.... a great visit with family and friends, yet so many faces we love left unseen. Apologies to anyone we did not see.
Back to start the second year!
*written from the Charlotte airport.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Soon to be - bon voyage
Last full day in Charlotte - nice to have dinner with Bill and Bethany!
Looking forward to travel now....
Looking forward to travel now....
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Lunch in Charlotte
I went out to today and took a quick walk and some pictures, like a good blogger should. It was a very interesting walk around the Charlotte uptown area for a brief review of what is here in our erstwhile hometown.
I always noticed it before, but I was struck anew by how many models there are of the Charlotte uptown area to be found in the Charlotte uptown area. I took a snap of a few.
The Mint Museum's uptown building. Very nice place.
This is the entrance into Hearst Tower, an art deco building.
Before 9/11, all of these elevator shafts in every building were just open and anyone could walk anywhere. Now they all have these plexiglass walls, with passcard enablement.
I dropped by St. Peter's Church, a place I used to come a couple of times a week to pray and get some mental down time. Sometimes it was just me, sometimes there were other business people in there, sometimes homeless people sleeping. A special place to me.
The I went to Latta Arcade, a small section of uptown that is left from the 1920's. You can see that the back of the shops are a little shoddy and rough-looking, which is incongruous with all of the planned polish of Charlotte. I love the place, part of it is inside, part outside. Then I went to Fujiyama in Latta Arcade and ordered the vegetable teriyaki. I used to enjoy this, but now I realize that this, consistent with the theme of eating in America, was just way too much food. It violated my rule that one should never have a meal that is larger than one's head.
Yeah, I finished it.
Vistas of uptown.
On the way back to the office, I saw the one thing that was out of place and not spit-polished perfect - an old record and tape player with speakers. Just sitting there on the sidewalk. Unexplained.
I always noticed it before, but I was struck anew by how many models there are of the Charlotte uptown area to be found in the Charlotte uptown area. I took a snap of a few.
The Mint Museum's uptown building. Very nice place.
This is the entrance into Hearst Tower, an art deco building.
Before 9/11, all of these elevator shafts in every building were just open and anyone could walk anywhere. Now they all have these plexiglass walls, with passcard enablement.
I dropped by St. Peter's Church, a place I used to come a couple of times a week to pray and get some mental down time. Sometimes it was just me, sometimes there were other business people in there, sometimes homeless people sleeping. A special place to me.
The I went to Latta Arcade, a small section of uptown that is left from the 1920's. You can see that the back of the shops are a little shoddy and rough-looking, which is incongruous with all of the planned polish of Charlotte. I love the place, part of it is inside, part outside. Then I went to Fujiyama in Latta Arcade and ordered the vegetable teriyaki. I used to enjoy this, but now I realize that this, consistent with the theme of eating in America, was just way too much food. It violated my rule that one should never have a meal that is larger than one's head.
Yeah, I finished it.
Vistas of uptown.
On the way back to the office, I saw the one thing that was out of place and not spit-polished perfect - an old record and tape player with speakers. Just sitting there on the sidewalk. Unexplained.
Monday, July 28, 2008
....and....
...finally arrived back in Charlotte.
Below you will see that the momentous has become mundane. We chunked another 1,000 miles on the van. Yeesh. We have essentially driven to India from the US, while in the US. Pretty sure we won't miss driving for the next year.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
New Haven
Great picnic today at the Keane home. Thanks to everyone.
^ Tara and I have continued to enjoy a great place we found in New Haven a few years back. It is The Owl Shop, and has renovated its interior into a beautiful cigar bar/cafe. And one of the last places to enjoy a cigar legally inside in the state of Connecticut. But check out the exterior below, very old school, been on the edge of Yale for about 80 years now. Awesome.
This has been a great trip, but the anticipation of going back to the adventure in India again, and seeing all of our friends there, is building. Ready to go back!
^ Tara and I have continued to enjoy a great place we found in New Haven a few years back. It is The Owl Shop, and has renovated its interior into a beautiful cigar bar/cafe. And one of the last places to enjoy a cigar legally inside in the state of Connecticut. But check out the exterior below, very old school, been on the edge of Yale for about 80 years now. Awesome.
This has been a great trip, but the anticipation of going back to the adventure in India again, and seeing all of our friends there, is building. Ready to go back!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Long Trip
This has been a long trip. Look at Jonah. The little tike fell asleep at 2 in the afternoon.
Nice to see everyone in Connecticut! Here is a picture of one of my sister's daughters. I believe Nicole is a duck.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Sun sets on Vermont
Back in Connecticut now, we have departed Vermont. Some final pictures, of Tara's favorite house on the lake (worth a click to see the larger version), as well as their view of the clouds that night from the awesome Adirondack chair set up.
And the little guys....
And the little guys....
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Another Day - when do we go back to India, again? We live there, right?
^ A multiple birthday celebration was held yesterday, since many birthdays will transpire on the other side of the globe during the next few months.
^ I don't give it a great deal of time on the blog, but I am working every day while here in the US. While in Vermont and New Hampshire, this consists of finding broadband wherever it exists, and tunneling into the Bank's network. I have found an old railroad station that has been converted into a pretty cool little bakery-deli-coffee place - with wi fi. There is an actual track behind it, and in the morning, a train went by. Check out the mist enshrouded mountain across the way. What a place to work! A whole new level of telecommuting.....
^ Great view of the lake.
^ For some reason, my father has an "All Things Scottish" section of a wall. This is a rifle holster, and several Scottish hats, along with an animal trap and a hunting horn. We have walked past it for years, I decided to give it some global exposure through the blog.
^ Here is the wall dedicated to generations of Cameron and Rice family members. Watched over by a benevolent caribou hunted by now-great grandfather Bill Rice.
^ A recent picture from the genealogical wall - my family when I was a young boy. Should be obvious which one is me.
^ Here is a double photo from my youth - both on a beach. One in Connecticut and one from St. Thomas, much later. It's great to see old pictures.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Anatomy of a 3500 mile trip (so far)
Here is the route, thus far.
Charlotte :: Philly :: Connecticut :: Vermont :: New Hampshire :: Vermont :: Quebec City :: New Hampshire :: Vermont :: (pending) >> :: Connecticut :: Maryland :: Charlotte
Sunday, July 20, 2008
New Hampshire
One phrase for Weir's Beach would be "Americana". Another, from Yiddish, would be "kitsch". Both words seem to depict the place.
^ This volcano setting was a four water-slide park in which the boys had a great time. Note the crashed plane on the side of the volcano and the Easter Island-type statues spewing water. Great stuff.
^ The now century-old promenade along the edge of the shops at Weir's Beach. It included an arcade in which some of the games went back about fifty years or so.
^ This was the first time the boys had been all together in about two weeks.
^ Heather, Sarah and Tara, 3 of the 6 Viglione sisters.
^ The boys with Tara's parents, Pat and Dave.
^ We went to a drive in movie theater. There are only about 100 left in the US now. We saw Wall E, it was good. Check out the 1956 Chevy. It seemed that time was indeed bent backwards in this place.
^ As we returned back to Vermont, we were pleased to see a loon, a relatively private bird that are seen less often than many others in this area. It was great to see one.
^ This volcano setting was a four water-slide park in which the boys had a great time. Note the crashed plane on the side of the volcano and the Easter Island-type statues spewing water. Great stuff.
^ The now century-old promenade along the edge of the shops at Weir's Beach. It included an arcade in which some of the games went back about fifty years or so.
^ This was the first time the boys had been all together in about two weeks.
^ Heather, Sarah and Tara, 3 of the 6 Viglione sisters.
^ The boys with Tara's parents, Pat and Dave.
^ We went to a drive in movie theater. There are only about 100 left in the US now. We saw Wall E, it was good. Check out the 1956 Chevy. It seemed that time was indeed bent backwards in this place.
^ As we returned back to Vermont, we were pleased to see a loon, a relatively private bird that are seen less often than many others in this area. It was great to see one.
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