America the Beautiful - Part 1

Just got back from nearly a month in the U.S.

But before I start telling you where I was and what (and how much) I ate, I'd like to share with you some tips and insights. Which may or may not be relevant to you. So how about if I first lure you with a few pretty pics (no, not of food), then get down to the nitty-gritty.

Our friends' yard in Princeton, NJ

The above pic is an example of one of the things that took my breath away throughout our trip: the greenery. The trees. Along roads, along streets. Tall and luscious. Of course, such abundance of greenery is evidence of plenty of rain... and when we were caught in a horrible downpour on a winding road between Lancaster, PA and Richmond, VA , I was less than thrilled with it :-)

New Orleans Museum of Art sculpture garden

Hope you don't think me morbid for choosing the skull over any other of the stunning pieces of sculpture... It may have something to do with my affinity for the character of Death in Terry Pratchett's novels...

Poe Returning to Boston, by Stephanie Rocknak

This one, it turns out, quickly became a huge success, and has been one of the most photographed piece of sculpture since its unveiling in 2014, 165 years after Poe's death.

And now for some tips and observations:

1. Get a good haircut before your trip. One that will require the least amount of fuss, no blow-drying, no (or a minimum of) spray, styling foam/gel/cream, no hair rollers, curlers or straighteners. Yes, it is possible to not fuss with your hair and still enjoy your trip!

2. Go to the dentist before your trip. The last (or next-to-last) thing you want is for that iffy tooth of yours to suddenly wake you up in pain.

3. Travel light. Yes, I know you've heard that tip umpteen times. So have I, yet I ignored it. Started out with a reasonable number of items, then gradually added one "what-if" after another... until I had way too many shirts, socks, pants and panties; way too many creams and lotions, scarves, pencils and pens. On the one hand, I had the weather-excuse: In Boston it was still cool and rainy; in New Orleans it was boiling hot (outdoors) and freezing cold (indoors). Still, how many scarves does a woman need, especially considering the fact that most of the time she (i.e., I) was staying with family/friends, who would be only too happy to lend me a scarf, hat, sweatshirt, or mittens had I needed them!

4. Of course I did some shopping. Some travelers go a bit(?) overboard with shopping. I tend to go overboard with toiletries, though I generally stick to the drugstore-priced items. Also, I try to buy my fave brand of sneakers -- either Asics or Saucony -- mainly because these are very pricey in my homeland, Israel, but reasonably-priced in shops such as DSW in Silver Spring, MD. But the best buy was a good-as-new long-sleeved denim shirt, of the sort I'd been wanting for ages. Found it in a yard-sale next to our lovely B&B, the Red Rose at Witmer, a small town outside Lancaster, PA, in the heart of Amish country, no less. Price: $2.-

Yard sale at Red Rose B&B, Witmer, PA

5. Stop eating. Now, before your dish is empty! Or else you'll probably regret it. If you're an American, maybe you don't realize that portions tend to be smaller in other countries. Or that food isn't as abundant and in-your-face in other countries. But if you're a "foreigner" visiting the U.S., you've probably realized that food is, for the most part, both plentiful and rich (in fat, salt, and sugar, inter alia), with the result that you eat far more than your body is accustomed to. Yes, of course you can make exceptions. You want to try yummy stuff you can't get at home; you want to indulge on your vacation; you want to enjoy your hosts' superb cooking, as well as the restaurants they take you too. But even so, I'd suggest trying not to overdo it.

6. Pharmacies. If it's only some band-aids or Ibuprofen that you need, no problem, you can get them at any gas station small shop. (That's "petrol station" to Brits.) But if you need anything more serious, perhaps even to consult a pharmacist, you'll have to find the nearest CVS or Walgreens. (Yes, there are others, but these two are the largest.) Not that they're difficult to find. But still -- I had to get used to the idea that small, private pharmacies are a thing of the past. As opposed to the plethora of pharmacies in the big cities in, for example, Georgia, which I described in my blog post Georgia - It's the Little Differences - Part 2 (scroll down the page.) Mind you, it looks like Israel is going down that path, too, as small, private pharmacies -- where you're on familiar terms with the same chemist for years and years -- have been closing down, pushed out of the market by the largest drugstore, Super-Pharm, and the 2nd largest, ex-NewPharm, which has been sold to the Supersol chain and is now called Be (ugh! A name that to my copywriter's ear sounds like a choice made out of desperation, at the end of a long, fruitless and frustrating "creative" session).

7. If you dislike jazz and blues, skip New Orleans' French Quarter. Or perhaps just skip the city altogether, since live jazz will greet you and follow you in scores of other spots in NOLA ;-) But more about this fab city in a separate blog post.

- to be continued...