Capitalisation

In the dead of night, a moon beam flickers on my window, but I trap it with my eyes wide shut. It was 5:45am on the Washington D.C. bound train. My hunger grumbles and the trains grumbles were hand in hand, as we scraped along the rusty tracks and crept out of the tunnel into the city. We had gone through: New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Delaware and Maryland on our way to Union Station in D.C. I had asked the conductor of what route we were due to take, and in his rough demeanor he mumbled the states- and at that heavy hour, I was not in the least bit surprised he was cranky.
For once I wasn't subjected to TSA scrutiny and x-ray machines, so my trip was comfortable and stress free- and the wonderful part of being on a train was that I was able to glean from the glossy landscapes that the sun made ever so radiant. 
Between the industry and nature in equal measure, my quick yet thorough scans of each state just furthered my love for this country's geographical range- like in most countries I suppose, but there is something about the U.S.A that strikes a chord, a chord that quivers my heartstrings.                                   

Pennsylvania

Delaware

And just short of an hour......

















 .......the morning stood straight

Maryland

The gulfs between these states slowly widened in both proximity and topography: houses are thrown into the landscapes after bare batches of unassuming land- these types of land occupy for most of the journey till the final destination: Washington D.C. Union Station.



For a country that has only been alive for just over a couple hundred years, Washington D.C. is the staple for this nation's existence. I wish I had covered the thick of the city in greater detail, but my limited time span only permitted for the fundamentals- good enough though.

Although I met my cousin in D.C, I actually stayed in Reston, Virginia- a kind of 2 in 1 experience if you will. Now that my travel bug has properly plagued me, I am determined to cover 1/5 of this country. And even if D.C. does not count as a state, it is still a part of the country- and a prominent portion too; for those who may attach the 'capital' identity to New York (like I did a couple of years ago), the capital of the U.S.A. is Washington D.C. at this point in history. The title has been given to a number of states along the time line: Philadelphia reigned at the time of the Revolution, thereafter New York held the government seat for a short period of time. D.C. was founded as the capital on July 16th 1790, and is overseen by the federal government, thus is not a state, but a federal district- District of Columbia.

A long vertical stretch of land dominates the downtown D.C. area. A long strip of iconic features are tightly framed by Constitution and Independence Avenue. These parallel avenues carry the bulk of traffic during the daily commutes, but with the Washington Monument soaring up into the sky, and the Capitol boasting its prominence, among other visuals, the ribbon of features mark the capital's stature.

Washington Monument: Commemorates George Washington

The Capitol: Where Rules And Laws Are Discussed At Length

Besides these punctuations of stature, there are clusters of memorials and museums that permeate the central grounds of downtown D.C. I mean, there are too many museums to comprehend in general let alone in 3 days- so I picked the 'Smithsonian National Museum of American History' on a Sunday afternoon- during Presidents weekend. Scores and scores of people swelled the rooms and made the experience difficult to enjoy at times, but the knowledge of things were in abundance to an overwhelming degree.

I can only share with you, the most prized (for me at least) sections of the museum, that I can appreciate.Starting from the low level of the ground floor was an exhibition dedicated to 'Julia Child's Kitchen'. I wish I was more of a cook, I really do- but the dorm life doesn't allow for a culinary goddess.

Julia Child had invited America to go beyond the processed, packaged convenience food of the 50s/60s and return to the heartbeat of cooking: the kitchen. As part of shaking off the postwar austerity, she reconnected friends and family through the art of cooking: food became her medium in doing so.
                                                                                                                                                                                   

The kitchen is tailored to Julia's life- a life beyond the pots and pans. She was a wife, cook, t.v. star and master teacher. Her influence on modern American culinary and cultural history has made her a household name that remains ever present.

I love modes of transport. I love the development of travel, and 'American On The Move' caters for my fascination. 'America On The Move' chronicles the vehicles in time from 1800s to the present day.

As a prelude to the exhibition, is a stunning, killer looking car that is 'modestly' parked in the entrance.

Tucker 48' Sedan

What a beaut. Preston Tucker's automobile was promoted as the 'first completely new car in fifty years' because it sports a unique style as well as novel engineering. The unprecedented safety features included a central headlight that turned with the front wheels and collision protection provided by a pop out windshield, padded dashboard and 'safety chamber' for the front passenger. Tucker's styling gave the car a futuristic appearance and an impression of power and speed. Only 51 cars were made, until production was folded due to financial problems.

But, back to the basics now: railroads.

Santa Cruz, California: 1876

This steam locomotive named Jupiter was made in Philadelphia in 1876, but had a short life of 7 years as it was built for a narrow gauge track, and thus became obsolete when the line switched to a standard gauge track (56 1/2 inches compared to 36 inches between rails)...

Heavy Duty Lifting

Delivering goods: Watsonville, California

Cream Of The Crop

Railroads changed agriculture for the better, farmers were able to grow crops for markets near and far, as the railroad connected farms to a wider commercial world.

Fares, Please!

By 1888, Washington converted horse to cable allowing commuters to travel in electric streetcar systems to work. And with this invention, sparked the trend to live further from the city center as the commute was feasible.

Let me transport you way ahead of time from the 1800s to the 1950s where automobiles were born prior to, but were in full use in this epoch. As new suburbs were prospering, the rising car ownership made it easier for business and middle-working class residents to flee to the tranquility of the suburbs and leave behind the fiscal crises of the city. But the influx of cars brought on a wave of the dreaded 'traffic jam' that has yet to and will never cease to end. 

Gridlock

And from here on after, transport has become a mechanism for carrying out 'life'- without it we are stuck. 

Moving on upwards, to the first floor, I mounted a shallow ramp in the heart of the museum into the 'Star-Spangled Banner Gallery' - The National Anthem and Flag

I was not allowed to capture and shots, but the flag was originally designed by Mary Pickersgill with 15 stars and 15 stripes- the flag is tattered from flying over Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the Battle of Baltimore in 1812.  But has been painstakingly conserved from the time it was brought to the Smithsonian in 1907 as a loan and in 1912 became a permanent gift. As you go into the exhibition, your eyes dilate in the dimming light and you see the original 30-by-34 foot icon with a ghostly displayed National Anthem in floating in the background. The National Anthem was created by Francis Scott Key, who observed the flying flag in Baltimore and thus spurred her to write the lyrics of poem, which would then become the National Anthem.

It began to be suffocating in the museum, so we cut our experience short and headed to another museum, but this one was private so was less heaving with people. 'The International Spy Museum' is an extremely interactive hotbed of gadgets, codes and secrets: no photography was allowed, so I apologize for the lack of visual evidence of my visit. It was a fun break from the hard core information at the other sites. 

And for a real break, we ventured into the 'Smithsonian American Art Museum' where the cacophony of the former was reduced to white noise.

Here is a collection of some of the artwork.

JFK

Katherine Hepburn

And Her Accolades

Depths of Grand Interiors

We barely spent 20 minutes here, we had to be elsewhere, but just the design of the museum allowed for a peaceful ponder at impressive statements in art history. There was a certain 'airy' ness about the rooms, they were full to the brim with artwork yet seemed vacant and vast.

Time in Art

 In between these history lessons, I got to bask in suburban glory at the end of each day in Virginia. Most D.C. commuters originate from Virginia or from neighboring Maryland

Road To Repose

Uncle Jeff and Aunt Kathy

There are a stack of things to sink your teeth into in D.C. and Virginia too- prepare your mind to serve as a sponge for all the dates, people and places. Dotted around the city, are memorials to honor the former Presidents: the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is laid out in a beautifully conceptual way. The entire memorial spreads across a vast, uncovered plot of land and focuses on numerous statues, quotes, and waterfalls- being that it's winter I wasn't able to enjoy a beautiful sheet of water though. The memorial is more accurately described as a long, meandering path, bordered by walls made of red South Dakota granite. The memorial is organized chronologically in accordance to FDR's four terms.I highly recommend this memorial, for it stands out from the crowd with its innovative display: whether it be fragments of rock or statues of FDR, each holds true to a message during his power.

Me and FDR

Washington is a fascinating pot of this country's background- and even if I bypassed too many museums to grasp, I still paid visit to my bud: OB

Georgie

Rock and Rolls

I was stretched across three seats, back on a Red-Eye again on my way to the West coast. This time I was heading far West, not quite the coast, but far away enough for it to be a sweltering and sultry 25' Celsius while New York fluctuated around the 0' mark. Though a night flight, my eyes captured the visible build up of mountain contours as we panned across the many states en route to Phoenix, Arizona. Our flight path covered some states that are probably more beautiful at 30,000 feet than on the ground: Nebraska; Kansas and the desolate likes. The aerial experience of seeing civilization diminish with every mile toward the West, was apparent as the topography became much more spread and scarce in 'life'. Few and far between dots of lights and clusters of raw earth filling the spaces- very dramatic from above, especially with a black starry night backdrop.

I bought with me a small carry on bag, as well as a preconceived notion that Phoenix would be pure desert, devoid of a chief city center. But as I adjust to Mountain Time (-2 hours from NY time), I noticed Phoenix is just as much a metropolis as any major city, with the company of a defined city center and all attractions suited for an Urbanite. But, what gives it a signature definition are the interspersed pockets of cactus' and desert. 

Rival Scenes: Sunset and Cactus

As I only had two full days of Arizona, my cousin Katherine and I took to a quick a.m. Starbucks and began the drive around the city. Before we got to the thick of the city, we went through several neighborhoods where I got eye-fulls of beige, nude and drab colours- this is Arizona's main colour scheme, which repeats itself all throughout the city. Whilst it sounds mundane, this palet is reinforced with the intensity of the sun and sky. Below are your typical, almost European houses that maintain the above colors, but they boast luxury and tranquility

Spanish Vibes

Vast gardens, and a lake running through the grounds: perfect. This complex if you will, is part of where Katherine lives, except these are the houses- she lives in a humble condo. Like the Middle Eastern 'compounds' the 'Lakes' community have communal facilities: Tennis courts; club house etc. 

Back To The 70s

A real sense of happy peace prevails this complex, as the spread yet contained friendly locality struck me with its relaxed vibe- a vibe that exists across the boards. The West is famed for its loose yet in tact way of life: the term 'going with the flow' speaks to the West entirely.  The pace is like a diminished stroll, in the face of the East coast 'chop chop'- and I could get used to it in a matter of seconds.

The View Of The Lake From Katherine's Condo

And just to affirm the insouciant lifestyle, I left Katherine to her work (it was a Friday) and relied on my natural navigating devices. I walked along the streets of Tempe- the area in which Katherine resides, is a suburb of Phoenix. My zen-like languorous walk picked up a pace (I can never escape the East Coast rhythms) as I gained proximity to 'Kiwani Park', but I slowed to a crawl, breathed in fresh air; and laid down on the 'corn field' grass. And from above was a golden beacon penetrating the one scattered cloud in the sky. Sheer Sublime. 

Along the side of 'Kiwani Park' is one of the many canals that moat the city.

 Being primarily a desert state, the region suffers from a major water deficit, but seeing all the canals and vegetation one hastens to banish this fact, for the plentiful amounts of shrubbery and Palo Verde trees negates the state's central look.

Interestingly enough, Palo Verde trees are  trees with green branches, that are found across the landscapes of Phoenix. Palo verdes comes in two species: Cercidium microphyllum and Cercidium floridum. The former is clothed with yellow leafs and the latter with blue- but the green trunk stems from the Spanish word: palo verde, meaning green stick. Notice how the image below is all green'- I'm not sure which specie this particular tree falls under, but the green branches and trunk bare visible traces to the root of the 'Palo verde' meaning.

All Green, Eco Style Tree

 As I retreat back to Katherine's home, I was abuzz from the Phoenician flare that had, at that point, crisped the tip of my nose. Somehow I shunned a typical South Western feature initially, but caught it in reverse. 

Desolation

The Mexican/American borderland consumed my mind at the sight of this emblem. There is a real bleakness about the above; maybe it's the barbed wire, maybe it's the arid ground- but the encompassing greenery injects much needed life into this dead scene. Phoenix is but a 1.5 hour drive away from the border. My cousin tells me with narrowing eyes that it's a danger zone, fraught with tension- but the border towns can be a great way of sampling local Mexican culture.

On this Mexican note, the heavy Hispanic and Latino influences extend to all corners of the state. From the car drives, I picked up on the Mexican vibes that bounce from one wall to another, notably the colors. Lots of yellows, browns, deep reds and earthy greens- they all compliment each other providing a soothing scope of relaxation. 

And just to enhance your relaxation, an endless array of resorts are dotted around Phoenix for weekend retreats. One of the many we visited on our discovery was the fittingly titled: 'Sanctuary' in the Paradise Valley region, where overtired and overworked individuals come to bask and crisp in the Phoenician glow- careful though, it has fiery power. And to say that you're lounging around a pool during February is pretty spectacular- a lifestyle I would subscribe to on a yearly basis during the icy months. It's escapism in ultra style.

Beyond the low lying lush grounds are punctuations of the famed 'Camelback Mountain' that rim the resort. This is the most prominent rocky mountain in the region. True to it's name, the mountain scheme takes the form and shape of a camel in a sitting position, as its' 'back' wavers up and down, giving a camel hump impression.

Dramatic Setting

Whilst I was not able to go to the Grand Canyon, I did however strap myself into hiking gear for a semi mammoth mountain hike. And it's not as if you have to reach to far flung parts of Arizona to do it; there are mountains on the urban horizon just waiting to be tackled. 


My cousin and I went to 'Papago Park'- one of six major mountains and desert preserves in Phoenix. This red rock mountain can be taken lightly, or heavily- there are gentle and steep slopes of your choosing, though hiking up is astronomically easier than retiring downwards.

Papago Mountain

Katherine and I En route To Some Heights

Through erosion, holes in the red-rock buttes, called tafoni, form to make the scenery even more dramatic. Sometimes these tafoni are so large and deep, one can sit and gaze out over the park.

As we hiked in the valley of the sun, I was slipping from all the loose rock- it doesn't matter what footwear you have, the loose rock will get you big time. You do need stamina to reach certain heights though, the moderate levels are fun and easy to surpass, but once you enter the hard core zones, muscle action is required. At intervals however, we deferred our progression to further heights, just to catch our breath and take a few panoramic shots of the ceaseless landscapes.

Challenge Accepted

There were of course more heights to combat, but the grazes and gashes were becoming a perennial obstruction- I had to treat a well deserved cut due to profuse blood collected on my palm. But that did not hinder, in any way shape or form the experience of hiking in Arizona. I was expecting to meet some inhospitable wildlife on our venture, but there were no snakes or such to be seen.
Regularly hydrating yourself is an integral part that you need to factor into your hike time, you need the strength to get down.Once we 'rolled' down eventually we did not feel accustomed to the horizontal surface! It was brilliant nonetheless.

The brief hiatus from the East had come to a close, after two full days of Arizonian excursions, and amazing food, compromising mainly of Mexican cuisine and healthy salads and cool drinks. The Phoenicians are adept both physically and mentally as they mediate their lives between a 'live well' and 'eat well' motto.

- the sun filled sky is the best incentive.

Relax and Enjoy

Georgie

Road Tripping Florida

Florida: The Sunshine State

 Among the images that pop into your head when thinking of Florida are palm trees; beaches; Brits and booze.  Florida's entire identity is based around the aforementioned, and it still reigns as the top destination to flock to during the winter months.Just like the birds do, I flew south for the winter to escape the brittle cold for a brief yet beneficial week to see both my friend Deanna and a new state. 

It seems that the inclement weather in Europe, namely the U.K. has rubbed off on Atlanta and New York. I was due to fly out from JFK to Gainseville with a layover in Atlanta, Georgia. The day before I checked my flights on delta.com and saw the flight status box filled in an alarming red, reading: canceled. Quick thinking was due, and I called my friend explaining the issue. I was able to change my flight destination/time for free; Deanna suggested I fly into Orlando thus we could go to Island of Adventure (Harry Potter Land) first and then we'd have time coursing around Gainseville and Jacksonville. 

At JFK, there were only THREE scheduled flights- and mine was one of them. The terminal was scarce with people, and of the few scattered passengers were holidaymakers perusing a 'Floride' book. Pasty white and swathed in layers, Florida is a great destination for this time of year. 

How can you pass this up?

The View From Deanna's Aunt/Uncle's House

With a smooth landing and a chain of palm trees on the runway perimeters, I knew I had departed the Northeast and arrived in the Southeast.
Now, one may assume that the climes were favorable in this part of the country, but I hasten to reverse your thinking: it was cold. A mere 12' does not sound particularly delightful does it? Still, it's certainly a whole lot better than -10'. 


I was ready to slip into bed after Deanna and I were skirting around the same roundabouts and highways in Orlando- we were a little lost! And with a lengthy catch up session, some chili and a warm shower the day came to a close, as did our eyes.

And we were up before the sun for Island of Adventure. With every minute that ended, the sun would increase in burn and blazed through the windshield. I knew this would come in handy considering it was a chilling 5' that morning!

Floridian Morning

It was 'Island of Adventure' day- aka Harry Potter Land!!I have never been a die hard fan of the sorcery tales, but anything that is recreated down to a 'T' from a movie always sends a buzz. We got up super early to get to Universal Studios in time for the opening- and to push and shove (on my part). Because it was a Thursday, and at the start of the day the crowds were not swelling by the minute; it was far more relaxed and orderly than I had anticipated. I certainly didn't feel relaxed and orderly when I handed over $87 (tax incl.) for my entrance pass however! To be fair, I knew the amount before hand so I didn't get a shocking surprise but it always hurts a tad when you hand over a sum like that! I did in fact splurge even more on goodies and food- so no complaints allowed!


Of course, since the opening of Harry Potter in May 2010 the main appeal of Island of Adventure has shifted from everything to just Harry Potter. People were flocking without a doddle straight for Hogsmeade. 

Hogsmeade

Hogwarts

My aforementioned disinterest in Harry Potter made a sharp 180' when we arrived in this spectacular recreation. The attention to detail, as mentioned repeatedly by Deanna was 'incredibly detailed and thought of'. It's more than just a village or a town, it's a work of art. It really is superb, you genuinely feel like you are a member of Hogwarts and that you should don the ever so stylish cape and scarf. And as you snake your way around the town the film's music score travels along with you. The classic John William's composition tinkles and chimes appropriately as we window shopped and feasted our eyes on the intricate features of Hogsmeade.
This part of the attraction was very funny: when you go to the bathroom, Moaning Myrtle's voice lingers as you pee!! The whole experience mirrors and echoes every last corner of the book. 
Inside the castle, we were fortunate enough to whiz through the entire thing to get to the simulator ride. Normally, it would take you up to 90 minutes to get to the ride. All the rides we went on, had a maximum 10 minute wait. I thought we had totally outsmarted the system, only to realise it was in fact a Thursday and it was still early. 
But if we had to have waited that long, the endless preoccupations along the walls, up in the ceiling etc would have sufficed. Along the walls are motioning pictures of the various characters- they pop out at you and speak. There was one section whereby a wall was checkered with picture frames, and the people were jabbering at you in tandem, putting you in a dizzy spell until you stepped into the classroom! The classroom had a line of chemicals; books and Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting waiting for us. The 3D trio spoke to us in the vernacular, as if you were the only one there. If you are enticed by this sort of thing, you would naturally suspend any element of reality around you and be allured by this fantasy. I didn't pay too much attention to what they were saying (particularly as I didn't have time, I was being rushed by the excited folk behind me!) but they were warning me of something. 
I couldn't get any appropriate snapshots, because the dark lighting would have developed an eerie, murky print- would have been fitting though. 
And right before the ride, Professor Dumbledore offered his luck to us in preparation for the game. 
The ride itself was a simulated ride. We were not out in the open, nor did we cork-screw around the castle. The ride was modeled after a Quiditch match (not sure what team I was on) with evil interventions: Dementors; dragons; snakes and spiders. It was magical to say the least. The 3D aspect of it was phenomenal, you were put right there a part of the action and a part of a massive legacy. I cannot imagine what an unwavered fan would feel in this instance. Deanna had made a key point about the cost of this excursion if you had a couple of kids- ouch and yikes. 


To put our churned stomachs back in position, we went to get some Butterbeer (mistake). This wizarding beverage is, in simple terms like butterscotch- with infused shortbread and other sickly sugary stuff. 

Cheers

I didn't actually get any, but Deanna did so I slurped a bit of it to test the waters. Hmmmm, WAY to sweet for my liking. It's a kind of creamy soda if you like, but I refused to continue with a candied headache- there were so many rides left! I guess if you have butterbeer with a food type that is at the other end of the food spectrum, thus savory, the butterbeer becomes a natural partner.

In true Harry Potter style, we went to have lunch at 'Three Broomsticks- a big lunch hall to eat the most British of things. A choice of Shepard's Pie with Fish and Chips were two of the many British dishes.  

The Lunch Hall

You'd think that with a belly full of battered cod we would have given the next ride an hours wait. Nope, us Muggles gobbled and went. We literally did an ebb and flow of rides, because the waiting time was a pathetic 5 minutes with each ride. 

Jurassic Park Was Water Ride. Brrrrrrrrrrrr

Because it was a breeze to get on the rides, all that was left to do was to explore the place till our legs gave way. 

In total we conquered 3 major rides, of which we had two servings of each. Six tummy twisting rides. 

Chamber of Secrets Car

Would you believe we left my 4pm? We had circled the park a numerous amount of times, stocked up on food and exhausted the rides. We certainly got our value for money, with the exception of some of our cheeky extras!

This part of Orlando is very much the commercial, touristy side and thus lacking in organic beauty. As Deanna switched from 'park' to 'drive' to begin our 1.5hour road trip to Gainseville we left behind the overbearing tourists (I was one at the park) and entered true Florida. 
The scenes through the course of the drive were not culturally rich- but if you can appreciate a sky imbued with color and feeling, it can be very rich. 

An Overlap of Shades

It was simply fields after fields with the odd isolated house within a radiant sea of green. 
And on our travels, a very fitting car sign passed us by, and I couldn't resist a snapshot:

Floridian Mantra

Approaching Gainseville, the vibe of Florida had done a complete 180'. Gainseville's profile was raised predominantly by UF- University of Florida. The town is dominated by the students, I didn't see one single person beyond the age of 25, even in the immediate vicinity. 
It is so much a student town, that there are sorority's and fraternity's. A stretch of sorority houses are on 'Sorority Row' where the rival houses can be seen from every window. 

Tri Delta

Kappa Delta

These houses didn't fall short of any expectations I had. I knew they were going to be grand and lavish- the interior designs are quite regal and 'proper' nothing is out of place as far as I could see. The girls commit to a 'chapter' meeting every Sunday (as far as I am aware) where they discuss sorority matters, namely events etc. It is very much about empowerment and establishing relationships, I don't think I could ever be a part of a sorority because it would mean being too 'cliquey' and having to live in a 'dorm' style house with lots of girls. I do however think that if a sorority is devoid of gossip and bitchiness and was run the way it was in the past, the value of the experience would still be upheld. 

The next day we were on the road again, but this time to Jacksonville- Deanna's hometown.
Before we did head out though, we stopped to devour a fatty American breakfast. 
Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel is very much a Southern thing, the whole restaurant/shop is a representation of 'Old Country' style living. It is a Southern chain that sells comfort food to typically hungry drivers who have been on the road. You can find them located on the interstate highways, much like the rest stops we have in England, and everywhere else in the world. The added country feel comes in the form of a checkers game provided at each table, and lots of produce that come packaged in a homey style, with homey contents, notably classic food and home items.

A Gun And A Deer's Head.

Nostalgic Merchandise

 Honestly though, it is 'eat heavy' at its heaviest. A hollow stomach filled with heavy duty food. uuuuuff. What made it worse, was that we had a 2 hour drive. Sitting down of course.

The road to Jacksonville was similar to that of the road to Gainseville from Orlando- pockets of beauty and ghetto. In all, it was really scenic with the typical palm trees, cop cars hidden to catch you out and a few lakes thrown in here and there. Upon our arrival in Jacksoville, Deanna's dad: Robert (Ned Flanders) gave a lovely show of hospitality as we meandered their beautiful home while he introduced me to each room.

Beach Houses in Jacksonville

Deanna's Gorgeous Home

Sunset in Jacksonville

For the entirety of our time in Jacksonville, we simply laid low and had a chill out and recuperated in true southern style. 
There was one day, where the typically sunny state was dispelled with an atypically cloudy gloom.But that was OK, it was the Golden Globe Awards evening, so the misty glaze outside had no effect on my excitement!  


And on the following day, the weather was in our favor to go and simply explore downtown Jacksonville, where we went to a yummy cafe: 'European Street' and went back in time to Deanna's school: Episcopal High School. Peering through one of the classrooms, I saw a sign that read: 'Homework is due at the start of the period. PERIOD' I teeheed at the wonderful thing, that is the American Educational System. .....And then back on the road we were...

Different Routes

On our travels, I found this superb 'interstate' section. These to me, are very 'American' as the highway system elsewhere in the world do not follow the same pattern. I love seeing these around, especially since in Manhattan, we don't have them.


On a change of track, we had our lovely companion: Beckham, touring Florida with us. Beckham is a gorgeous, lovingly devoted companion who showers you with love and kisses. 
He is the best man in the world. And the best part is, you can say whatever you like to him, and all he will do in return is kiss you. 

Deanna Feeling The Love

Mmmmmmmwwwaaaaaaahhhh

He really is a wonderful dog, honed with charm and loyalty. I am a big doggie fan, so a loving dog always makes me happy.

And before I knew it, the end of my Floridian holiday was here, after one full week. 

I primarily went to see my good friend Deanna, whom I met in London last year on her exchange! And being a resident of Florida, she was the perfect tour guide to a self-proclaimed newbie. 

Thank You.

Best Wishes,

Georgie