Come Sail Away on Vacation #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it'stime for music!

Who are the Music Moves Me bloggers? We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please!)   Our head hostess is Cathy from Curious as a Cathy,  and she is joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and (last but not least) me.

Our founder, Marie aka Xmas Dolly, has stepped back from blogging for now, and would appreciate your good thoughts as she works through some health issues. The latest word from Marie is that she hopes to return to occasional blogging next month.  Here's hoping!

We'd love more music lovers to join our fun group.  All you have to do is join the linky above with a music post that contains at least one music video (there must be a music video or your post will be subject to removal or labeling "No Music").  So easy!

Each month, except December, we have a guest host. For July, we are welcoming Songbird from Songbird's Crazy World.  

Her theme for this week is" Vacation Songs".  I know people have their own ideas of the perfect vacation.  Some prefer the beach, some the mountains, and some spas, or historical sites, or camping in a tent or RV.  

Right now, relaxing in my backyard on a warm summer day, I'm thinking of a selection of songs.

An obvious (to me) start:  Vacation, by the Go-Go's.  This all female group made music history in various ways, overcoming discrimination against female musicians, but disbanded for a time because of all the pressure they were put under. 

We don't always take vacations in the summer but so many of us associate vacation with hot summers.  Here are two songs from my childhood.  First up, from 1960,  Brian Hyland and "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini".  Its songwriter, the talented Paul Vance, died earlier this year.

Still not enough vacation songs?  Stick around; we'll tell you more.

Next, here's Nat King Cole and "Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer" from 1963.

 Pretzels and beer, anyone?  Perfect vacation food.

Although I suffer from seasickness and don't seek out boating adventures, I love hearing songs about boats.  This late 1977-early 1978 song "Come Sail Away" from Styx puts me right in the vacation mood.

So do the Beach Boys and their 1966 song "Sloop John B", although the song has nothing to do with vacations, unless you like terrible vacations.  And face it, sometimes vacations aren't all you expect them to be.  In fact, the song itself has a fascinating history. The Beach Boys album this song comes from (Pet Sounds) is considered by many to be one of the best (if not the best) rock album of all time.

Still want some fun?  Katrina and the Waves, Walking on Sunshine, from 1983.

One last song, again, maybe not a true vacation song, but wouldn't you love to sail away with the one you love to another world?  Let's revisit 1983. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton had a big hit, a crossover from country to rock, with a song written by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb: "Islands In the Stream".

And that's a wrap!

Join me again, same time, same place, for another episode of "Music Moves Me".

Best of AM - The Auto Train as Spiritual Journey Part 2

This is one of the first blog posts I wrote, back in 2009 when I started this blog.  Civil War Sunday is on hiatus - I hope you will enjoy this travel post, instead.  This story will conclude tomorrow.  Join me in this train story, as I go back in time to my childhood.

In July of 1966, my father and I flew down to Tampa, Florida to visit family. It was my first "real" trip outside of the general area around my native New York City and my first time on an airplane. We were supposed to fly back home except...the airlines went on strike. Every single one of them.

My Dad had to get home and get back to work. The way back home turned out to be on an Atlantic Coast Line train. Tampa to NYC. The ride was about 26 hours long.

I was familiar with the NYC subways and had even ridden the Long Island Railroad, but this was something different.

I can still remember portions of the journey 43 years later. A dinner (I remember how expensive the prices seemed), served on china. Many people carrying Atlantic Coast Line bags; how I wish we had bought one. At one point they told people the train was going to split, and if you weren't in the correct car you would end up going somewhere else. But most of all, the scenery stayed with me. When you are on a train, there is an intimacy totally unlike seeing the country from the Interstate. On a train you travel literally through people's back yards. Their everyday lives are yours to observe as you speed past. We traveled through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina. Rural poverty unfolded around me, almost close enough to touch. It wasn't the war on poverty from television. This was reality.

I don't remember much about the big cities, although I know we later traveled through Baltimore and Philadelphia. It's the countryside I remember. And the countryside that called to me the next time I would travel on a long distance train, 40 years later, back to Florida.

Tomorrow, my then-16 year old son and I connect on a train.

Cheesequake!

Today's trivia question:  What is a Cheesequake?

a.  What Wisconsin natives yell when the earth moves under their feet.
b.  A San Francisco boutique cheesecake producer
c.  A Washington State cheeseburger
d.  A New Jersey toll road service area.

If you answered "c", you've taken too many "How to Ace the SAT" review courses.

The correct answer, of course, is b, c and d.  And thereby hangs a tale.

b.  San Francisco Cheesequakes ("Cheesecakes that Rock") has the most intriguing sounding cheesecakes.  (not that I've ever had one, so this is not a plug.)  Candycap Mushroom Cheesecake, anyone?

They also have all kind of chocolate cheesecakes.

Birthday present, anyone?

c.  How about a Double Cheesequake at the X Earthquakes Biggest Burgers in Pullyap, Washington?

d.  The New Jersey Cheesequake.

Last Friday, spouse and I traveled to the Jersey Shore from the Binghamton, NY area.  This involved travel on the Garden State Parkway, known as the country's busiest toll road.  We had been warned about the traffic and we already knew how aggressive and high speed the driving would be, so neither came as a shock.  We proceeded through The Oranges and The Amboys when to our wondering eyes did appear, near exit 120....

The Cheesequake Service Area.

Huh?

Spouse and I turned to each other simultaneously.  What was a Cheesequake?  We pondered various answers.  A strange New Jersey restaurant chain?  A former cheese factory that had exploded and was now a historical site?  Some kind of corrupted Native American word?

Our wonder grew as we passed by a sign for Cheesequake State Park.

Turns out spouse's guess of a corrupted Native American word was correct.  My spouse, however, speculated that "Cheesequake" came from the same word that Chesapeake (as in Chesapeake Bay) derived from.  That apparently is not the case, according to what I was able to research.  If my sources are correct, Chesapeake comes from a Algonquian word meaning a village "at a big river" while Cheesequake comes from a Lenape word for "upland village".

Drawing from my years back anthropology courses, I am aware that the Lenapes (formerly known as the Delaware) are part of a much larger Native American groupage called the Algonquians.  So, there may still be some truth to this speculation.

At any rate the word has nothing to do with either cheese nor earthquakes.

The State Park does sound fascinating.

The service area, apart from the full service (mandatory in NJ) gas it sold for 20 cents less a gallon than Binghamton gas when we left, was not at all distinguished. 

But still, it left us with a desire to go back and visit the park. Cheesequake!

Musings on the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival Part 2

I promised to post pictures back on May 7.  Now, over a month late, here I am.

Downtown Binghamton in the spring is no Macon.  But spring was pretty good to us, too.

The flowering trees, for the most part, have done their thing here.  The crabapples, in particular, were spectacular. (You'll have to take my word for it.)  The vandals of the downtown dinosaurs could not ruin spring for us.

So, it is time to think again about....Macon, GA. and its cherry blossom festival.

It was a long way to travel to see some trees, some would say.  Yes, a long way from the Binghamton, NY area.  But where in Binghamton would you see scenery such as this?  Pink was the color of the day, and many lawns in upscale areas had pink poodle lawn decorations as a fundraiser.

(this photo was taken with permission-of the human.)

A magnificant specimen.

Three smaller specimens.

One of North Macon's beautiful neighborhoods.

And last, but not least....I would be remiss if I didn't publish some photos of downtown Macon.  Here, one of the edges of the awesome Mulberry Street Arts and Crafts Festival.  And, a final shot of downtown.

Adventures in Handicapped Travel

In July we are going to be taking my mother in law to a wedding on the Jersey Shore.

My mother in law needs some assistance physically; she walks with a cane.  it would have been helpful for her to have grab bars (for shower, toileting, etc.)

Our first adventure came in booking a motel room.  there was a block of rooms for the wedding.  However, when we attempted to book a room, we were told that a "wheelchair" room would not be available at the block rate.  We would have to pay a higher rate.  Nor could they guarantee that we would get a first floor room.  I am assuming this place had elevators but again....I have a feeling I had better get up to speed quickly on this type of thing.  We didn't need a wheelchair room per se, but I thought it would have features that would have made her stay easier.

Looks like I am going to have to learn a lot about this topic-quickly.  I've already contacted someone who used to be in the travel field to see if she can give me some direction.

Musings on the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival Part 1

I have been remiss about posting on the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival.  I promise I will get some pictures up here.  But...

Some things I didn't know when I visited the Macon Cherry Blossom festival.  I need to explain here that Macon, Georgia has seen better days.  So much better that I had fears of going there - because I read things about how high crime it was, about how people were in danger just going to a place called the Okmulgee Indian Mounds, which are a couple of miles from downtown.

So why did I go?  It was memories of a stop on the edge of Macon in 2006 during a trip to Florida, and all the friendly people I ran into.  Of walking into a Wal-Mart at 10pm and seeing the people there (it was NOT a "People of Wal-Mart" type experience.  But it was quite interesting.). Of eating some of the best BBQ this side of Heaven.  And then, when I got home, reading about the cherry blossom festival and saying "one day I am going to see that!"

And the fact that a family member has been to Macon many times (on business) and had favorable things to say about it.

I overcame my fears and we went, and we had a good time.  Maybe it was safer because of it being festival time. (from some things I saw, I suspect this was the case.)

Would I have enjoyed it more (or less) knowing how much danger elements of the festival may be in?  And, will I ever return?  To both I have to say "I really don't know."  But, Macon has inserted itself under my skin.  Georgia, 6 weeks later, is definitely still on my mind.

Why?  Because Binghamton could learn from them.  Binghamton must learn, if it doesn't want to be washed up on the shores of history.

The Vanderbilt Town

It is said that George Washington Vanderbilt, youngest son of William Henry Vanderbilt and grandson of the famous steamboat/railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, enjoyed visiting western North Carolina so much that he ended up buying the place.  Well, 125,000 acres to be exact.


Calling Asheville a Vanderbilt "town" is not quite accurate, but it is safe to say that the Vanderbilts left their mark on the area.  And were they ever huge marks.  Their most famous landmark, the Biltmore House, covers 4 acres all by itself.  There is Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and...the Pisgah National Forest.  No, that isn't a misprint.

When your property is turned into a National Forest, you know you have arrived.  (bad, bad transportation pun....)

No...I'm not going to post pictures of the Biltmore House.  That is because I didn't go there.  Going there is like going to a small city.  It has to be a destination in itself, and you could easily spend a couple of days (and spend a small fortune-which, unlike the Vanderbilts or their related family who now own Biltmore House, the Cecils-my spouse and I do not possess.)

I'd like to visit one day though, as the Cecil/Vanderbilt legacy includes one of (quoting from their website) "self-sufficiency, environmental stewardship of our natural resources, protection of the integrity of our mountains, and commitment to ensuring our community remains a model for living well and living purposefully."  I'd like to investigate that further.

Biltmore wine was sold all over Asheville.  I wish I could have toured the winery without paying the very steep admission charge to the estate.  But we'll save up for next time, and I think there will be a next time.

What we did visit, briefly, was Biltmore Village.  Generally, I am not into upscale shopping but this was worth a visit for the historical content.
Some of the original buildings are still there such as the All Souls Cathedral built as a house of worship for Biltmore workers.

I would post one caution about Biltmore Village though: because these are historic buildings, some have stairs in the front and may not be handicapped accessible. (this is a personal concern to me as I have knee problems).  There may be other ways to get into some of the shops without climbing stairs, but I was on a tight time schedule and I didn't have time to check that out.

But:  do come for the history.

The City the Great Depression Saved

Herewith are some more pictures of downtown Asheville, NC.  Enjoy!

This first picture is one of the many artworks along Asheville's Urban Trail.   I wish we had more time to explore this-if there is ever a next time for Asheville, we will return to this.  I have no idea how I visited Asheville without investigating the Urban Trail.  It is almost like my mind was in the same Mobius strip as I wrote about in my last post.

The second picture is the old S and W Cafeteria building.

This is a gem of Art Deco decorations, built in 1929.  Actually one of the few styles I have some knowledge of.

 This next one is a plaque on the S and W building.

This is Pack Square over on the left.  The obelisk is the Vance Memorial.

This sign is part of a written "tour" detailing the history of the Jewish people in Asheville.  The role of Jewish merchants in 19th and 20th century mercantile life is mocked in certain quarters, but Asheville is proud of it.

Here is one more picture; unfortunately I can't remember what I took a picture of.

The reason why Asheville has so many old buildings in its downtown is quite fascinating.

I'll let the link above tell the story.  But, in a way, you can say Asheville is the city that was saved by the Great Depression.  Of course, it never would have happened without city fathers who believed in paying their debts back.  Even if it took until 1976 to pay them all off.

Just think of that, in our era of instant gratification, and instant (or else) problem resolution.

And all of us tourists, and the locals, can be thankful for that.  Due to this intregrity, we get to enjoy some 170 historic buildings in downtown Asheville.

You can't talk about Asheville, of course, without talking about the Vanderbilt family.  More on them in another post.

Asheville NC-the Living Mobius Strip

We have found a living Mobius strip.

It is called Asheville, NC.

Asheville is famous for a lot of things, including its...shall we say, "New Age" population.  Some of these people believe that Asheville has special energy fields.  Upon feeling these fields, people have been known to move to Asheville immediately, and never leave.

The really strange thing about visiting Asheville, for my spouse, was that normally he can find his way around nearly anywhere.  He drives somewhere once and (even years later) can find his way around thereafter.  Not Asheville.  He was so scrambled up (and of course wouldn't ask for directions) that he kept getting lost.  And even I felt somewhat disoriented, and I have no sense of direction at all.

 Spouse kept saying his ability to tell direction was totally not working, and was it ever frustrating.

At one point, trying to navigate I-40, I-240 and I-26 in a vain attempt to find a Wal-Mart we never did find (to check out a Wal-Mart that sold wine: unknown here in NY), he said that Asheville was one huge Mobius strip.  If you don't remember these from science class, check them out on the Internet.

I am a firm believer in a quote attributed to the late Mayor Wagner of New York City, to the effect that "New York is a great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there."  In other words, places you fall in love with when visiting are great for visiting..and that's it.  But I don't think Mayor Wagner ever met a city that somehow you could never find anything in, as if what you were trying to find was hiding in a different dimension.

We still don't know why that is, but we have never experienced that before.  And maybe never will again. (Cue music from "The Twilight Zone"...and we can do this, living in Binghamton.)

Another fact:  When spouse and I visited Asheville last month, we had no way of knowing that Asheville, according to at least one authority, tops the list of popular cities in which to retire.  And, in the 2010 list, one place that left the list was my vacation spot of last year, Sanibel Island, Florida. (that's a story for another day.  I'd move to Sanibel immediately if I ever won the lottery.)   We kept meeting people from New York in Asheville.  Maybe they were lost, too.  Maybe Asheville is full of lost souls who gave up trying to find their way, and decided to retire there.

So, what is so great about Asheville?  Many things.  Great shops, great food, the greatest Farmers Market ever (see last post) and....a city that cares very much about its history.

That's what makes a city great.

To me the coolest thing I saw in downtown Asheville were the Woolworths and the Kress's.  Huh?  Didn't these go out of business years ago?  Well maybe they did worldwide, but not in Asheville.  There is that "other dimension" again for you.  Here is some proof:  (actually, I am joking - there are businesses in there, but not the original ones - and the "Woolworth's" even has a soda fountain.)

 Woolworths and Kress's are fixtures of my childhood, living forever in my memory on Fordham Road in the Bronx.  And now, in Asheville, NC.

More later.

The Peanut President

Jimmy Carter has always fascinated me.  He came seemingly out of nowhere, seemed to have what it took to be President, but once he got into office he never succeeded.  Yet, in private life, he has succeeded beyond what may have been his wildest dreams.

What in his upbringing, what in his childhood values, what in his education made this man?

And why has this area of Georgia grown organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and others?  What here was so special?

We are visiting the Americus/Plains area to find out. In this blog entry I am concentrating on Jimmy Carter the man.

This is the house that Jimmy Carter grew up in.

Jimmy Carter grew up outside of Plains, GA in a solidly middle class family.  The actual town, which no longer exists, was called Archery.  The realities of rural life in those days created a childhood of lots of hard physical labor.  His father, loving as he was, did not believe in keeping anything on the farm that did not "pay its own way".   And this was hard farming, although the Carters were rich enough to have tenant farmers.  Still, Jimmy worked side by side with area black farmers, performing distasteful chores such as "mopping cotton".

"Miss Lillian", Jimmy's mother, was a nurse who did not turn anyone away, black or white.

Jimmy's father encouraged Jimmy to work and play alongside of the local black farmers.


The Carters grew cotton, peanuts, and sugar cane.  Student farmers still raise these crops at the homestead today.  They kept goats for meat, and mules to plow the fields.

And, in this windmill, is the germ of using "alternate energy".  There is nothing new about windpower.

The Plains High School the Carters attended has been closed (as part of consolidating various school districts).  This is a classroom set up the way it would have looked for Jimmy Carter in the 7th grade. Like so many famous people, Jimmy Carter credits a high school teacher, Miss Julia Coleman, as another great influence on his life.  In 1940 Eleanor Roosevelt invited her to the White House to honor her.  I highly recommend reading about her life.

 This is the outside of the high school.

Plains was the "Big City" for Jimmy Carter.  This is what it looks like today:

Jimmy Carter lives just outside of Plains today, and when he is in town, teaches Sunday School at his church.  This is Jimmy Carter's "Church Home".

When we had first planned our trip, Mr. Carter was not supposed to be in town but this has since changed. We won't be able to change our plans but it certainly would have been interesting.

The Carters also raise a lot of money by auctioning various belongings, momentos, and even paintings.

So, what about this childhood made Jimmy Carter so special?  Didn't many other Georgians had a similar rural childhood?  Not exactly.  There were Jimmy's parents, the hard work ethic instilled in him, his travel in Navy service.  But what else?  The Americus area has something very special, which I hope to write about soon.

Lake Norman

Part of the joy of traveling is finding things you never knew existed.

Traveling in North Carolina, right before we crossed over the border into South Carolina, we found a gorgeous man made lake called Lake Norman.

Based on what was around it I think a lot of well off people found it first.  A lot of condos, golf courses, and fancy boats lined the lake.

Still, I would like to go back one day to check it out further.  I don't know that the 3rd week of March would be the best time.  Yesterday it probably was near 80 degrees but today it was raining and a cold front has now come through.  Not exactly boating weather.  Still, when we came through today the flowering trees were in bloom, and I saw a lot of people walking around enjoying the morning before the rains came.

Lake Norman will join my list of lakes I hope to return to one day.  Another one is Lake Powell, a story for another day.....

Senior Breakfast-Southern Cooking

Had breakfast in a truck stop in Mt. Airy, NC: the SENIOR breakfast bar. Oh my gosh.  Another milestone has been reached.

The breakfast was true South:  Grits, biscuits and gravy, country ham, kielbasa, corn beef hash, fried apples, and a mystery casserole in addition to the usual scrambled eggs, french toast, pancakes, etc.  Didn't have the fried bolongna.

Every time I am in the south I head right to the grits and biscuits and gravy and nourish my inner southerner.  Hopefully I won't pay the price later when all that fat and grease catches up with me.

Today, onward, hopefully, to Georgia.

Goodbye, Mayberry.

A Blast from the Massachusetts Past

When I announced I was going to Cape Cod, a co-worker recommended we visit Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA.  It was a wonderful kickoff to a Massachusetts vacation.  We spent part of two days there.

Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) is a "living history" museum - people "living" the life of those in a small village of the 1830's.  Close enough to the Revolutionary War but late enough to be experiencing the fruits (and problems) of the Industrial Revolution. 

Above, an 1830's craftsman  attends to his work.

OSV is ideal for the family with children, because there are so many hand on activities, with always something to do or something to watch.  Also, picnicing is encouraged and water fountains were readily available.   Restrooms were plentiful.  The "residents" were very patient with the visiting children, and skilled in handling crowds.

 I had  two minor complaints which I will get right out of the way:
1.  A family could get nickeled and dimed to death here because the admission is more "a la carte" than some other places.  A boat ride was $5. a person extra, as was a ride on a stagecoach.  This could run into serious money for the average family.  Some of the crafts activities were extra but in all fairness they were "make it and take it" so it would be up to the family to decide if the fee was worth the activity.

2.  Unlike some other "living history" museums I have been to, some of the"residents" stepped out of character.   It was a little disappointing, for example, to hear the tinsmith talk about OSHA regulations.  Again in all fairness, because he was dealing with lead solder, it is possible he had to mention the fact that the use of lead was safe because it did not come in contact with any surfaces that would contact food.  However, other "residents" stepped in and out of the 1830's, in my opinion.  Whether or not that is a bad thing is again for the individual visitor to judge.

In all other ways I was quite pleased with my visit.  One nice thing is that I saw the Village both on a very busy day (the day before Labor Day) and a "dead" day, Labor Day itself.

One crowd pleaser, on Sunday, was the man demonstrating a musket:  as you can guess the children were absolutely entranced at the entire process, including the below (the priming):

These two craftsmen above demonstrate a water driven sawmill.

All of the craftsmen were very skilled and knowledgeable of their craft, and eager to share their knowledge.   I enjoyed the tinsmith especially, and ended up buying a small creamer at the gift shop.  Having soldered myself, I could appreciate this man working with a charcoal fired solder melter.

The buildings on site were mostly moved from other New England towns.  This was never an actual "village". 

Here is one of the waterwheels in action.

This is the "Salem Towne House".  A prosperous family would have lived here.

This is a farm scene.  Seems peaceful, right?  Yet, it was very hard work to maintain, harder than most of us can imagine.

There were a couple of extensive heirloom gardens, with a very informative exhibit on uses of herbs and spices in the 1830's.  At the farm, of course, heirloom animals were being raised.  We ended up buying two heirloom plants and will see if they make it through our winter.

The OSV website has a wealth of information on this and other topics.


The OSV bookstore had an extensive collection of "how to" books, books about history, cookbooks, you name it.  The gift shop wasn't just the usual Made in China stuff but rather had locally or regionally made tinware, redware, pottery, and other surprises.

Finally, on Monday, when all was quiet, we had the chance to converse with some of the craftspeople.  It was obvious, the way they greeted each other (we were there when the village opened), that they enjoy working together.  One, a woman working on a netting project, sat in one of the houses - she explained she was retired and this was a retirement career.  Hmmm....

Chatham Great White Sharks-Not! (Or, What we did on our Summer Vacation)

I just returned from Cape Cod this afternoon.  So, fresh off the digital camera....

 We did not plan to go to Chatham originally (where the great white sharks were spotted recently) but decided to go there-being spontaneous is part of vacationing, after all.  So yesterday, off we went.   Needless to say, we didn't see any sharks.   However I got some nice beach pictures and had a good time.

This picture is of the Chatham Lighthouse, near to where some sharks were spotted earlier in the week.  The only sharks there now are the visitors, circling the limited number of available parking spaces. (We may have been one of the "sharks" in this article.  Gee, my 15 seconds of fame.)  If we had been there the day before (Wednesday) we could have taken a tour of this working lighthouse.

What we did get to see is harbor seals.  The seals we saw were all in the water so I did not get a good photo. One of my tries is in the picture below, a dot between the posts in the "corner" and the boat closest to the bottom of the photo to the right. 

Their faces look very much like dogs.

We did not have time to take one of the tours that would have taken us out to nearby Monomoy Island, where we could have engaged in seal watching.  Perhaps another time.

Here are some boats in the Chatham harbor.

Finally, a picture taken at a beach at the Monomoy Wildlife Refuge.  This is another place we could have spent a lot more time at. 

Ironically, the movie "Jaws" was filmed not that far away (as the seabird flies), on the island of Martha's Vineyard.  So, I didn't need any convincing to stay out of the water!  Needless to say, the beaches above were all closed to swimmers - although it was cool and windy and probably few people would have been in the water anyway.

Next post, the sweeter side of Chatham.

The Shoney's Comeback vs. Sonic

I don't know how many of my Northeast readers are familiar with Shoney's, the restaurant chain that was once coast to coast. I knew about it from living in the South. When my son was young, we went on several vacations in Virginia and ate at the Shoney's wherever we were. They were noted for their buffets, and I must admit secret longings for grits, chicken fried steak, and biscuits and gravy.

However, it seemed that each time we went down south, there were fewer and fewer Shoney's and the food was worse and worse. The last time we ate at a Shoney's was when we stayed at a Shoney's Inn in Winchester, VA earlier this "century". Not only was the food inedible but the Inn was...well, it was not anywhere I would ever stay again. And not only that, but we ate our free breakfast under the watchful eye of guards...I mean, staff, who made it feel like you were eating breakfast in prison, not in a motel.

So much for a business that had once been an "institution". Sad.

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the attempted turnaround of Shoney's under the leadership of their latest CEO David Davoudpour. I wish them luck, as too many chains have gone under in recent years. But it would take a lot of convincing to get me to ever stay in a Shoney's Inn or eat in a Shoney's. A pity.

Now contrast this with Sonic, the southern drive-in style chain, complete with carhops wearing roller skates. They've been heading further and further north and west and recently opened a location in Binghamton. They've had quite the reception here complete with traffic jams. We went there today-friendly staff. The food is...well it is a drive-in. The drinks are a specialty and the shakes were very good. I look forward to going back and having a limeade. If I am on the road, it is lunchtime and I pass a Sonic, I will definitely think about stopping.

Wonderful Canadian Strawberry Milkshake Oreos!

Last summer, traveling in New Brunswick, CA we ran across Strawberry Milkshake Oreos. Oreos in Canada are manufactured by Christie, which is a brand name of Kraft Canada. (And no, I'm not being paid to post this).

For some reason, when I eat the Canadian equivalents of U.S. brands, I always like the Canadian versions better. This includes Special K Cereal, which has changed here in the States but is like what I remember from my childhood in Canada. Also Cadbury bars, which are not the same as the Hershey (sorry, Hershey) versions sold here in the states. And finally, potato chips. Where else can you buy potato chip flavors such as Roasted Chicken and Gravy, Ketchup (a long time favorite of mine), and Curry?

Well, last year, in a store in Saint John, New Brunswick, we hit the jackpot. Christie Strawberry Milkshake Oreos! What a match made in heaven. Crispy (probably thanks to the trans fats it had-yum!) and...well, I am no fan of artificial flavor, but these were Maximum Strawberry Bliss. I only bought one package. I should have purchased more. Well such are the pleasant surprises of travel. Fast forward 9 months....

Saturday we were shopping. In fact, I had just purchased several packages of Newman-O's at a very good price. Went into our local supermarket to pick up something for a BBQ and there they were....I blinked and the mirage did not disappear.

Strawberry Milkshake Oreos!

I bought one package. Brought it home. Waited until after supper. Opened the package.

Yes!!!!!!

And the best part? We looked at the label and they were made in....Canada.

Nabisco, thank you thank you thank you. But please reconsider on one thing. These are marked "Limited Edition". Please say it ain't so.

The Auto Train as Spiritual Journey Last of Three Parts

In 2006, it had been 30 years since I last set foot in Florida.

Now it was time to go back. How much had things changed since I lived in Tampa between 1974 and 1976?

I can remember a lot about what is now called "old Florida" from three visits between 1966 and 1972. I can remember Busch Gardens in Tampa when it was a free brewery tour followed by a free trained parrot show. I can remember Disney World when it first opened (my first visit was 10 months, I believe, after its opening.) and you paid separately for rides.

I can remember riding one of those rides, It's a Small World, when it was at the NY Worlds Fair. In fact, it was part of Disneyworld when the park opened and still operates today: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/attractions/its-a-small-world/

So how did I prepare for this nostalgic visit? By researching it to death. I discovered various Tampa landmarks were gone-Mirabella's, Maas Brothers - and others had been bought up or had name changes - Robinson's. The Tampa skyline definitely was not what it was (or, more like it, what it was not) back in 1976. But absolutely nothing prepared me for what was to come.

And now...how to get to Florida?

I remember seeing ads for the Auto Train in the early 1970's when I still lived in NYC. I think, back then, it was private. I had always been curious about it. So we booked it, myself, my spouse and my 16 year old son-and our 1999 Altima.

Once the train pulled out of the station in Lorton, VA, there was the amazing sense of getting ready to complete a journey that had started in 1966. Thirty years earlier, an Atlantic Coast Line train had brought me home from Tampa, FL during an airplane strike. Once again was the sense of being one with the land we were passing through. The rocking, the train sounds, the whistle blowing. In Fredericksburg, VA we passed near Civil War battlefields we had visited years ago. At Quantico, we went right through the marine base and watched helicopters in flight. We passed over a beautiful lake and had close up views of the countryside. In Richmond, VA we passed so close to a highway we could see the faces of drivers heading in the opposite direction. It was so tempting to wave!

We passed people going home for their supper hour. In one town we passed right down the middle of their main street, with driveways backing right into the path of the train.

Even after darkness fell, and the hours passed, I would peer out the window every time lights and the start of whistleblowing, announced a town. We passed through southern North Carolina as I fell into a fitful sleep. The train seemed to speed up. When a train passed in another direction sometimes it seemed as though the train would rock right off its tracks. Finally, we pulled into a well lit station - our one stop, to change crews and do maintenance only: Florence, South Carolina. We stayed there a while, and then traveled on.

At some point I woke up in time to see a huge, well lit billboard for a Crab Shack on Tybee Island and didn't know if it was part of a dream or not.

The next thing I knew, it was 6am and time for breakfast. I had no idea where I was - it turned out to be southern Georgia.

As darkness made way, my son and I gazed upon a southern greenscape. What a feeling it was to share this with my son, pointing out the southern vegetation and other landmarks as we came across them. How awesome is it to share a piece of your life with your teenage son?

The sun was already so high in the sky as we crossed over the St. Mary's river into Florida, glaring down with the promise of a boiling August Florida day. After breakfast, we slowly wound through Jacksonville, FL. Jacksonville is the largest city (area wise) in the United States and the Auto Train gives a very good view, taking a good 20 minutes to pass through. To my delight I saw names I had not seen in 30 years...Kash and Karry, Winn-Dixie. They had survived the 31 years since I had been last in Jacksonville.

South of Jacksonville, we saw many shade houses, and the conductor announced these were fern growing areas. Certainly nothing you would have seen from the Interstate.

Finally we got to Sanford, and the circle started in 1966 was complete. Well, almost complete. We still needed to get to Tampa. We did end up in Tampa after visiting some other parts of Florida -some of which we knew from 30 years ago, and wanted to share with our son.

And no, we didn't visit any attractions in Orlando. I'm strictly (well, somewhat strictly) an Old Florida type of person.

But other topics call, and - well, this is a ramblin' blog. I'll write about my 2006 visit some more one day soon, I promise.

The Auto Train as Spiritual Journey Part 2

In July of 1966, my father and I flew down to Tampa, Florida to visit family. It was my first "real" trip outside of the general area around my native New York City and my first time on an airplane. We were supposed to fly back home except...the airlines went on strike. Every single one.

My Dad had to get home and get back to work. The way back home turned out to be on an Atlantic Coast Line train. Tampa to NYC. The ride was about 26 hours long.

I was familiar with the NYC subways and had even ridden the Long Island Railroad, but this was something different.

I can still remember portions of the journey 43 years later. A dinner (I remember how expensive the prices seemed), served on china. Many people carrying Atlantic Coast Line bags; how I wish we had bought one. At one point they told people the train was going to split, and if you weren't in the correct car you would end up going somewhere else. But most of all, the scenery stayed with me. When you are on a train, there is an intimacy totally unlike seeing the country from the Interstate. On a train you travel literally through people's back yards. Their everyday lives are yours to observe as you speed past. We traveled through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina. Rural poverty unfolded around me, almost close enough to touch. It wasn't the war on poverty from television. This was reality.

I don't remember much about the big cities, although I know we later traveled through Baltimore and Philadelphia. It's the countryside I remember. And the countryside that called to me the next time I would travel on a long distance train, 40 years later, back to Florida.

The Auto Train as Spiritual Journey Part 1

Now that spring has come, I can admit that this is actually my second spring of the year.

My first spring was in early March, when spouse and I took the Auto Train to Florida. And, unexpectedly, back again.

For those of you who live on the East Coast and do not enjoy flying, the Auto Train is an alternative. It is an Amtrak train that runs non stop (well, one stop, but not to take on passengers) between Lorton, VA (just south of DC) and Sanford, FL (just north of Orlando). If you are lucky you leave around 4pm (either way) and arrive the next day around 10. In another hour or so, you have your car and you are on your way.

Catches? A couple....
1. You must have a vehicle (doesn't have to be a car-can be a motorcycle, SUV or something large) to ride the Auto Train
2. Planning to sleep? Don't. Expect to be sleep-deprived the next day. Sleep is a bonus. But more on that later.

We have taken 3 trips on the Auto Train. There are some very nice features to it.

1. The sardine-can mentality of the airlines has not hit the Auto Train. You sit two across, and there is a ton of legroom. And, of course, you can move around.
2. Lots more ability to carry luggage on board. There is security, but it is very unobtrusive. To date, we haven't been picked for random searches. On the Lorton end, our car was "sniffed" without us having to get out, my guess was for explosives.
3. Lots of "included in the fare". Free coffee, free water, free fruit (apples, bananas) to munch on, free snacks (a mixture of pretzels, corn chips, cheeze doodles-if you want nutrition there is the fruit) free dinner, free continental breakfast. Free wine with dinner.
4. The crews are very customer service conscious. At least the ones we have traveled with. A lot of snowbirds travel this train and Amtrak is very service conscious on this train.
5. A big plus for us, with apologies to those traveling as families with children - separate cars for family and adults traveling without children. On our first trip, with a 16 year old, we were able to sit in the adult car.
6. There are electric outlets, so you can bring a laptop. A lot of people do that to amuse themselves. There isn't much entertainment, unless you count your fellow passengers as entertainment. Don't depend on the "movie" they advertise-it is in a lounge car, on a small TV screen.

In my next post, more on our travel experiences with the Auto Train, and how I renewed a love relationship with trains that started when I was a young teenager.