Hello everyone! From North Carolina!! I hope everyone is doing well while I am travelling down south…feels like way down south. The southern drawl down here is so thick you could cut it with a knife. “Ya’ll” “Ya’ll” “Ya’ll” that is all I hear down here. But first let me tell you how I got down here…
May 21st, 2004
9:00AM
I left Boston at 11:30pm from Chinatown and picked up the NYC subway at about 3:15am. Not much sleep on the bus because these big women were talking and swearing the whole way down. I got on the subway at Grand Ave. in Manhattan and proceeded to West 4th Street where I swithed to the A line uptown. I was amazed about the fact that everything was still on and operating at 3:30am. This truly is “the city that never sleeps”. I bought 2 waters because I was extremely thirsty. They were 1 dollar each. I made it to Pennslyvania Station at about 4am and found an Amtrak waiting area. Nice. But I couldn’t sleep and read a bit and then called my mom and dad who I know are up and getting ready for work well before 5am. I reassured my mother that I arrived at Penn Station still alive and well and to stop worrying. I tried to call a few of my friends in China…but it didn’t work…or nobody was home. Oh well.
Stores finally started to open and I looked around for nothing in particular. I found a mug that says I LOVE NY for only $2.95!!! I didn’t buy it but now I think I might want it…
Then just as the schedule says, at 6:30 they called for “all aboard” for the “Carolinian.” The final destination would be Charlotte, NC. I bought a coffee, (or what they call coffee) and a few donuts, got on board and we were off!
Now remember, I was tired. Real tired. So I slept from NYC all the way to Wilminton Delaware!!!
11:00AM
It is now 11 o’clock and the train is changing engines and most of the passengers are out smoking. I decided to write because I can actually write legibly now since the train has stopped and we are waiting. (of course that doesn’t quite translate to a blog…but anyway…) I have been eating a steady diet of granola bars that I got at CVS before I left Cambridge. I can’t wait to dig into the bowl of noodles that I brought…! Although the “best if used by” date is past…I hope I don’t get violently ill. The weather is not so different as Boston…it is overcast though and starting to get a bit clammy.
Noon
Leaving Quantico, VA
We mad a quick stop in Quantico, Virginia. We are a bit behind schedule, but who cares. WE keep going over bridges and expanses of water. It is quite hazy today so I cannot see the other side of the bodies of water…
1:30PM
Stop in Richmond, VA
I slept some more…it sure is hot now. Ugh…the Cafe car is still closed… for some reason…I want my noodles.
4:20PM
We are now in between Rocky Mount, NC and the next stop. I should be in Raleigh, NC (my destination) in 10 minutes…But I won’t be. I just called my sister Kate, and realized that I am on the Cingular network on my phone…I wonder if I will have to pay a fortune for that call…is it called roaming?
I was finally able to have my noodles. But, it was so confusing, I waited in line for hot water…to put in my bowl of noodles. He gave me a cup with hot water in it…that’s it. So I poured it into my bowl and it wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to stand in line again for another cup of hot water…so I made do with what I got.
You see, in Chinese trains it is much more convenient. At the end of almost every car had a hot water dispensers, where you could fill up any amount that you needed.
Later…
My sister Kate was at the train station waiting for me which was really nice… it was great to see her…but it was so so so hot. I still had my NYC clothes on…jeans shirts and windbreaker… it was chilly the night before up north. But wow…it was hot.
Saturday May 22nd
I helped my brother-in-law Mark, install a new screen door in the back of their house. This is Mark and I putting it all together.
Later that night we went to a great concert at the Regency Amphitheatre in Cary, NC where we saw Alison Krauss and tons of other BLUEGRASS groups play some old songs. There was even a group that played a classic song that my dad always used to sing, “you are my sunshine”. It was a fun surprise that my sister brought me there…I had a great time!
This is my sister Kate and I at the concert.
Sunday May 23rd
After church the three of us went to this cool museum in Raleigh, NC called Exploris. It had a really cool exhibit on CHINA. There were a group of people who came from China and they were doing different crafts, painting on plates, paper making, calligraphy, clay figurine, kite making etc etc. They were all demonstrating their crafts… it was so fun to see and I spoke with one of the guys who was doing painting. He was a nice man who didn’t speak any English. But I spoke Chinese with him….COOL!!!
Speaking of Chinese calligraphy…after I had returned from China the first time I brought back with me some amazing calligraphy done by my good Chinese friend’s father. I had asked him since he was a famous artist in Henan Province if he could do some calligraphy for me…he did and I came home with some really cool things to give as gifts. Well one of the fine works of art I gave to my sister that I am visiting now. I wanted all of you to see and especially for my friend who is a frequent visitor to this website to see and hopefully show it to his father. I thank you again!!!
Monday all day we just chilled and didn’t do too too much. I went on a 7 mile bike ride to a SUPER WALMART!!! Then we drove back to the SuperWalmart to actually buy something. We had lunch and then went miniature golfing.
Here I am taking it really seriously. I was trying to put and do a good job. Kate actually beat Mark and I both!!! UGH! What has the world come to?
Here is the good golfer and his winner wife!!!
Tuesday I go back on the train to go back north and up to upstate NY!!!
I will be up in Upstate New York till Sunday May 30th. I will be chilling with my neices and nephew!!
Don’t worry there will be more posting coming soon.
Thanks for reading.
Posted May 23rd 11:50pm.
confidence-building for the children.
Saturday I will be heading up to New Hampshire!! COOL!!!
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