I don't know how far we drove today, but we changed time zones and we're 20 miles from the border of New Mexico/Arizona when we started in Texas.
Drove through El Paso which is nothing to write home about. There appeared to be a massive amount of shanties etc. Not very wealthy looking at all.
Alberquerque was fun, but I still can't spell it. Lots of turquoise. Everything looked very pink.
The strangest part of the driving is that there are such vast, open spaces that you can see the weather you are driving into. You can tell that you're about to drive into the mother of all storms, but you're on the highway so you keep going. And you drive for a while, and it becomes fine, but you can see lightning way off in the distance to the side of you.
The landscape is beautiful, exactly like it was in every western ever made. Except, perhaps, hte Sergio Leone westerns that were shot in Europe.
We're driving along lots of parts of the old Route 66 now, which I am, of course, greeting with some delight. We are staying the night in Gallup which is crazy. These towns are small/big/weird and I am not entirely sure how anyone lives here full time. It would breed a totally different mentality.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Driving in the USofA
When we were driving in Illinois I was internally composing a letter to the President to complain about the fact that the speed limit was 65mph and it was taking forever to get anywhere. Less than 100kmh is prohibitively slow in my opinion.
Then, when we crossed the border into Missipssippi (was it Missipssippi? Possibly it was Missouri, but we definitely went through Arkansas briefly) the speed limit was 70mph which was more reasonable, and made me realise that I would have to address the letter to the Governor of Illinois who was clearly holding his people back. This was not a national issue.
Now we're in Texas, the speed limit is 80mph. That's almost 130kmh. Oh yeah. But I promise I am driving very responsibly. And I am still bollocks at parking.
Other things:
The Texas government sits for 5 months and then goes on break for 18 months.
In the words of the tour guide lady 'who needs more laws?'
Then, when we crossed the border into Missipssippi (was it Missipssippi? Possibly it was Missouri, but we definitely went through Arkansas briefly) the speed limit was 70mph which was more reasonable, and made me realise that I would have to address the letter to the Governor of Illinois who was clearly holding his people back. This was not a national issue.
Now we're in Texas, the speed limit is 80mph. That's almost 130kmh. Oh yeah. But I promise I am driving very responsibly. And I am still bollocks at parking.
Other things:
The Texas government sits for 5 months and then goes on break for 18 months.
In the words of the tour guide lady 'who needs more laws?'
Van Horn, Texas
We're in a place called Van Horn which has a population of about 2000 and there are 50 places to sleep and only 2 restaurants.
We went for dinner at a place called Chuy's (pronounced Chewys, which I may have known had I attended more Spanish classes) where we met a couple from Corpus Christi who confirmed that, yes we were headed in the right direction. They had 4 Chiuanas and were heading to a Rod Stewart concert. She had a dog called Maggie May. I am almost sick of Mexican food.
Then we drove past a place on the main drag where a man made paintings of other paintings and lived amongst his art. This is him:http://www.vangoghtx.com/
He was featured in a book called 'Faces of Texas' or somesuch and his store was totally crazy. Heaps of books and canvases were stacked all over the place. I wish I could upload the pictures effectively becaues the place was nuts. There are so many parts of Texas that a truly, truly eccentric.
When we stopped for lunch today, it was like walking into a movie. A Mexican restaurant with plastic tables and signs that said 'No Checks Accepted If You're Not Local' and a sea of eyes that quickly identified us as tourists.
Anyway, today we found a 'double gulp' which was 2Litres of soft drink for $1.50 and after sharing it with Sarah I spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out which rest stops had bathrooms.
We went for dinner at a place called Chuy's (pronounced Chewys, which I may have known had I attended more Spanish classes) where we met a couple from Corpus Christi who confirmed that, yes we were headed in the right direction. They had 4 Chiuanas and were heading to a Rod Stewart concert. She had a dog called Maggie May. I am almost sick of Mexican food.
Then we drove past a place on the main drag where a man made paintings of other paintings and lived amongst his art. This is him:http://www.vangoghtx.com/
He was featured in a book called 'Faces of Texas' or somesuch and his store was totally crazy. Heaps of books and canvases were stacked all over the place. I wish I could upload the pictures effectively becaues the place was nuts. There are so many parts of Texas that a truly, truly eccentric.
When we stopped for lunch today, it was like walking into a movie. A Mexican restaurant with plastic tables and signs that said 'No Checks Accepted If You're Not Local' and a sea of eyes that quickly identified us as tourists.
Anyway, today we found a 'double gulp' which was 2Litres of soft drink for $1.50 and after sharing it with Sarah I spent most of the afternoon trying to figure out which rest stops had bathrooms.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Everything is Bigger In Texas
We're in Austin and we've just been to see a play called 'I Google Myself'. Actually, it was called 'i google myself'. Anyway, what promised to be a very interesting premise later turned into a three man play where everyone got:
a) beaten up, by each other; and
b) turned out to be gay. And the gay porn star ends up in a wheelchair. And then tries to seduce the stalker man who he avoided for the whole rest of the play.
Sorry if I ruined that for anybody. Community theatre cracks me up. It was worth going, but jeez louise, the ending was ludicrous. Kind've like the script you'd write if you were 10 years old and trying to tie up all the loose ends while giving the audience some romance. Weid as it was.
Then we went to a restaurant where the waitress asked us if:
a) we had facebook in Australia; and
b) if we had onions in Australia.
Sarah laughed, while I tried to bridge the cultural divide by emphasising the similarities between Western Australia and Texas. I think it worked. She told us to go and look at the bats tomorrow night. Which I think we will do.
It's raining here because the hurricane has sent the wether this was. (Hurricane Dolly, which we were trying to avoid but it found us anyway).
I have become obsessed with a show called 'Shear Genius', the premise of which is too embarassing to recount here. But I discovered it while staying in my new favourite roadside hotel chain - the 'Days Inn'. I was most disappointed the other day when we had to resort to a Best Western, I can tell you.
The Capitol Building here is bigger than the one in Washington, but it is pink because it is made from granite instead of sandstone, granite being indigenous to Texas. See, travel broadens your horizons.
Basically we're in Austin to check out the arts scene (hence the community theatre) and the vintage stores. This is a crazy place. It doesn't feel like the rest of Texas and it's possible that a fair chunk of people here even vote for the Democratic Party. You don't get much crazier than that.
a) beaten up, by each other; and
b) turned out to be gay. And the gay porn star ends up in a wheelchair. And then tries to seduce the stalker man who he avoided for the whole rest of the play.
Sorry if I ruined that for anybody. Community theatre cracks me up. It was worth going, but jeez louise, the ending was ludicrous. Kind've like the script you'd write if you were 10 years old and trying to tie up all the loose ends while giving the audience some romance. Weid as it was.
Then we went to a restaurant where the waitress asked us if:
a) we had facebook in Australia; and
b) if we had onions in Australia.
Sarah laughed, while I tried to bridge the cultural divide by emphasising the similarities between Western Australia and Texas. I think it worked. She told us to go and look at the bats tomorrow night. Which I think we will do.
It's raining here because the hurricane has sent the wether this was. (Hurricane Dolly, which we were trying to avoid but it found us anyway).
I have become obsessed with a show called 'Shear Genius', the premise of which is too embarassing to recount here. But I discovered it while staying in my new favourite roadside hotel chain - the 'Days Inn'. I was most disappointed the other day when we had to resort to a Best Western, I can tell you.
The Capitol Building here is bigger than the one in Washington, but it is pink because it is made from granite instead of sandstone, granite being indigenous to Texas. See, travel broadens your horizons.
Basically we're in Austin to check out the arts scene (hence the community theatre) and the vintage stores. This is a crazy place. It doesn't feel like the rest of Texas and it's possible that a fair chunk of people here even vote for the Democratic Party. You don't get much crazier than that.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Tour Continues
Chicago ended up being awesome without seeing any of the sites. I'd been before, and after we'd done Navy Pier, an architectural cruise in the aching heat and a bit of walking about, we headed for the outer suburbs where we checked out the shopping. Very cute city. Great vibe. Went and saw 'All About Eve' for free in the park. God I love that film.
From Chicago we headed to Memphis which was ACE. It's a great little city with awesome blues music, Sun Studios, Graceland (cue: enhanced Elvis crush, but obvioulsy this is a 50's early 60's Elvis crush) and the funniest hostel ever. You had to do chores. So obviously I regressed to a childlike state as soon as I realisedmy first chore was 'sweep and mop all the bathroom floors and the floor outside the bathroom' when someone else had 'dust the computer'. Not very proportional. However, it was located right near a church (????) and Cooper-Young Street which had heaps of cool restaurants and vintage stores. Checked out a poetry reading (poetry is so bad when it's not good) and a blues musician in a really cute cafe that sold clothes and books.
Beale street was weird - but the music was great. We had burgers at Dyer's which apparently were cooked in grease that may have particles form the original first 1912 batch in it. I could feel my heart valves seizing. Sat in a park and watched blues musicians for hours. It was pretty amazing - all this music spilliung into the street. And people drinking yard high drinks. I chose to focus on the music.
Headed down to New Orleans which I LOVED. The Mississippi is crazily big and it amazes me that anyone decided to build there in the first place. You drive along bridges constructed over the water for miles. Saw a plantation and all my Gone With the Wind fantasies were relived. I even sat on a porch. In a hat. Granted, it was my hat and Kangol made it so it wasn't exactly a large, wide brimmed southern lady's hat but it was still cool.
Headed to Coop's for dinner where I ate rabbit and sausage jambalaya and gumbo. Then to Frenchman's street where we hung out with some people from the hostel and watched some fantastic jazz at the Spotted Cat. Bourbon St is a nightmare.
I told a man I was trying to dissuade that I didn't dance because it 'led to sin'. He then decided I must have been very Christian which did not dissuade him AT ALL. Actually quite funny.
Now we are spending our night on the way to Austin. There's a hurricane in Texas and we're about 200 miles from the centre, but the weather is awful. It's raining like crazy.
From Chicago we headed to Memphis which was ACE. It's a great little city with awesome blues music, Sun Studios, Graceland (cue: enhanced Elvis crush, but obvioulsy this is a 50's early 60's Elvis crush) and the funniest hostel ever. You had to do chores. So obviously I regressed to a childlike state as soon as I realisedmy first chore was 'sweep and mop all the bathroom floors and the floor outside the bathroom' when someone else had 'dust the computer'. Not very proportional. However, it was located right near a church (????) and Cooper-Young Street which had heaps of cool restaurants and vintage stores. Checked out a poetry reading (poetry is so bad when it's not good) and a blues musician in a really cute cafe that sold clothes and books.
Beale street was weird - but the music was great. We had burgers at Dyer's which apparently were cooked in grease that may have particles form the original first 1912 batch in it. I could feel my heart valves seizing. Sat in a park and watched blues musicians for hours. It was pretty amazing - all this music spilliung into the street. And people drinking yard high drinks. I chose to focus on the music.
Headed down to New Orleans which I LOVED. The Mississippi is crazily big and it amazes me that anyone decided to build there in the first place. You drive along bridges constructed over the water for miles. Saw a plantation and all my Gone With the Wind fantasies were relived. I even sat on a porch. In a hat. Granted, it was my hat and Kangol made it so it wasn't exactly a large, wide brimmed southern lady's hat but it was still cool.
Headed to Coop's for dinner where I ate rabbit and sausage jambalaya and gumbo. Then to Frenchman's street where we hung out with some people from the hostel and watched some fantastic jazz at the Spotted Cat. Bourbon St is a nightmare.
I told a man I was trying to dissuade that I didn't dance because it 'led to sin'. He then decided I must have been very Christian which did not dissuade him AT ALL. Actually quite funny.
Now we are spending our night on the way to Austin. There's a hurricane in Texas and we're about 200 miles from the centre, but the weather is awful. It's raining like crazy.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Coney Island of the Mind
Guess what I did...
I went to Coney Island and ate a Nathan's hotdog, and watched beach volleyball and went on the Wonder Wheel.
I paid 99c to go to the Coney Island Museum and used the penny left over to watch a film Thomas Edison made about electrocuting an elephant.
We went to a freak show where a man hammered a nail into his head, a woman danced with a really large albino python and a woman who had tattooed almost her entire body and breathed fire. The tiniest girl in the world swallowed an exceptionally large sword.
We queued for pizza at what is meant to be one of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn, where you ended up eating off plastic plates and drinking from plastic cups, but whatever. I read an article about it in the NYT about 2 years ago. The pizza was ace. And you know, you meet interesting people when you're forced to line up for ages.
I went to the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue where we joined a queue we assumed was going to get us into the vuilding. Half an hour later we realised that it was the line for the new iPhone and there was, in fact, a much shorter line for entrance to the store and all its free internetty goodness.
I saw the UN building and then went to the Museum for Democracy where I looked at Presidential campaigning memorabilia and talked to a woman who seemed to be more active and interested in her retirement than I am now.
I saw an off-braodway production about a Christian Rock Band and went to the Comedy Club where Jerry Seinfeld filmed the beginning of each show.
So that was New York. I am in Chicago now, where it is less warm. Not entirely sure what I want to do yet! I'm sure something will come up.
I went to Coney Island and ate a Nathan's hotdog, and watched beach volleyball and went on the Wonder Wheel.
I paid 99c to go to the Coney Island Museum and used the penny left over to watch a film Thomas Edison made about electrocuting an elephant.
We went to a freak show where a man hammered a nail into his head, a woman danced with a really large albino python and a woman who had tattooed almost her entire body and breathed fire. The tiniest girl in the world swallowed an exceptionally large sword.
We queued for pizza at what is meant to be one of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn, where you ended up eating off plastic plates and drinking from plastic cups, but whatever. I read an article about it in the NYT about 2 years ago. The pizza was ace. And you know, you meet interesting people when you're forced to line up for ages.
I went to the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue where we joined a queue we assumed was going to get us into the vuilding. Half an hour later we realised that it was the line for the new iPhone and there was, in fact, a much shorter line for entrance to the store and all its free internetty goodness.
I saw the UN building and then went to the Museum for Democracy where I looked at Presidential campaigning memorabilia and talked to a woman who seemed to be more active and interested in her retirement than I am now.
I saw an off-braodway production about a Christian Rock Band and went to the Comedy Club where Jerry Seinfeld filmed the beginning of each show.
So that was New York. I am in Chicago now, where it is less warm. Not entirely sure what I want to do yet! I'm sure something will come up.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
And a Chronological Detour to include Washington DC
I thought Washington was great. Sarah almost killed me after about 2 hours when I wouldn't stop quoting the West Wing. It's amazing how much in real life can be linked to WW. Even more so when you are actually in DC. Amazing!
I managed to escape unscathed to link everything back to Josh, CJ and the gang. So this was DC:
Library of Congress
Very large building. Many books. Nice bible.
Capitol Hill
Leo: We've got separation of powers, checks and balances, and Margaret, vetoing things and sending them back to the Hill.
It was a very nice building with a big dome and considerably more impressive than Australia's Parliament House. May have taken a ridiculous amount of photos from many different angles, with all sorts of lighting. They (being security) confiscated my sunscreen going in, which meant I had to go back and dig it out of the bin when I had completed my tour. Because you can't waste thigns like that. Grrr....
Archives - Declaration of Independance, Bill of Rights & the Constitution
More queues. Documents quite faded. Occurred to me that Australians may take their constitution more seriously if it was written in calligraphy and someone had bothered to make it a bit poetic.
4th of July Parade
You know what Americans have a lot of? Inflatable balloons. I could understand the reasoning behind the giant American eagle, the uncle Sam hat and even the Garfield dressed as a President. Do I know why there was a giant Hello Kitty balloon? I do not.
Additionally, I think Australia needs more marching bands. We really do. It's not a parade without 100s of kids sweating themselves to deaths in over-ornate band uniforms.
Nuseum
Josh: You're going to be reading a bit today about your secret plan to fight inflation.
Bartlet: I have a secret plan to fight inflation?
Josh: No.
Bartlet: Why am I going to be reading that I do?
Josh: It was suggested in the press room that you do.
Bartlet: By who?
Josh: By me.
Bartlet: You told the press I have a secret plan to fight inflation?
Josh: No, I did not. Let me be absolutely clear, I did not do that. Except, yes, I did that.
4th of July Fireworks
Fireworks around the Washington Monument. Cannon fire that made children cry. Jimmy Smits MCing the evening.
Crab Cakes at Eastern Market
BARTLET: "Toby, go with us to this radio thing."
TOBY: "Oh, god, really, sir?"
BARTLET: "There'll be crab puffs. New England crab puffs by the way. Made in New England."
SAM: "Actually, it's Alaskan crab."
TOBY: "Sam!"
BARTLET: "There's Alaskan crab in this White House?"
TOBY: "You would've have known the difference?"
BARTLET: "Have you tried them?"
SAM: "I... yes, reluctantly. I think it was clear in the way I ate the crab puffs that it was a gesture of protest."
BARTLET: "Were they good?"
SAM: "Extraordinarily good and they're going very fast."
Anyway, that's it. I liked Washington. If only Canberra was as cool as Washington.
I managed to escape unscathed to link everything back to Josh, CJ and the gang. So this was DC:
Library of Congress
Very large building. Many books. Nice bible.
Capitol Hill
Leo: We've got separation of powers, checks and balances, and Margaret, vetoing things and sending them back to the Hill.
It was a very nice building with a big dome and considerably more impressive than Australia's Parliament House. May have taken a ridiculous amount of photos from many different angles, with all sorts of lighting. They (being security) confiscated my sunscreen going in, which meant I had to go back and dig it out of the bin when I had completed my tour. Because you can't waste thigns like that. Grrr....
Archives - Declaration of Independance, Bill of Rights & the Constitution
More queues. Documents quite faded. Occurred to me that Australians may take their constitution more seriously if it was written in calligraphy and someone had bothered to make it a bit poetic.
4th of July Parade
You know what Americans have a lot of? Inflatable balloons. I could understand the reasoning behind the giant American eagle, the uncle Sam hat and even the Garfield dressed as a President. Do I know why there was a giant Hello Kitty balloon? I do not.
Additionally, I think Australia needs more marching bands. We really do. It's not a parade without 100s of kids sweating themselves to deaths in over-ornate band uniforms.
Nuseum
Josh: You're going to be reading a bit today about your secret plan to fight inflation.
Bartlet: I have a secret plan to fight inflation?
Josh: No.
Bartlet: Why am I going to be reading that I do?
Josh: It was suggested in the press room that you do.
Bartlet: By who?
Josh: By me.
Bartlet: You told the press I have a secret plan to fight inflation?
Josh: No, I did not. Let me be absolutely clear, I did not do that. Except, yes, I did that.
4th of July Fireworks
Fireworks around the Washington Monument. Cannon fire that made children cry. Jimmy Smits MCing the evening.
Crab Cakes at Eastern Market
BARTLET: "Toby, go with us to this radio thing."
TOBY: "Oh, god, really, sir?"
BARTLET: "There'll be crab puffs. New England crab puffs by the way. Made in New England."
SAM: "Actually, it's Alaskan crab."
TOBY: "Sam!"
BARTLET: "There's Alaskan crab in this White House?"
TOBY: "You would've have known the difference?"
BARTLET: "Have you tried them?"
SAM: "I... yes, reluctantly. I think it was clear in the way I ate the crab puffs that it was a gesture of protest."
BARTLET: "Were they good?"
SAM: "Extraordinarily good and they're going very fast."
Anyway, that's it. I liked Washington. If only Canberra was as cool as Washington.
I'll Always Love You New York
In New York. Think it is fabulous so far. Brief summary below. Will blog about Washington when I have more internet time.
Yankees v Red Socks
Oh yes, a baseball game at Yankee styadium where the Yankess clutched victory from the jaws of a draw at the bottom of the tenth with Gardner on 2 strikes. People threw crackerjacks through the air, light beer cost $8, people carried crates of hotdogs on their heads AND during the 7th inning stretch we got to sing 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame'. Americana at its best.
Did anyone know how much stuff BoA sponsors in the USA? I keep thinking that if I was still an employee there may be some kind of discount I would be eligible for.
Guggenheim
Louise Bourgeois exhibition was amazing. Loved it. Didn't matter that all the 'famous; paintings were unavailable to the public. Bourgeois is about to go down as one of my favourite artists of all time.
Broadway
Went and saw 'Young Frankenstein' which was hilarious, as well as blatantly being a Mel Brooks creation. He lvoes his hot blonde girls making out with slightly gormless men. He also loves his anatomy jokes. Set was amazing. Totally redeemed my last musicals experience which was 'Gone With The Wind'. I don't think anyone who saw that would be sorry that it had closed.
The Empire State Building
Queues. Americans love queues. They are good at queuing. You waited in line for security, then you waited in line for a ticket, then you waited in line for the first lot of elevators then you waited in line for the second lot of elevators.
I was publicly called out by a ticket man for rolling my eyes at the couple making out in front of me. I mean, seriously people, the 'romantic' bit is at the top of the tower, not when you're less than half way through the queuing experience.
Things I Like About the NY Subway
1. It is airconditioned (are you listening London?!??!).
2. The cars are massive.
3. It is cheap(ish)
Things I Do Not Like
1. Smelliness
2. Subway maps ar enot great and stations are not imaginatively named.
Yankees v Red Socks
Oh yes, a baseball game at Yankee styadium where the Yankess clutched victory from the jaws of a draw at the bottom of the tenth with Gardner on 2 strikes. People threw crackerjacks through the air, light beer cost $8, people carried crates of hotdogs on their heads AND during the 7th inning stretch we got to sing 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame'. Americana at its best.
Did anyone know how much stuff BoA sponsors in the USA? I keep thinking that if I was still an employee there may be some kind of discount I would be eligible for.
Guggenheim
Louise Bourgeois exhibition was amazing. Loved it. Didn't matter that all the 'famous; paintings were unavailable to the public. Bourgeois is about to go down as one of my favourite artists of all time.
Broadway
Went and saw 'Young Frankenstein' which was hilarious, as well as blatantly being a Mel Brooks creation. He lvoes his hot blonde girls making out with slightly gormless men. He also loves his anatomy jokes. Set was amazing. Totally redeemed my last musicals experience which was 'Gone With The Wind'. I don't think anyone who saw that would be sorry that it had closed.
The Empire State Building
Queues. Americans love queues. They are good at queuing. You waited in line for security, then you waited in line for a ticket, then you waited in line for the first lot of elevators then you waited in line for the second lot of elevators.
I was publicly called out by a ticket man for rolling my eyes at the couple making out in front of me. I mean, seriously people, the 'romantic' bit is at the top of the tower, not when you're less than half way through the queuing experience.
Things I Like About the NY Subway
1. It is airconditioned (are you listening London?!??!).
2. The cars are massive.
3. It is cheap(ish)
Things I Do Not Like
1. Smelliness
2. Subway maps ar enot great and stations are not imaginatively named.
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