TRAVELLOGGERS

RAISING CAIN

2011-10-17T08:19:00.001-07:00

GEOGRAPHY GAME GIVES FREE WATER

2011-05-22T08:19:00.001-07:00

Chicago

2011-04-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Lynette and I left Buffalo late afternoon of April 14, 2011 and headed west. The Country Ridge bar was right next to the Super 8 motel in Toledo where we spent the night-- in the motel, not the bar.

Arrived Chicago's Chinatown for dim sum brunch about 11 A.M. Friday. Here we see what I think is an apartment building.

Christian school

Won Kow our choice for lunch.

Up and up 3 flights of stairs, no handicap access. . . but a note in the foyer that they will deliver to bottom of stairs. We climbed.

Apartments

Funeral home

Bakery. Lots of yummy looking eats, but note the brown cookies on 3rd rack: sesame and pork cookies.

Fascinating, 3rd Sundays in Italian.

Deli with squid

Palmer House canopy

Detail of lobby. A lot of show for the dough, but the beds were incredible.

At Frank Lloyd Wright Park

FLW marionette in the gift shop next to his home and studio. We toured the home and also Unity Temple.

Many Wright homes in Oak park

Our farewell to chicago at Portillo's for Italian beef. GO THERE.

Rock 'n Roll McD's.

Worth mentioning again...

Food stop in Erie, PA on way home. Now why didn't I think of this?

Give Water to End Poverty

2010-09-11T04:14:00.000-07:00

Play the geography game to donate water free:

A Month on the Road

2010-08-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

My procrastination is probably a sin... if I am the one responsible for it. I'm hoping that it is the result of early childhood brain damage, like from falling off a bed or something, as infants do.

Whatever, I'm finally going to say something about the 30 days I spent via Greyhound visiting friends and family in several States. I mean eventually. For now, I'm posting the pictures I took, and will try to put them in chronological order.

Truck supper with my son Kevin at Atlanta bus terminal. Don't remember the name on the food truck, but they made a great burger.

Daughter Lizanne-- with Louie. OK... Louis. C'est francais. Now in Simpsonville, SC.

Pete's Pizza night. He made several-- great pizza builder! Here with Lizanne, Sarah, his parents (Alex and Pauline) and Emily and her then bf Cameron.

I arrive in Natchez, met by MDF Gail and her sister Sue.

At DK's went to pick up order, stayed for buffet! Mama Sumrall in front.

Sibs Mary, Gail, Henry, Sue, Margaret... Shellribbon fighting a rare blood cancer, a years long battle she will soon lose.

4 sibs at their mama's: Sue, Henry, Gail, Glen

night at Isle of Capri

an early morning view at the Sumrall homestead

Mary and her daughter Darlene...and itty bit Koko

Some of Darlene's menagerie, also chickens, dogs, rabbits, and a fawn

At Sue's with her daughter Dany and Molly, Gail and her friend Rik and Kokomo

UTAH

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Thursday with Pauline

2009-06-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

By the time I return to Buffalo Sunday evening June 7th, I will have spent four weeks in the Carolinas. So it seems appropriate that my last long drive weaves between both States.

I have written about my times with Pauline, my son-in-law Peter's mother, who has Alzheimer's. I have known Pauline since Lizanne and Pete married in 1987. She is a lovely, sweet, considerate, Christian woman who, as a mother, has had the trials of Job. Job must have been a glass-half-full kind of person. I know Pauline has tried her best to see the glass half full . . . but the years, fears, and tears took their toll.
Of her four children, two (Pete and Janice) are wonderful people and parents, pillars of their communities. One (David) died in his mid-20s from a brain tumor he battled since early childhood. His short life, however, would be a model for living with adversity, as he always gave more than he took, while managing to earn an engineering degree and landing a good job with a major firm. The 4th child (John), graduated from medical school, but then had a breakdown and has been largely dependent on his parents ever since. (Very similar to my breakdown after law school, at which time my father was already deceased and my mother was in a nursing home. My children were grown. I had no choice but to manage on my own.)

Still, there is no way to undo the past, and so we move on, dragging the past with us.

At this time, Pauline no longer seems to think. But she feels. She expresses emotions very clearly: anger, sadness, happiness, jealousy. And fear, I think, but it is hard to separate fear when it seems mixed with anger or jealousy. She does not respond to verbalizations, but she does respond to facial expression, to laughter, to tears, to smiles, to expressions of pain.

Yesterday I took her for what turned out to be a 5-hour drive.

I attempted to get her to look at the camera for a picture when we were at Pretty Place. The Symes chapel there is simply lovely with a breathtaking view. On a clear day. We had a miserable day for picture taking, but a lovely drive all the same.

My first stop was at Caesar's Head. I think both sites are on Cedar Mountain, though the mountain names seemed to change with the turns, many of which were hairpin with a sudden angle up of 20 or 30 degrees.

The GPS I'd set for 200 Solomon Jones Rd, Cedar Mountain-- the address I'd found for Pretty Place (part of Camp Greenville). Most of the mountain driving was with "lost satellite reception," but it kicked in just in time to say, "arriving at destination." Hello? Nothing but a single dirt road into the woods. So I took it.

By the time I'd managed to get turned around and back on the "main" road, I realized I was on "Solomon Jones Rd," my set destination. But the road was long, and winding.

I took a few pix at Caesar's Head, no view to be had because of the clouds and rain, but still a lovely place. There, as at Pretty Place, I did not take Pauline out of the car. She seemed best, and least agitated, just chatting away in the confines of the seat belt. I didn't want to be physically fighting with her to get her back in the car.

Table Rock is another name and/or area in this part of the mountains, and the park ranger at the visitors center showed me how the roads I'm traveling wend and wind between North and South Carolina. The elevation at Caesar's Head was nearly 4,000 feet. Pretty Place seemed to be slightly less.

The last picture on our way down the mountain:
We'd had bottles of water. I never got to mine as it ended up under Pauline's feet, and she refused each offer of the straw in her bottle. She'd had a couple bites of chocolate (I know because I'd placed them in her mouth) and I thought she'd eaten most of the gummy fruits which I'd bought at the visitors center. I had put a few into her mouth, one at a time, of course; and soon she was waving the empty bag around. But when I returned her to Alex, as we helped her out of the car, I'm finding gummy fruits stuck all over the seat and legs of her pants. She looked like Christmas.

It must have been hunger that motivated her to gobble up four chicken nuggets and take a few sips of vanilla shake along our return route. She very much liked the chicken nuggets.

Spending time with Pauline this past four weeks has been an honor and an adventure. Caring for her at home can only get more difficult for Alex. I wish them both many travels and happy trails.

The Foulkes in Cary, North Carolina

2009-06-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

What a delicious weekend Mary Kay and I had: Movies, food, more food and more movies, and lovely long and meandering talks down Memory Lane. I arrived Friday night, having driven without air conditioning from Simpsonville, SC. Because of the heat, I think, I have not much memory of Friday night-- only that it took me a long time to unbend from the driver's seat. But I do recall a road adventure about an hour out from Cary.
Please, if you have not already found out the hard way, take my word for it: Taco Bell is not road food. I should have taken a cue from the woman who handed me the bag at the drive-thru window with a solicitous "Drive safely." A double-dip ice cream cone, with 90-degree temps and no air conditioning, would be far more manageable road food than a burrito. And never ever attempt driving while eating tacos-- hard or soft.
But I made it the last hour without mishap (Thank you, Guardian Angel). By the time I pulled into Mary Kay and Ken's driveway, I was near faint from the heat and weak from battling a burrito. So I don't feel the weekend started for me until Saturday morning.
Before moving into the day, Ken cleaned up a few things in the kitchen. Then he went to the grocery store while Mary Kay and I brunched at Bojangle's.
They have two of the sweetest dogs, Porkchop (aka Debbie) and Connelly, a must-be Irish fella with very red hair.
Dinner Saturday night was at On The Border (OTB), and we were joined by their daughter, Meghan, and her husband, Zack. Great dinner-- mojitos and margaritas, tamales, enchiladas, chopped salad, and I don't know what-all we had, but everything was very good and the service was great.

Back at the Foulke ranch, we watched two movies that night: The 300, and Everything Is Illuminated. Both were good, though The 300 had too much computer enhancement in my opinion. But I allow that computer animation greatly reduces the cost of special effects in many instances.
Everything is Illuminated I loved for its perception of time in this regard: The past travels alongside the present. And when Alex's grandfather took his own life, Alex philosophically comments, "Perhaps he wanted to end his present along with his past." I have never read Einstein's theories of Time, But I have read Alan Lightman's Einstein's Dreams, a very different novel employing various theories and how they might play out. For all the various theories of time, known and as yet unknown, the concept of an individual's past keeping up to the nanosecond with his present -- thus uniting personal experience and "time" -- explains for me why one can never undo anything that has been done. Why it is always necessary to try to do the right thing.

At one point, the three of us went to Barnes & Noble, but I don't recall if it was Saturday or Sunday. All I know is that we went between meals and movies.

Sunday brunch was at Golden Corral. My-oh-my. Last time I was there was the same one a year or so ago when my kids made a family week at the Outer Banks (see post further below). That time, Mary Kay and Ken treated. Seemed the very least I could do is reciprocate. If I ever decide I want to weigh 400 pounds, I will move closer to a Golden Corral. But once a year seems reasonable, and I was glad to hear that they, also, had not been to GC since spring 2008.
Sunday afternoon we watched Flawless. Michael Caine is eminently watchable, and Demi Moore probably did her best with the script, which was NOT flawless. That evening she and I watched four hours worth of The Stand (Stephen King). It's a 6-hour movie. Mary Kay would have rathered stop after the first 20 minutes, but 1) I wasn't giving up until after I've seen Ossie Davis, and 2) I was rather enjoying the variety of characters in this thing, some actual acting performances and some mere line-readers. Rob Lowe, of course, is very good. But I agreed to throw in the towel with only 2 hours left to go, mostly because it had become 1:00 A.M.

Monday morning Ken had gone to work by the time I woke up, so after gathering my things, Mary Kay and I went to -- Tah DAHHH -- Bojangle's. That repast marked the end of our visit, and perhaps the beginning of another near 50 years of friendship.

Krell-VanEpps Wedding in Colfax, NC

2009-05-26T11:21:00.001-07:00

The first weekend after I arrived at my daughter's in Simpsonville, SC, Lizanne and Emily and Sarah and I attended my nephew's wedding in NC. It was held at the Magnolia Manor, a beautiful site for outdoor wedding and indoor reception. Here they are for first photo op as Mr & Mrs Jason VanEpps. It was a lovely ceremony, conducted by Ecumenical Minister Carole Drexel.
Forgive dates on photos as I wasn't able to get date stamp adjusted on my camera until the next day, when my son from Atlanta was visitng us in Simpsonville. Kevin brought his darling Murphy dog with him, driving up in his Eos convertible, which he'd bought last year.

In South Carolina

2009-05-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Arrived Simpsonville May 11. Drove down from Buffalo in Lynette''s car, 770 miles. Took me a bit over 14 hours. Left Bflo 4 a.m. and arrived here 7:30 p.m. Best for road trip: leave in the dark arrive in the light.

Since I've been here, I took Pauline for a drive for a couple of hours to give Alex a break. She is advanced Alzheimer's. Once she was buckled in and door locked, we were off. I drove to Woodruff, crossed the Enoree River someplace, on to Laurens and back through Fountain Inn. Lovely drive. We listened to some Paul Simon classics, and I think we (both, though hard to say) had a good time.

In Laurens, I had to foto a Redneck shop. Only in the South.

Last Wednesday I went to Seneca, SC to visit Cyndi, an old friend from Grand Forks, ND. Sweet little apartment she has:

We had a good time running around Seneca, Clemson, Anderson before I headed back to Simpsonville. This included a stop at Dairy Queen. I just had to give my opinion on the DQ Chocolate Truffle Blizzard. Thumbs up.

BTW, both my grandgirls had birthdays this month. I got here the day before Sarah's (13) and Emily's was yesterday (16). We had birthday party for Em on Sunday Was a great time as she has so many good friends. About 6 of her grilfriends who were here for the party spent the night. Lizanne took the last of the boys home at 3:30 a.m. Maybe he was trying to spend the night LOL

Cyndi drove up from Seneca, also, yesterday. Peter had helped her with her laptop, so she picked that up and gave birthday presents to both girls. Very nice. And she and I went to the Grand Dragon buffet for a late lunch before she headed back home. That was around 7:30 p.m. and I was so pooped that, even though Alex and Pauline were here, I went up just to lie down for a bit. . . and didn't wake up until 5:15 this morning.

This week should be a bit slower as less is going on. Maybe I'll get my address book recopied -- something I've been trying to do since January. LOL

2009-01-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

OOH, just read first post. Guess what? Having raclette tonight!!! Yea, got one for Christmas and I love it. Can't wait until someone comes to visit and I can get it out again. Check out google or bed bath and beyond for some great raclette sites.

Haven't been anywhere lately

2009-01-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

Finally set up this google account. Thinking better to stay home this summer but the girls have other ideas. I would love to go somewhere warm. I know my mother is laughing at me but Cancun sounds pretty good right now. Not sure how she survives winter after winter in Buffalo.
Oh well, better do something productive. More later when I know if we are going anywhere.

e-mail from Lizanne in France re smells

2008-08-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

First and maybe last note re: smells.
Flight from Newark to Paris, was delayed due to another plane's emergency landing. This only increased the awareness of a few people who don't like soap and water as much as I do. But not bad all things considered.

First night here, Raclette, a certain style of eating. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette This cheese stinks to high heaven. STill remember when Carolyn, Janice and I were in Paris. Ate at this style restaurant, don't know how we got over the smell. Dirty socks is what Emily called it. I will never forget it again.

Walked 1k to local grocery. A mini walmart actually, because they have many things one wouldn't expect at a grocery store. i.e. horse manure and dictionaries.

Anyway, the walk is quite lovely. An established path under the trees, a few feet from the road. Smells remind me of North Carolina, because that is the most permanent memory of pine trees that I have. Very clean smelling and refreshing. Being in French countryside not that much different from our own. Food tastes better because it's different. Same thing I thought in the Napa Valley of California. Everyone would benefit from getting outside their norm now and again. Tata for now (ttfn) Lizanne

Betsy's p.s. Loved the note..hope it's not the last :)

OBX a week at the Outer Banks of North Carolina

2008-05-27T07:04:00.000-07:00

We arrived at our rented home on March 23, 2008. My daughters and their families thought a week at the Banks would be a great idea for a family vacation: They were right. We were seven adults, two young people, and two small dogs. No cats allowed in the house we rented, so Karma had to stay at home with a sitter.

Staying in a rental home in Corolla, we ventured to explore the entire Banks, from the Virginia border (on the beach) to the Ockracoke lighthouse. Not being a Civil War buff, I was surprised to find a Civil War memorial on Ockracoke. The island was a 45-minute ferry ride from Hatteras. Okracoke was also the hidey-hole for Blackbeard the pirate (John Teach). We visited the lighthouse at its new location on Hatteras, but it was not yet open for the season. But a beautiful spot. The Currituck Lighthouse on Corolla was open, 217 steps to the top. I can truthfully say "been there, done that, got the teeshirt."

Here are some pictures from our wonderful week.... will return later with food notes and miscellaneous.

2007-11-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

A tourist was being led through the swamps of Florida. "Is it true," he asked, "that an alligator won't attack you if you carry a flashlight?"
"That depends," replied the guide, "on how fast you carry the flashlight."

India and Nepal with The Jennings

2007-09-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Our last Indian destination before going up to Nepal was the holiest city in Hinduism, Varanasi, famous for more than 80 ghats (steps that go down to the River Ganges where the devout can bathe in the holy waters). While taking boat rides along the river we saw hotel employees washing bedsheets, swim coaches shouting out orders to their small charges, dogs playing catch, and kids playing volleyball. Most of these events occurring before 5am, as people seek to take advantage of the few moments of the day before the heat arrives.

One of the more magical spectacles on the Ganges is observing the cremation ghats, areas where loved ones come to cremate their dearly departed. It takes about three hours to complete one cremation, but you can see some in progress 24 hours a day. The ceremonies involve a lengthy process, including dipping the body in the Ganges, drying it, covering it with sandalwood and cedar, and then having the oldest son (or “chief mourner”) walk five times around the body before lighting it. We even saw one chief mourner who was no more than six years old.

The distance from Varanasi to Kathmandu is only 217 miles, but you also cross two mountain ranges, drop more than twenty degrees in temperature, and move forward in history more than 57 years. On April 15th, Nepal celebrated its New Year and welcomed the year 2064, according to the calendar unique to the country. Nepal was definitely the highlight of the trip. The moderate temperatures, the saner traffic, and the incredible mountain majesty of the Himalayas make Nepal such an incredible corner of the world. We visited beautiful Buddhist stupas high on mountain tops, and soaring Durbar (Palace) Squares in the competing cities of the Kathmandu Valley. We also took a short flight to Mount Everest, watching the jagged peaks of the Himalayas jut from cloud cover, and then we saw ... Everest. For Autumn, the experience awakened a desire to hike to Everest Base Camp someday, while Will just admired God’s creation in the here and now.

Kathmandu has an eclectic mix of cultures from the blending of Indian, Nepali, and Tibetan refugees, and Western hippies congregating on the city’s Freak Street. We felt very safe in Kathmandu and explored more on our own, going to the grocery store and souvenir shopping and interacting more with life on the street.

We flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara, an idyllic mountain getaway close to the Himalayas’ Annapurna Range. Pokhara also has a beautiful alpine lake, so it is a Nepalese blend of Newport, Rhode Island and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The mountain lodge we stayed at was accessed only by a man-powered ferry---a rope would fall behind the ferry as it went in either direction and then be pulled up to go back to the previous shore. We took tours to mountain gorges, caves, and Buddhist monasteries, and enjoyed canoe trips on the lake—both with a guide and independently.
. . .
Ecologically, Nepal is more blessed than many countries because it has the water resources to support its growing populations, but unfortunately they are not necessarily where they are needed most. Many people have to wake up at 2am in Kathmandu for their forty minute allotment of water, or else risk going without for the day. On the flip-side, others worry that if concrete sluices bring Himalayan mountain water to the Kathmandu Valley, then one of the last checks on the burgeoning population will be eliminated.
. . .
Our main tourist adventure on our last day in Delhi was visiting the Akshardham Temple on the outskirts of New Delhi. While still under construction—11,000 workmen have been crafting the temple for the last five years—three exhibition halls are already open. Part religious site and part amusement park, the exhibitions include an IMAX that tells the story of a famous 18th century guru, a boat-ride that tells 10,000 years of Indian history in twelve minutes, and a series of animatronic displays (think: Disney’s Hall of Presidents only more technologically advanced) that tells the life story of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the aforementioned guru who is believed to have begun performing miracles at the age of seven.
. . .

Namaste,
Will and Autumn