Harrisburg PA (21 - 23 August 2014)

Today is Thursday, 21 August 2014.  And a long travel day.  Amtrak at 11:05 AM to Philadelphia.  Layover.  Change train leaving at 3:45 PM to Harrisburg.

That's okay as I am ready for the train ride with my provisions :-) I was able to get a seat with an empty seat beside me and it was peaceful.  Here's my lunch of soft shell crab from last night.  Love Lock and Lock leakproof containers!  Thank you June for introducing me to Lock and Lock!  I can place ice around it to keep the contents cold and the water out of the contents!  Now if I could just take a better photo :-)

And veggies!  And cookie (in a wax paper bag no less - very compostable).

And some wine!  Like my placemat/napkin and wine bottle :-)

My friend in Harrisburg--we were neighbors when I first moved to Charlottesville and lived at Barracks Road apartments.  She's a retired Spanish teacher.  And for the past two years, she's been researching her father's side of the family.  All the way back to her great, great, great grandfather.  I think I got the correct number of greats correct!  Anywho, it was fun to catch up with each other.

And her home-made soup from freezer to stove to table was a pleasure after a long day of travel.  And arriving to Harrisburg with rain.  Thank you my friend!

We managed to do a lot in the four days I was there!

Friday, 22 August.

Leisurely day.  Grocery store and checking out thrift stores.  Thank you my friend for indulging in this!  Look what I found at the Goodwill near her home.  For 3.97 no less :-) and a P series!

Perfect for soup :-) Winter is coming soon!

And synchronistically...the Goodwill had moved from where she remembered.  And when we finally found it, it was in the same strip mall as a salt room, that she wanted to check it out.  Since we're so close, let's check it out.  The owner of the place gave us a tour.  She was good to chat with!  And had a good energy about her.  Looked to be a relaxing experience for tomorrow.

Saturday, 23 August 2014....

A Himalayan salt room experience!  Boy oh boy was that ever relaxing!  45 minutes in a room with a layer of Himalayan salt on the floor!  The salt naturally sanitizes itself so just need to keep dirt out as much as possible.  No shoes worn in the room.  The salt felt like beach sand only it did not stick to me as I laid on top of it.  I wish there was one in SF.  The owner looked up on the internet, to see if there was any salt rooms in San Francisco.  Closest one is Campbell, CA!  Darn!  Oh well, it was relaxing!  And I am envious that my friend has this place so close to her home --less than 15 minutes driving!

Now to zzzzzz land :-)

Montreal, Quebec, Canada (4 October 2014)

Forecast is rain and voila....rain!

Perfect day to be lazy and NOT rush out to explore Montreal!  Besides I am tired.  I love hearing the sound of rain coming down while I am warm under the bedcovers!  Luxury at its best for me!  This a great studio I have here with a balcony.  Here's a pic of it at night!

So I finally ventured out around 1 PM.  In search of a thrift store :-). And mostly to use Metro for the first time and walk in another part of Montreal.  The hotel is one block from Berri-UQAM Metro stop so I went there.  WOW...down the elevator yet before getting to the Metro gates--no pic :-) there is this great store of paper, cards, pens, games, etc.

Then I went down to catch my train.  This mural catches your eye as you come down the escalator for the Green line.

And I chuckled at the floor signs to show folks the flow of passengers entering and exiting each train cabin :-)  Need these instructions at time for Muni and Bart riders back home.

And this is definitely a bike-friendly city!

I looked up the station after I got back to the hotel.  Wow, who knew?

http://metrodemontreal.com/orange/berri/index.html

On the way to find this thrift store (friperie), I found this one!  GREAT store (at least for me).  As I en-joy looking at all this second-hand things.

Found the thrift store (friperie) I was looking for.  And for me...too small a space and too pricey!

AND was fun just walking and looking at the storefronts.  The people.  The rain -- pretending I am in France :-)

There was a line waiting to get into this place.  So I bought some brisket from the take away side!  They handed me the paper bag and it was still hot!  DELISH!  Turns out Montreal is known for its smoked meat and this place is good (thus the line).

Back at the hotel and this brisket is DELISH!  Bon Appetit!

Oops mis-read the baggage policy :-) [30 September 2014]

It's 30 September 2014 8 PM and I am packing up.  I train it tomorrow to Montreal at 12;45 PM.

All is going smoothly with the packing (because I don't un-pack that much).  Then I read my train 

Itinerary again.  This time I read the baggage portion!

OH NO...as I read the limitations.....

One luggage 40 pounds maximum and 62 linear inches maximum

Plus

One carryon bag (and I forget what it read)

Plus

A purse

All this time, I have been traveling with one luggage, a large backpack (the one I used when I walked Camino de Santiago) and a bag that is about the size of a large plastic grocery sack (doubt this is "a purse").

Now my leisurely packing time transforms into FRANTIC re-organizing!  In the process, my math skills go haywire as I add 15 inches + 15 inches + 26 inches and get 66 linear inches!  I ask Source to have them overlook the extra 4 linear inches!  After I finish re-organizing into one luggage, one carryon, and what I hope will be viewed as "a purse", I realize that 15 + 15 + 26 is not 66 but 56.  I am truly focused because I have no photos of before and after :-)

And Source -- have them overlook the weight of my one luggage -- since when I flew from Pittsburgh to Manhattan, I THINK the scale said 45 pounds :-| for the one luggage.

PostScript.....

after all my frantic-ness.....boarding the train went without questioning my three items or the weight of my one luggage!  Source, please repeat this when I check my luggage for the cross Canada train trip!

29 September 2014 Update.....

What a weather change -- from 70+ degrees (feels like 80)! warm breeze, sun yesterday (28 September 2014) to 40+ degrees (feels like 30), howling wind, no sun today....I am being prepped for my train trip across Canada to Vancouver.

Wednesday I train to Montreal (about three hours) for a first-time visit there and then on to Toronto next Tuesday (about five hours by train) to board The Canadian to Vancouver.  It leaves 22:00 on Tuesday and arrives in Vancouver on 11 October 2014 -- 9:30.

I just located this route guide which I will see about getting in hard copy at the train station.  Looking forward to the experience.

http://www.viarail.ca/sites/all/files/media/pdfs/route_guides/route_guide_TorontoVancouver.pdf

For once, buying a ticket last minute did not amount to a lower fare.  If I had booked early as I read in a number of blog posts over the last few days, I might have found a low fare.  Future reference in case I decide this is something to do again.

I kept going back and forth between a lower berth discounted fare and a cabin for one discounted fare.  The possibility of toilet smells in the cabin for one was the deciding factor since it's all in one small space.  Decided to get the lower berth discounted fare.  Grateful to have found blog posts with photos of the different sleeping class of service.  The VIA Rail site was not helpful in that way.  And the descriptions were helpful and not with the fact that the cabin for one converts the seat by day into bed by night by folding the Murphy bed down over the toilet seat.  I have to remind myself -- this is a train car after all -- with only so much space to allocate for sleeping :-)

By the time I get to Vancouver, will get a sense of the transportation back home.  On the other hand, I have not seen my 78 year old friend in Los Angeles in over a year.....

This is continuing to be another one of my awesome travel experiences!  And I am grateful for the abundance to do one of the things I love!  Thank You Source!

Quebec City - 26 September 2014

I know, I know...I have yet to post about my travels since Old Town Alexandria VA.

AND....

Today (26 September 2014) is such a gorgeous weather day (Thank You Source) that I had to write this!

I am in Quebec City.  It's sunny, blue skies, 68 degrees!  And this is definitely a city -- at least Vieux Quebec is -- for walking.  And my kind of walking...wandering down little or big streets -- exploring.

And what I have noticed....

Old and interesting architecture :-)

Lots of beautiful green grass spaces--some tiny, some huge :-)  :-)

Park benches or places to sit..along the sidewalks, outside buildings :-) :-)

Lack of veggies on the menus :-(

Expensive to eat out even for lunch :-(

Promenades -- the French love to stroll :-)

Upper Town and Lower Town -- translation...hills :-) :-( depending on how tired the body is

Smoking as I walk along -- outside restaurants and buildings since I am guessing folks are not allowed to smoke inside 

I am especially liking the green grass spaces!  And the places to sit!

Right now I am in "parc de l'amerique-francaise".

Notice there are no leaf color changes.

And then I wandered blocks to the south and here I am in "plaines d'abraham".  A HUGE park!  And I had to laugh when I saw the red Hop On Hop Off bus across this beautiful quiet green space, 

27 September 2014 -- to discover or feel the absence of (to miss)

Today is Saturday, 27 September 2014.

I am in Quebec City and sitting on a bench outside the "observatoire de la capitale"...taking a rest and deciding what direction I will walk.  It is 5 PM and the sun is lowering itself down for the night.  All I can see is the buildings - a mix of old stone and new brick.

Traveling allows me the time and space to discover or feel the absence of....

The absence of....HMMMM.

Well first off, in all the excitement and distraction of seeing family.  Or new places.  Or old friends I had not seen in a while.  I did not notice the absence of much.  And that surprised and dismayed me, especially the absence of Tom and Benny.  I winced in those initial days after I left to travel, whenever he would say I miss you!  For I love Tom and I did not miss him.  Ahhh, I was caught up in traveling while he was caught up in day-to-day.  If we exchanged places, might the feelings be the same?  Who knows?

I told him before I left to travel that we should notice what we notice.  Even though me traveling for long stretches of time is not new in our relationship...what is new this time -- we are living together.

Since I have left Noyac NY and my two friends who live there (14 September 2014), there's been ample time to discover or feel the absence of.....the things I love!

Tom!

Benny!

Family!

Friends!

A variety of fresh vegetables!  Cooked or raw!

Cooking!

A hot bath!  With Epsom salt would be luxurious!  Essential oils divine!

Being in Quebec City with its Upper Town and Lower Town (thus hills) and located on the St Lawrence River, reminds me of home -- walking up and down hills, walking along The Bay, seeing the beautiful views.

Especially today I am reminded of home, when the morning started off with fog that burned off into a blue sky and sun with 70 degrees.  Perhaps that is the reason writing this post fit with the leisurely day I am spending -- wandering this city just as I often wander my home city.  Just as at home, I can wash clothes another day :-). And instead en-joy this beautiful day!

I trust you are doing what you love!

20 August 2014 -- Potomac River and Georgetown

Today...I am taking it slow and easy.  My friends with the two adult children are heading back here from taking their two children to college.  There is a possibility of meeting up for dinner so I wander.  I love wandering :-)

And in wandering to the end of King Street and the Potomac River, I stop to check out the water taxi.  What fun!  There is one going to Georgetown in another hour.  And returning by 7 pm.  As I debate go or no-go, my friend calls.  They are just leaving the college and will call me when they get home.  Translation:  that will be after 7 pm.  So that means I go on the water taxi.  I love it when things fall into place :-)

There was no water taxi when I frequented Georgetown in the 80's.  So this will be fun.  And it's perfect weather to be on the water :-).  No blazing sun!  Just warm breezes!  Thank you Source!

We land in Georgetown.  And all this at river's edge is new to me!  Last I saw this area, it was full of old buildings and places to find free parking!  Now...a beautiful green space for walking and biking!  Excellent!

,

Even the street in Georgetown is now full of shops.  And I could have spent hours wandering the side streets.  Mother Nature decided to rain though and Source is looking out for me!  I found a Happy Hour!  And a dry place to watch the raindrops pour!

A nosh and drink later...it's time to make my way back to the water taxi stop.  And thankfully the rain had turned to a drizzle -- Thank You Source!  Had just enough time to get a photo of the site of my former favorite watering hole back in the 80's.  I believe it was behind the first tree.  Fab-o memories!

And the rain stopped!  Now I can take photos of sites familiar...

Kennedy Center

Watergate

Lincoln Memorial...and me :-)

Washington Monument

And being on the water is quite relaxing!  With chances to catch shots of planes landing at Reagan Airport.  Or rather approaching Reagan Airport.  Or beautiful colors of clouds at sunset.  Or Metro crossing the river.

And now for dinner!  Last chance to get soft shell crab and where?  Voila -- a restaurant on King Street I passed walking back to the hotel from the water taxi stop, had it on the menu!  And one would have been plenty!  Looks like I have lunch for the train :-). Awesome!  The photo does not do justice to how good these delicacies are!  YUMMMMM!