Woolworth’s lunch counter (Smithsonian) I tried to build a coherent picture of my seatmate as I rode Amtrak from Cleveland to New York. The obvious stuff: 40-ish, black, heavyset, financially on the edge. I got the financial bit as he talked on the phone about his imminent move to a smaller apartment. He clicked away at…… Continue reading The Other
Category: Learn
Yellow Camaro in Paradise
I don’t give a toss about cars. I drive a 1997 Honda Civic as little as possible. It still hasn’t clocked 80,000 miles.In the 1980’s when Dwight and I were looking for our first car together, a salesman proudly led us outside. “I have just the car for you guys.”We couldn’t believe our eyes: the…… Continue reading Yellow Camaro in Paradise
Yellow Camaro in Paradise
Posted about a yellow Camaro in Paradise, and how I don’t give a toss about cars.
My Worst Travel Fail
I have rarely felt more alive, more calm, more in the moment, more close to death. But that all came later that night. It was October 2011, northern India, Haridwar, one of Hinduism’s holiest places. The city is set in the foothills of the Himalayas at mile 157 (253 km) of the Ganges’ 1,569 mile…… Continue reading My Worst Travel Fail
Changes of Gauge
Delta flight 160, Denver to Amsterdam, landed today (December 1, 2014) in Amsterdam with no Denver passengers on board. This is not uncommon: it also happened with DL160 on November 13.The explanation starts with a “change of gauge,” a term rooted in railroads.Track gauge is the distance between the inner faces of the two rails.…… Continue reading Changes of Gauge
Gas
It was breakfast at the Granvia Okayama Hotel. The tour group at the next table murmured in agreement as the colonel railed against typographical errors in the itinerary. I pegged him as “the colonel,” now a paper-pusher, close to retirement. It was impossible to tune him out as he recalled his first encounter with the…… Continue reading Gas
Gas
Posted about gas.
A Day to Forget
OK I admit it: I got tired of figuring out this place all on my own, so I signed up for a “Landmarks and Viewpoints” tour for foreign visitors. This was a day to forget.At exactly the appointed time the bus rolled up to my Okoyama (Honshu) $26 a night capsule hotel (Hotel River Side).…… Continue reading A Day to Forget
Walking into Forbidden Places
We were riding the Delhi metro when we became aware of dirty looks, and, oddly, all the other passengers were female. Then it dawned on us we had stumbled into the women-only coach. The fine for this infraction was higher than for riding on the roof, and it was being regularly enforced. The subway train was moving, we…… Continue reading Walking into Forbidden Places
We Both Love Soup
We both love soup (a hilarious line from “Best in Show) so we’re attending a winter soup (demonstration) cooking class this evening