves - at least until we arrived in Frankfurt, Germany for re-fueling.

In Germany we had to de-plane and go all the way around through security yet again which I totally don't get but by that time we felt like ultra-secure passengers. Unfortunately now we ended up with a passenger on the aisle seat in our little three seat row and John was squished in the middle for the longest leg of this journey (another 11+ hours to go)! In addition, the plane was an older Boeing 747 configured with personal little screens in the back of each seat with on-demand movies, tv shows and music. That was all fine but the sound was of very poor quality and made it almost impossible to understand much of the dialogue. So much for that part of our flight entertainment. Food was as expected - typical plane-fare and quite mediocre. We did manage to sleep for several hours both between NYC and Frankfurt as well as on this segment.

Still, it did become quite an endless trip and we were quite ready for our arrival in Singapore which finally occurred (23+ hours after our departure) at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 8th a bit dazed and foggy in the head as you can imagine. Our apartment complex offered a car service to pick us up which was a nice perk we were happy to accept. But first we had been instructed by other friends here we must stop in Duty Free to purchase some liquor because it was extremely expensive elsewhere in Singapore. Even at that the prices were high by comparison. Absolut Vodka was $33 SGD (about $25 USD) and white wine that we would normally pay about $15 for was nearly double that! Aiiyahh!!

After locating our driver in the airport lobby and a short ride later we had arrived at the service apartments where we will stay for the next month!

The Job and the Transition - In the Blink of an Eye

Entrance to Veson Offices

While free time in Boston has provided much pleasure for both of us, weekdays John is wrapped up getting to know all about his new job with Veson Nautical, his colleagues, and preparing for his role in Singapore. There is much learning to be done about the marine industry as well as the software products developed and sold by Veson. John has found his technical prowess with the software a bit challenging,  yet other areas of management and strategy provide opportunity for him to show them how he can really contribute. During meetings and discussions he is pulled into he's found himself adding useful commentary and suggestions in part because his breadth of experience bridges a variety of disciplines and exceeds that of many in this young company. But that youthfulness also imparts energy and playfulness evident in office accoutrements like after-hours ping pong as well as social events like twice weekly lunches, a cocktail party in celebration of Veson's new offices and a pig roast on another occasion. Altogether, John is truly enjoying his work for the first time in a long time. 

In due time, it's all coming together and more detailed planning for our transition overseas gets going too. We spend several hours on the internet exploring different options for our initial stay in Singapore and decide upon a 1-bedroom apartment  at Central Square Village in the central business district within walking distance of the offices there. John and the HR team work out our travel plans as well as healthcare and employment issues unique to Singapore. A consultation with the travel clinic at Mass. General Hospital provides the necessary vaccinations (which John always enjoys - not!) before our departure and we are ready to go!

In large measure our journey and moving plans have all gone very smoothly. We are so grateful for support from so many who helped make this as painless as possible. Now that we are on the verge of our departure, there is of course one hiccup throwing a kink into our carefully laid plans. That hiccup is the shipment of some of our household goods from Colorado.

The original delivery date in Cape Cod was to be the week of September 18th. At the last minute we were informed that our small shipment would be delayed until they could find a truck in the area to add it onto another load but oh, we are told rest assured it will arrive no later than October 1, the last "allowable" day according to our contract. Both of us are quite unhappy and nervous about this. For one thing, it shortens or eliminates any opportunity to sort through some of those items to retrieve things we need or want to take to Singapore with us. For another, October 1 is literally only days before our flights to Singapore. Sure enough on September 30th the driver calls to tell me he has broken down in Kentucky and delivery will not likely occur until October 4th! Aiiyahh!! This is totally unacceptable so frantic calls with the shipping company in Colorado and another to the headquarters of the trucking company ensue. Finally we are promised that somehow they will get our delivery made on Monday, Oct. 3. It feels like threading a needle and we are just praying that there are no further delays.

On Thursday, October 6th we are heading to Singapore with several suitcases in tow.  If you've read my previous posts, then you know that we've been quite busy. Despite all that or perhaps because of it we've enjoyed such a rich fulfilling time here it feels like our time in Boston has gone by in the blink of an eye. 

I'm Intoxicated, Irene Arrives and Gigi Goes

John Hancock behind
old church at Copley

Bronze ducks in Boston Common

In Boston I love the mix of old and new architecture and soon find myself armed with my camera and a new lens out wandering and photographing a variety of scenes (lots of extra photos here)! Boston is a very walkable city and offers very good mass transit as well. We are here at the height of summer and it shows with all the tourists lined up for the Duck Tours and the Swan Boats on the Common. Our calendars have been crammed full including visits to the Museum of Fine Arts with Sarah, various dinners and an odd concert or two. Even the old Boston Public Library provides stunning murals and artwork inside it's acclaimed halls as well as a lovely courtyard where you can get some quiet respite from the surrounding hubbub. Another unexpected treat is the Farmer's Market that sets up twice a week in Copley Square where I can find a bounty of local fresh produce, baked goods, cheese, flowers and other delights. I feel almost overwhelmed by it all but intoxicated at the same time!

At Fenway!

While here we also make plans to attend not one but two Red Sox games. This was during their peak and well before the disastrous and historical collapse that ended the 2011 season. In the Yankees game (we win - yay!) we meet up with Tom (all the way from Colorado) and his two sons. The next game is with the Texas Rangers - we lose (beginning of the end) but have a good time with Sarah and Jess in attendance. Click here for more from Fenway.

Fans, Jess and Sarah

Besides activities in Boston proper, we've also squeezed in various get-togethers with friends sometimes in their homes (thank you for a very fun evening Paul and Colleen) and still others on the Cape (yes, we've been eating very well!) including a picnic dinner and symphony in Orleans' Eldredge Park during Hurricane Irene,. During one visit to our own home on Cape Cod we were blessed with a bevy of turkeys in the yard. Finally we even found time to sell the trusty old Honda we affectionately called Gigi!

Eldredge Park concert during Hurricane Irene

   

Wild turkeys in the yard

Gigi's new owner, Vern

In the Heart of Back Bay

Sarah

We arrived in Massachusetts just over 8 weeks ago looking forward to reuniting with our daughter, Sarah as well as many old friends from this area. And of course John was very excited to start his new job!

John and Sue

With little time to waste we briefly unwind from our cross-country trip in yet another bed provided by our friend's in Cape Cod, John and Sue. They kindly put us up for the weekend since our own home there was still occupied by summer renters. On Sunday, the 7th of August, we packed up yet again and drove north to Boston for this next phase of our journey. We make our way through slow summer traffic to the condominium where we will stay for the next couple of months. Our time in Boston will also be useful as a kind of experiment should we decide at some point to make it our retirement home.

Sunset view from condo

The condo is an ultra-modern 1-bedroom unit in the heart of Back Bay Boston! Wow! We are highly impressed with these digs and look forward to our stay here.  John has only to walk 1 1/2 blocks to his new offices and I am eager to explore the city in a way I was never able to before. In our previous years in Massachusetts we would come into Boston periodically for certain events or activities but it's different living here day-to-day. Now I can take my time exploring the streets, our beloved (or should I say beleaguered?) Red Sox and Fenway Park are a mere 1.5 miles walking distance, the beautiful Boston Commons park is also nearby plus there are museums, shops and restaurants galore!

The Last Leg (or Two)

The end of our journey is approaching. We have timed it to arrive on Cape Cod Friday, August 5th but we have the last leg of our trip to get there and it's still nearly 500 miles away. Most might say that's a do-able day trip. They have not travelled Interstate 95 through Connecticut, an infamous singular route-through-hell in the Northeast corridor. On advice from our good friend Andy who is all too familiar with that routine, we determine to stay overnight in Stonington, CT leaving our final day on the road an easy, breezy ride.

Erik

The morning of August 3rd we make our way from Maryland to Philadelphia without incident. There we have made arrangements to stop at an area Starbucks to meet Erik, a former friend from Hong Kong. He and John have kept in touch ever since - mostly to make occasional stabs at each other about their opposing political views on various matters (though all in good fun)! On this visit however, we leave politics aside in favor of discussing more personal details. It is great to see him again catch up on his news and goings-on.

Now we make our way to the New York City region and manage to traverse around the city without too much peril. However we realize we need to stop for gas and decide to look up the nearest Costco hoping for the cheapest price possible. After again using our handy-dandy GPS, Charlotte to determine our options we re-set the destination and follow her advice. Unfortunately this takes us back towards NYC which turns out to be a fatal mistake.  With great irony it turns out that particular Costco doesn't even sell gas! Aiiyahh! We fill up anyway at the nearest gas station (at $4.19/gallon it is the most expensive fill-up of our journey!) and re-set the GPS again to our destination in Stonington. Alas our luck has run out and we find ourselves trapped on the I-95 log-jam. For thirty miles it is nothing but stop-and-go as we crawl along.

Mystic Harbor

At last we arrive in Stonington feeling frustrated and wiped-out in equal measure. But after we check-in we drive into the quaint seaside town along the Mystic River and find a place for dinner, The Captain Daniel Packer Inne. This historic landmark has been in business since the late 1700's and I imagine that historical figures of the American Revolution have stayed there. We enjoy a fine meal.

Kitchen Little

In the morning John and I decide on a morning stroll back toward the town partly for exercise, partly to find breakfast. It's a beautiful day and we enjoy a brisk walk but decide our best option is a place we passed on our way into town, Kitchen Little. As the name implies, it's virtually a shack but obviously very popular with other hopeful eaters waiting outside. John decides to check us out of the hotel and get our car while I add our name to the waiting list. In 20 minutes we are sitting at a picnic table overlooking Mystic Harbor and pondering the menu. Unexpectedly we are asked by one of the wait-staff if another party may join our table. It's fine. They are locals meeting a friend and we have a very amiable chat while we all enjoy excellent omelets!

At last we are on our way to Massachusetts and the end of an epic ride. In Orleans, our dear friend, Sue has prepared comfortable accommodations for us upstairs and we can take a breather - at least until Sunday when we head for Boston and the start of a new chapter, a new job and preparations for our move to Singapore!

Inspiring Emptiness and a Chance Encounter

Our second day in DC starts with a tour of the Capitol building. When I made the tour reservation before we departed Colorado I was hungry-for-bear to strangle a few Senators and Representatives that were entangled in political fights over raising our debt ceiling combined with deficit reduction. In fact we had avidly listened to the on-going developments in those debates throughout our road-trip and grown increasingly frustrated over the brinksmanship that was underway. One day before our arrival in DC an agreement had finally been reached, voted through both houses and signed into law by President Obama. That meant Congress had fled and gone home leaving the Capitol empty except for some of the support staff and tourists. Alas, there was just no one there to strangle so I adjusted my attitude and prepared to learn and observe.

After everyone in our tour group watches an introductory video we are separated into smaller groups. Some are directed to stand in a line where they receive headphones for self-guided tours. Somehow we end up in a group of about six people with a personal tour guide who turns out to be an aide to Senator Franken of Minnesota (an ironic twist that our good friend Vic would appreciate as a native of that state). This proved quite advantageous as we gained insight into a few side-stories related by our aide that I doubt the self-guided tourists learned of. Furthermore, in order to actually view the House gallery a special pass was required which again, our helpful aide provided. We sat in those seats and tried to imagine what it would be like to observe a live performance - but oh, I forget we have C-Span for that! Nonetheless, we are suitably impressed overall.

John outside Capitol

On to the Supreme Court

Have a look at this gallery for more of our last day in DC!

From there we decide to head to the Supreme Court. John, who started out studying criminal justice in college, is still  intrigued by the legal system. The court is also is out of session and empty. This provides us fairly unlimited opportunity to wander around at our leisure. There are various portraits and busts of past judges and the court room itself has one door open so that again we can view and imagine what goes on there. Eventually we have seen enough and try to make our way to an exit but somehow keep making wrong turns. We are contemplating this outside an office labelled Public Information Office when a nice woman steps from behind her desk there and asks if she can help. Her name is Ella.

It turns out that Ella has been with that office for nearly 25 years and proceeds to describe fascinating details of how things used to get done with regard to publication of court decisions and how it has changed with the advent of the internet. We are enthralled! She offers us a small historical booklet about the Supreme Court and asks John if there are any decisions of recent import that he would like more information about. He eagerly accepts two of them and I snap this photo of this unforgettable chance encounter!

John and Ella

At last we must get on our way back to Silver Spring where we have plans to meet our friend, John for dinner. He is now commuting to Baltimore from Cape Cod on a new phase of his own career and we are happy we can meet up there even though we know we will see him again once we are back in Massachusetts.

DC Here We Come!

When last we left you, we were headed from Monticello in Charlottesville, VA toward Silver Spring, MD. Of course that meant we had to traverse through or around DC, hoping to miss the height of traffic. Unfortunately, our timing and our GPS, Charlotte weren't working in our favor. We end up spinning round and round what seems like several morasses and don't arrive at the hotel until 8:30 p.m. Dinner ends up being ready-made salads from the local grocery store across the way. Never mind.

It's the next morning and now we are on the train. I'm so excited I feel like a little kid on the way to the big fair! At last I'm going to personally visit, see and explore our nation's capitol, Washington DC. We only have two days but I'm confident we can hit the highlights. My hopes of touring the White House were dashed before we even left Colorado - reservations must be made several weeks ahead but I was able to reserve a spot for the Capitol building tour.

First day we hit several of the major memorials including Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and war memorials (WWII, Korean and Vietnam). I'm as impressed as can be. John had been through DC in the 70's but the war memorials are new for him. We only get to see the White House from the outside.

To see more pics of our first day click here!

In the afternoon it's getting pretty hot so we head inside to the Holocaust Museum. Wow! Both of us are in awe over how well the exhibitions are put together and the stories told. They  provide a real sense of that horrible history but in a way that conveys the misery and evil in a thought provoking manner.

Lastly we go to the American History Museum, part of the humongous Smithsonian collection of museums. Our primary intention here is to see the big flag that flew over Ft. McHenry and served as the inspiration to our national anthem. Yep, it's a BIG flag (originally 30 x 42 feet)! We also see a permanent exhibition of First Ladies evening gowns (which I enjoy), and a tribute to the various president's and DC's development. John then spies a section about transportation through the ages and is spontaneously drawn there to explore the maritime portion due to his upcoming employment in that industry!

It's been a fun but full schedule and we are ready to call it a day...

It's a Monticello Kind of Day

On Monday morning we are headed to our next destination, Washington, DC! In all my years of travel with my navy family and later as an adult, I have somehow never been to this part of our country so central to the birth of our nation. Moreover in recent years, I have been increasingly drawn to reading biographies of our president's, their wives and other related historical tomes. In fact, just before we leave Colorado, I have begun to read Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals" about Lincoln's rise to the presidency and his cabinet during the Civil War. So now I am primed and pumped for a visit to the capital seat of the USA!

Just as we cross into Virginia, I suddenly get an inspiration and wonder, how far out of the way would it be for us to go to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's estate? Thank goodness for the internet and our GPS (newly re-dubbed Charlotte in honor of our visit there). With the help of these tools I determine it shouldn't add too many extra miles to our day and punch in the new destination. Just in time too as John is immediately directed to take the next exit! Our new path takes us by way of Route 15 which turns out to be a lovely two-lane highway through pleasant countryside. 

About 250 miles into our journey, John sees a sign for Farmville (made infamous as a popular game on Facebook) and we have to stop for a picture.

We arrive at Monticello just in time for buffet  lunch at the historic Mitchie Tavern at the foot of the estate's vast acreage. Once we're suitably fed we head up to the main house for a tour of Monticello. Unfortunately, we have to skip the garden tours (which only gives me an excuse to have to return another day). A glimpse of the extensive vegetable gardens (Carol, are you jealous?) in this gallery gives you some idea of what we missed - plus there's abundant flower gardens and groves that are entirely omitted!

Monticello

Alas our time is limited - we still need to reach our hotel outside of Baltimore in Silver Spring, Maryland (another 125 miles distant) preferably before very late in the day. But we are not disappointed and very happy we made the detour!