Safe Arrival
It's almost midday on Tuesday and Layla and I just got to Savannah after a fantastic time in Atlanta. I am really enjoying myself here in the USA although the time seems to be really flying.
I was up before 4 am last Saturday for the rail journey to Gatwick airport. When we arrived at the station the screen said the first train was 6.52 whereas my ticket said 6.22. Well the good news was that the 6.22 was in fact running but the bad news was that it was late! With only 11 minutes between connections at Reading I knew I would miss the second train but was not too worried having allowed loads of extra time for such delays.
I still arrived at the airport in plenty of time and found my way easily to check in. I enjoyed myself looking around the shops at the airport until it was time to board. Once on the plane I was delighted to find that not only did I have a window seat but there were no seats in front of me as I was near one of the exits so there was plenty of leg room. The plane took off about 25 minutes late but we more than recouped this lost time arriving about 15 minutes early at the other end. Although a 9-hour flight it wasn't too tedious. The food served was excellent and we were served drinks at regular intervals. Each person had a TV video set-up with several channels to choose from although I did not bother much with this, preferring to listen to Andean music through headphones as I usually do when travelling. I managed to sleep for 2 or 3 hours during the middle of the flight which enabled me to stay awake when I arrived and cope with the 5 hour time difference without any problem.
Arrival in Atlanta was a slow process to get through procedures. They have a re-check-in service of luggage there which meant putting the suitcase onto a conveyor belt and then queuing for ages to go through all that business of going through X-ray machines followed by a train ride to collect luggage at a far distance point. This took about one and a half hours and when I got off the train and was looking for baggage claim that was when Layla called out to me and we were so delighted to see each other again. In no time we had collected my case and were in the car and on our way.
I was really impressed with the warm weather. Our pilot had promised us 30 degrees centigrade during that day and even exiting the airport near 6 pm it was still 26 degrees. After the cold in recent weeks back home this was much appreciated.
We then had an 84 mile drive out of Atlanta until we reached the foothills of the Appalachian mountains as we were spending that first night with Layla's friend Jerry. It was just starting to get dark as we drove out of the city and the city skyline looked really impressive with the lights, tall skyscrapers etc. I was especially impressed with the huge interstate highways going off in all directions. We were on a 5 lane highway (5 lanes each side of the road) but Layla said that 8 lane highways weren't uncommon!
We had so much to talk about that 84 miles did not seem that long. It was fully dark when we approached our destination, going off the interstate highway onto a lesser road and then a bit farther on onto an unpaved road and then we actually drove through a forest, across a cow pasture and back into the forest to arrive at Jerry's house.
I was enchanted with Jerry's lovely house in the woods and even more so when I got inside. I really fell in love with everything about that house, especially the hippy decor and beautiful artefacts from many countries of the world. Jerry had cooked for us and in no time we were enjoying baked salmon, broccoli, sugar snap peas and an excellent salad out on his veranda overlooking the river. It was too dark to see anything then but you could hear the water rushing past and I was dying to see it all next day. We enjoyed our meal with some excellent Argentinean red wine.
A little later we went back inside and Jerry cooked up a batch of real American brownies for us which we enjoyed with Ben and Jerry's New York fudge ice-cream while they were still warm. All the while chatting and listening to music. I was very impressed with his CD player which was loaded with 200 CDs, any of which could be played at the touch of a button, beautiful new age music with Andean or Indian or far eastern influences. A little later Jerry lit the woodstove and it was so cosy and snug, a perfect way to spend my first evening in America. The night before Layla had performed at a Halloween event and she put on her beautiful costume for us complete with mask and did a belly-dance. Finally it was time to sleep and I was given the bedroom high up in the apex of the roof and was asleep in no time as it had been a very long time. Getting up at 4 am, and finally going to bed at 11 pm plus the 5 extra hours meant I had been awake about 24 hours!
Despite it being such a long day I was awake next morning at 4.30 and managed to doze for another hour and then got up. After my shower I was reading in bed and listening to my music on headphones until the others stirred around 7.30. Then Jerry made us salmon omelettes and toast which we enjoyed out on the veranda and I was enchanted with the views. You could see the Chattacooche river from two sides of the house and after that delicious breakfast with fresh ground coffee and more ice-cream in it as he had run out of milk we went outside and walked down to the river through the trees just about 20 metres from the house. The sun was already shining real warm, the sky a bright blue and with the autumn colours of the trees, the river water rushing over boulders and huge stones it was such a breathtakingly pretty sight. We took a few photos and then Jerry decided to take us out for a drive so I could see a bit more of the area. We drove through an area called Sautee Nacoochee and could see the Indian mounds. I was enchanted that all the places had kept their Indian names but very sad hearing a little of the history of the place, how this was one of the last places where the Indians were driven from their lands.
Finally at 12 noon it was time to go as we had the drive back to Atlanta for our first Andean event of the holiday. We were going to the CD launch party of the Andean band Vientos del Pueblo's first CD being held at Sweet Devil Moon, a Peruvian tapas bar.
We got there just after 2 and had the most magical time. Vientos del Pueblo had 7 musicians in the band and played really beautiful traditional Andean music using on all my favourite instruments, including two ladies playing guitar. We decided to eat some tapas first and enjoyed a delicious king prawn chowder, coriander chicken and rice, adobo marinated pork along with some Mexican beer. Then after tasting Layla's margarita I went on to drink those but very carefully, knowing that tequila can be a mean drink if one isn't used to it.
Vientos del Pueblo played several sets throughout the afternoon, as well as some of their musician friends doing short sets in between. Lots of people came to the party, food was laid on later and the whole thing was mostly outdoors in the hot sunshine. We have since seen our photos which came out beautifully, the autumn colours of the trees behind the band as they played. Over 100 CDs were sold during the event and I later listened to mine in bed. Later in the afternoon Layla's friends LeAnn and Lucy arrived and it was lovely to meet them - we would be staying at LeAnn's house that night. When the launch party ended, LeAnn and Lucy went across the street to another Latino restaurant to eat but we stayed on an extra half an hour or so talking to the musicians before joining them. Then we sat outside Billy Goat's restaurant with Lucy and LeAnn and ordered some snacks to keep them company. Then after that we said our goodbyes to Lucy and went back with LeAnn to her house nearby.
I was really enchanted with her lovely house and the beautiful welcome she gave us, meeting her friendly tortoiseshell cat and felt really at home there. By 11 pm we were all ready to sleep and like the previous night I was asleep straightaway, only to find myself waking up yet again at 4 the following morning! But after taking a shower I was happy to relax with my book and Andean music through headphones until the others got up. Obviously with these early morning risings this is my way of getting jetlag. I can cope with the long days but my body still thinks in British time in the mornings!
Seeing LeAnn's house in daylight was even more enchanting. In the front of the house there is a huge ancient tree which appears to shelter the whole house and gives the impression it is watching over it and protecting all within. In the back garden was another ancient tree with a swing and I needed no second bidding when LeAnn invited me to take a ride on it! After excellent fresh coffee with hazelnuts in it we drove to a nearby coffee shop for breakfast as from there LeAnn would go straight to work. I really enjoyed my first American breakfast which are even more substantial than our own. Afterwards we said our goodbyes to LeAnn and we had the rest of the day until the evening show to explore Atlanta.
It was another really hot day with clear blue skies (I overheard someone later saying it was 82 degrees whatever that is in centigrade) and after dropping our films in for developing we drove to East Lake and took the Marta train. They have a kind of subway train system, one going from East to West and the other from North to South and I was eager to take a ride on it. We got off downtown and then walked a while including through a park, plus into the underground area which is the old Atlanta and full of unusual little shops. I felt slightly uneasy in the park which was full of black people who stared at us openly. Layla had already told me back in England that there in Georgia the black and white people don't integrate like they do in England which probably accounted for my uneasiness, although when I voiced these fears Layla said I had nothing to worry about in daylight. I loved listening to them talk, that lovely Southern drawl in their accents, and we spoke to some of them when they initiated conversation with us.
Our plan that day was to visit the Westin tower on Peachtree Avenue and we decided to head in that direction first. Layla was slightly worried that I would be afraid as we went up in the glass lift outside the tall building but it turned out that she was the one who was scared with me excitedly looking out and exclaiming at the sensation as we swiftly ascended. The bar on the top was closed until 4 pm so we decided to take lunch in the restaurant. This way instead of paying 7.5 dollars each just to go up in the lift we would be putting that money towards lunch. I loved that ride to the top - one felt that it would keep going even when it ran out of building! The Sundial Restaurant is atop the Westin tower - 723 feet up which is about 220 metres high and 188 ft (57 mm in diameter and the best part is that this restaurant revolves around the building so that the view is constantly changing. And you can take a look at it online yourself by visiting www.thesundialrestaurant.com.
We sat opposite each other at the table so we both had an unrestricted view which was really amazing and took a few photos. We decided to have one of the special cocktails which at 15 dollars each were quite expensive but you got to keep the glass which was huge, about 70% of a litre with a picture on the front. We both chose the same drink with an ice-cream base, kahlua and other stuff, and for lunch chose excellent seared chicken with creamy mash, spinach and tomato salsa. I enjoyed myself so much up there that I never wanted to leave! The view was so incredibly amazing and Layla pointed out all the main landmarks. The whole city is really modern with many tall buildings and skyscrapers interspersed with parks and when building the city they kept all the trees except in the downtown area and even there, there are a few. The suburbs in the distance were almost invisible due to all the trees. The whole city is a very wealthy one, completely rebuilt after the Civil War.
Coming down in the lift was equally as impressive and we both decided to go there again for lunch when we return to Atlanta for my flight home. We then walked to Centennial Park, a special park built at the time of the Olympics in 1996. At this time of the day it was so hot that we could not walk too far so we decided to get the train back to the car. Layla said that such unseasonably hot weather was quite unusual in November so I felt really lucky.
Back at the car we drove to a place called Little Five Points to look at the shops, an area full of really quaint and unusual shops, including a Native American Indian gift-shop with Robert Mirabel's music playing as we went inside. Everything in that shop was incredibly beautiful but very very expensive. I fell in love with a necklace but needless to say did not buy it when I learned the price was 225 dollars!
We decided later to go to Billy Goat's restaurant for our meal before going to the show and were really disappointed to find it was closed on Mondays! Luckily the Peruvian restaurant was open and we went there instead. We both ordered plates of spicy garlicky king prawns plus the king prawn chowder which we enjoyed outside until we realised we had an odd mosquito for company and went back inside (too late not to get bitten on the leg though!). We would have liked to have invited LeAnn to eat with us except that she was still at work until gone 7, the reason she could not come with us to the show that night.
We drove to a place called Knights of Columbus for the show - a belly-dance show, the star of which was Delilah, one of the most famous belly-dancers in the world. Inside Layla greeted old friends and introduced me to them and we looked at the lovely costumes on sale and I was almost tempted to buy one of the CDs because of the unusual instruments except they were quite expensive at 18 dollars each! Just before the show started we were delighted when Jerry arrived, neither of us dreaming he would drive those 84 miles just for the evening but he did, even though since we had left him he had been working hard on building a new room extension onto his house. Luckily there was an empty seat next to the two we had reserved at the front so we could sit together. The show was brilliant and began with a flamenco dancer who danced through 4 songs, the music supplied by two musicians on eastern instruments and a Spanish guy on flamenco guitar. This was followed by belly-dancers each dancing a different style, culminating in Delilah's passion filled exotic performance at the end. The music was really beautiful, the guys playing various different instruments. Despite being so thrilled with the show, I was also having to fight to stay awake as by this time all those long days were catching up with me and at times it was a struggle to keep my eyes open! Afterwards we stayed about a further half an hour chatting to various people before saying our goodbyes and driving back to LeAnn's for another night. Our original plan had been to drive about an hour out of Atlanta in the direction of Savannah and stay at the Trade Winds motel, but LeAnn had persuaded us earlier in the day to spend another night at her house instead which we did.
When we got there we were given her beautiful welcome again, our beds turned down waiting for us and I was asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow. We knew we had an early start next day and I was afraid to rely on me waking at 4 am again so we set an alarm for 5. As it happened I awoke at ten past four and decided to take my shower and even though I did this silently, the others were awake without me having to wake them. We had coffee together and we showed LeAnn our photos and she even gave us cups to take more coffee with us. We thanked her profusely for her lovely hospitality when we left and I will definitely be keeping in touch with her by email.
It was still dark but leaving at just after 6 we were able to get out of town before encountering any real traffic but as we drove out on the interstate I was amazed at the amount of traffic going in the opposite direction, commuters from outside the city on their way to work. After about an hour and a half we stopped at a Waffle House for breakfast and just that distance out from Atlanta I was amazed at the warm balminess of the weather even though it was a hazier day and not bright sunshine like the previous day. We had to put our coats on in the Waffle House though because they keep the air conditioning turned up so high.
Yet again I was impressed with another American breakfast. I just adore the Scrambled Eggs here which are made with butter and cheese and this comes with hash browns, bacon, toast and a delicious cinnamon flavoured raisin bread upon which you spread apple butter. Yummee, really delicious! Both days Layla enjoyed something called grits with her breakfast but I did not fancy it as it looked something like porridge - yuk! This is something typically Southern she said. We only stopped once more on the way to Savannah, to buy root beers which is a non-alcoholic drink which tastes almost medicinal as if they use eucalyptus roots and it's a really unusual taste. Even just stopping in a garage to buy these, polystyrene cups full of crushed ice were provided along with the bottles - not the measly one or two ice cubes you get if you ask for ice back home!
Finally at 11-15 we drove into Savannah which looks a really beautiful place with ancient buildings and everywhere enormous ancient oak trees laden with moss which hangs down. With the really tropical feeling balmy air I know I am going to love it here. Layla's house is beautiful and spacious and the first thing we did was put on the new CDs she got for me and I am enjoying Andean Nation latest CD called 'Skies of Tarabuco', Andes Cosmos, Fusion Andina's first Andean symphony etc and loving every beautiful note as I write you this long email! Layla has gone to teach a dance class and will be back soon and then we are heading out to Tybee island, to have lunch at a seafood place on the beach and then relax on the beach a while, although we will only have a few hours there as she has to be at the Casbah restaurant by 6 pm, the Moroccan restaurant where she dances most evenings. I am going too and will probably eat there later but early on will wander around River Street where the shops will still be open. Tomorrow Layla's Ecuadorian friends Tumi, Rene and Miguel are arriving and we plan to visit the beach again, weather permitting. These musicians play in the Andean band Andes Cosmos and I am looking forward to meeting them. I love their band's music and know there are one or two albums of theirs that I have not got and will probably buy them. I was also delighted to note in one of the tape covers in the car that it is possible to buy Otavalomanta's CDs from them and there are two that I want more than anything!
Palmetto Bugs!
It's Thursday morning and later today I will be flying to Dallas for a stay of 4 days. I was lucky to get a bargain priced flight from a standby sale to enable me to make this inter-state visit. I will be staying with my Bolivian friend Jacco and by pure luck this coming weekend I will not only be able to see his band Vision Andina in performance but also Wayanay Inka who are brilliant; I have all their CDs. I am really looking forward to both performances as well as seeing Jacco of course! I last saw him when he came to England for 2 weeks holiday in summer of 2001.
I am continuing to enjoy my first visit in the US. The wonderful weather has continued and we went to the beach both yesterday and the day before. Tuesday was a pretty hectic day with the early start, the long drive to Savannah from Atlanta but we did manage to squeeze in a couple of hours at the beach - first a late lunch at the North Beach Grill and then just over an hour relaxing right on the sea's edge enjoying the sound of the surf and the sea birds. Which is when I fell in love with the boat tailed grackles - these have an unusual tail feather and are very elegant looking with beady eyes and very curious and friendly. The males are an iridescent black colour and the females are iridescent brown. They are so cute. There were a whole host of other sea birds - skimmers, ordinary sea gulls, sandpipers, but I was really charmed by the boat tailed grackles which are also indigenous to South America but go by another name there.
Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the beach - with lunch at the North Beach Grill again and then we drove to the other side of the island, South Beach, and set ourselves up there. We had to move twice as the tide was coming in and the third time made ourselves comfortable above the water line. I had saved chips and most of my bread roll from lunch in the hopes of seeing some boat tailed grackles and eventually some did appear and I had fun feeding them. I regretted not holding some of the food back later though because a female grackle with only one leg appeared a little later and I managed to coax her quite close to me and to my delight she stayed with me a good part of the afternoon, hopping around my chair and coming close enough that I could have reached out and touched her. I am convinced that if I had had food she would have come onto my hand to get it. When she eventually disappeared a couple of hours later I felt quite bereft!
We stayed on the beach until it was almost dark. It was practically deserted on South Beach apart from the odd person walking by and a guy in a flying contraption up in the sky. We actually saw him take off later from our beach, by arranging the parachute part behind him and then running with a little engine running until he went airborne.
We drove home (about 15 miles) and then got busy as we were having friends over for a meal in the evening, having got all the ingredients the night before after Layla finished work at the Casbah. Layla's job was to set the table and make the salads and I got busy cooking. Tracy and Michelle arrived just before 8 pm and we had a lovely evening, listening to Andean music, enjoying the food and wine. Later in the evening Michelle gave me a reading with the tarot cards which was very illuminating and interesting because she got my situation and life in the present exactly right, even down to the Andean factor.
Which reminds me I forgot to tell you about Tuesday night. I went with Layla to the Casbah as she was working that evening. I watched her first show and then went out with the idea of eating later. I discarded my first idea of visiting the shops because there were not many people about and the inevitable crowds of men loitering on corners. This put me right off walking alone so I went into the library of the Savannah College of Art and Design instead where I was able to sign in as a visitor and spend a couple of hours on one of their computers. When I got back the restaurant was pretty crowded but I managed to get a table with a good view of Layla's dancing and was in time to watch her do the sword dance. I really enjoyed the meal, having chosen lamb and vegetable cous-cous, which I livened up with harissa sauce.
I don't know if I mentioned it before but all the houses here have little creatures in them! By this I mean palmetto bugs which are a type of large flat cockroach who normally live in the palm trees outside but come indoors when the weather turns cooler. I managed to avoid seeing one for a while by Layla turning on the lights and giving me the all clear each time we went into the house. But just before our guests arrived I was ironing the camisole I wanted to wear today when I saw one appear right beside me. I managed to get up without too much of a panic and back away and Layla came to the rescue to kill it. Boy what a mess that makes! She was telling the girls about it at dinner and they said that was nothing - that to see one flying towards you was really scary. I quivered with fright at the mere idea of those wings buzzing, especially when Tracy told me about one that flew straight towards her and landed on her forehead and it was so big it took up her whole forehead, with her screaming for someone to get it off! I think if that happened to me I would have a heart attack and die right on the spot! I'm sleeping on a futon quite near to the ground and was worried in case one climbed up in the night! I might not have slept so easily that first night had I known they could fly! By the way I have got used to the different time zone now and the past couple of mornings did not wake until 7 am. There is a 2 hour time difference between here and Texas but hopefully that will be easier to get used to than a 5 hour difference.
I haven't seen much of Savannah yet, us having chosen to spend our time on the beach due to the unseasonably hot weather, but when I return after the weekend we will have time to still do all the touristy things, like a carriage ride around the oldest part of town, all the shops, maybe dinner on a paddle steamer etc. Most of Layla's work next week is in the daytime, teaching dance classes or modelling and her evenings will be clear. It was really unfortunate that she could not come with me to Dallas due to these daytime commitments but unfortunately there is no one who can model instead of her and all this forms part of her regular work. At the Casbah things are more flexible as she can book other dancers to dance instead of her, which she did in order to have last night free. Upon her return at lunchtime today she will drive me to the airport.
Greetings From Dallas.
You are probably wondering why it took so long to write a message from here. The reason is that since I landed in Dallas on Thursday evening it has been a whirlwind of activity.
As you know I left Savannah last Thursday on the 2 pm flight, changing planes at Atlanta. There was a 2 hour wait between flights which meant I did not arrive at Dallas Fort Worth until around 6.20. When Layla dropped me off at Savannah airport I purposely did not eat anything thinking something would be served on board but no. The flight to Atlanta was one hour and all we got served was a small packet of pretzels and a drink. The next flight was 2 hours and I was starving by this time and felt sure we would be given something more substantial - but again no - all we got was 2 mini packets of pretzels and a drink!!!
When I arrived at the carousel to collect my suitcase, Jacco was already there waiting for me and in no time we were on our way. Our first stop was the studio as he had another meeting before he could go home. This wasn't the studio he normally works at but another one which he had designed and built from scratch and once there he showed me around and I was really impressed. Then while he had that last meeting I was given a beer and a magazine to read and I sat in whilst the meeting took place. I realised then that he would be working all day on Monday, having been unable to get that day off. The meeting was about the training session he would be giving on how to operate the sound equipment in the studio. This had to be done on Monday (today) because Jacco leaves for Bolivia on Thursday. I was just glad he had been able to get Friday off and although he would be busy on Saturday and Sunday at Dallas International Festival I would be there too enjoying all the music and dance from around the world. Jacco is something of a workaholic, working long hours at the studio, on average from 8 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night, plus he is caught up in various music projects, manages his band Vision Andina and other things and life for him is always spent on the run.
After the studio we drove to a Venezuelan restaurant for something to eat. Unfortunately we arrived late enough to miss the performance by his friend Carlos on Venezuelan harp but Carlos said he would be performing at Monica's the following night and urged us to come and hear him then instead. We then drove to Jacco's home and spent the remainder of the evening watching a video of him performing last July at a Pena in Bolivia with Ernesto Cavour, Fernando Jiminez, and Juan Carlos Cordero. We also listened to Vision Andina's latest CD which was also recorded in Bolivia with some of these famous musicians. 100 of these have been produced in its spontaneous form and will be sold with all proceeds going to the first of a series of projects he is involved in, raising funds for Bolivian orphanages. He gave me one of the CDs and the video, and I will be taking a few of the CDs with me to England to sell them for him there. The CD will be re-mastered in the spring and properly released then and I am going to do a CD cover to replace the existing one. So if there is anyone out there who would like one of these limited edition spontaneous editions of the CD the price is 10 pounds or 15 dollars and are obtainable though me. Every penny will go to the Bolivian orphans as each musician donated his time without any fee. I have heard the CD three times now and it is absolutely brilliant, an excellent performance by top class musicians. The song selections on it are absolutely wonderful too.
The next morning Jacco went out to a local bakery and bought croissants and crusty French bread and also came back with 2 takeaway containers containing typical Texas sausages and Huevos Mexicanos - a delicious scrambled egg concoction with peppers, onions, etc, accompanied by a hot vegetable salsa - really delicious. After breakfast I showed him a lot of useful shortcuts and tips in both Quark Xpress and Photoshop programmes. This evolved from the fact that the printers had not got the colours right on the current CD cover of Anthology which he had produced himself. I showed him how to ensure this never happened again and answered all his questions about things that puzzled him in both programmes, as well as showing him a few useful shortcuts and how to fade out colour pictures etc. After this I had time to check my email before his friends arrived, a couple of other people who are involved in the Bolivian Orphanages project. Lunch was also a meeting to go over their suggestions on how best to film the benefit performance in La Paz next Saturday. If anyone sees this in time, this concert is taking place at Auditorio Colegio de Avogados in La Paz and will feature other bands as well as Jacco playing with Ernesto Cavour, Fernando Jiminez and Juan Carlos Cordero. Juan Carlos is working very closely with Jacco organising everything at the Bolivian end. A film crew are going with them and on the Friday will be a big party for the children at the biggest of the orphanages benefiting from their efforts. The benefit concert on Saturday is the first of a series of them and will involve Jacco going to Bolivia to perform in these concerts at least 3 times a year. Look out for the story about this first one on my website in a few weeks time, complete with pictures of the children and performers.
I did not realise until we got outside the house that the weather here in Dallas was nowhere near as good as it had been in Savannah. It was pouring with rain! I asked Jacco if he had an umbrella or anything and he produced one of the rain ponchos purchased when in Edinburgh in 2001 which was perfect to put on and keep out the rain. We drove to the Green Chilli, an Asian noodles and grill bar, where we enjoyed an excellent lunch. I chose a delicious chicken and Asian vegetable soup with noodles which was enormous and a meal on its own.
After the meal we said goodbye to his friends as the next job was to return home and collect and load his car with everything needed for his booth at the international festival the following day. Arriving at St Marks school (a posh private school here in Dallas), we found the table allocated to Bolivia and set things up as far as possible in readiness for the following day. Jacco's lady friend Noreen arrived at this point as she would be managing the booth both days, Saturday and Sunday. The whole place was a hive of activity with people getting their booths ready.
After that was done it was time to eat dinner so the three of us went to an Argentinian restaurant which also served food from other South American countries including Peru and Bolivia. I ended up choosing a huge Guatemalan seafood soup which was the best soup I have ever tasted. There was some live music performed there too, a guy singing romantic songs, also a friend of Jacco's. After the meal we went to Monica's - another restaurant - where it was possible to just order drinks and we enjoyed the live music there which was a funky jazz fusion - two guys on bongos and drums and Carlos on his Venezuelan harp. I just loved their style of music and would have bought a CD had one been available. Our last stop before going home was to 2 supermarkets - the first one to buy some CD-Rs and the second a food market as I wanted to cook lunch on Sunday for all the members of Vision Andina who would be doing their rehearsal at Jacco's house in the morning. Then back home afterwards I went through Jacco's CD collection which is when I realised he had some great stuff that I would never find in Europe and made a little pile of the most elusive ones so that I could hopefully make a start the following day.
Saturday and Sunday were very busy, taken up with the Dallas International Music Festival. I helped him load all the stuff in his car again and take it to St Mark's and carry it to the booth. As we carried it in we passed Wayanay Inka who were setting up under a tented awning outside and I knew I would be there at the first opportunity! At the booth I helped Jacco and Noreen who had arrived before us set up the remainder of the items, including several beautiful ponchos and the CDs for sale. Then I left them to it and headed straight over to Wayanay Inka as I was dying to hear them play live. I was delighted to discover they had a new CD produced in 2003 called 'Andean World' which I immediately bought. The band consisted of two of the four original Wayanay Inka band, plus Miguel who normally plays with Vision Andina, plus one of the brothers selling CDs. Jacco said this band often splits into two and go off doing different things. Without the full complement of original musicians they did not sound as good as they would otherwise have done, but I was still thrilled to be listening to the live music of what is one of my favourite bands by whom I have around 5 CDs in my collection. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon listening to them, going off in between sets to see the rest of the festival which was unbelievably impressive. In addition to booths of most of the countries of the world, there were also two stages in two different large buildings, one devoted to dances in costume by many countries around the world, and the other devoted to music shows by bands from various countries. I enjoyed watching some of the dance shows, visiting all the booths and bought handmade jewellery from two of them, also a leaflet of Guatemalan recipes from another. I had dressed warmly for the day but being outside so much I felt cold after a while. It was misty and overcast and there was a really cold wind blowing so I ended up borrowing one of the ponchos from our booth and wearing that to keep warm. It was also fun to try out the food from some of the stalls - choosing Argentinian empanadas and jorajas, Hungarian apple strudel and Indian samosas. Then at 3 pm it started pouring with rain and did not look as though it would let up all day. I knew Wayanay Inka wouldn't be playing in conditions like that so returned to the booth to ask Jacco if he could drop me back to the house so that I could start on the CDs and he said okay. He dropped me off, saying to make myself at home and make coffee or eat whatever I wanted and that he would return later in the evening. I knew this would be several hours hence as he also had to deliver a car load of boxes of medicines, toys and clothing to one of the employees of American Airlines, to be distributed among the members also going to Bolivia on Thursday using the main bulk of each traveller's luggage allowance. American Airlines are the main sponsor for this new project of Jacco's. This guy lived an hour out of Dallas so the plan was for Jacco to leave Noreen in charge of the booth while he delivered everything and for him to return in time to help her pack everything up for the night. He said he would pick up takeaway food and bring it home for us on his return and I happily got to work on the CD copying, listening to some beautiful music at the same time and the time simply flew. I had planned to write this email then but got so caught up in the copying process that time ran out and Jacco returned. After eating I did as much preparation as I could for the following day's lunch and Jacco watched TV with Andean music playing at the same time. I also prepared a flyer for him which he would get photocopied the next day - advertising Vision Andina's performance at 4 pm, which would be handed out at the booth.
Yesterday was a brilliant day and the weather was better too - warm and quite sunny. The band arrived about 10 am, by which time I had the cooking of a Peruvian lunch well under way. Jacco tuned all the instruments ready for the arrival of his fellow musicians and then dashed out to get the flyer photocopied by which time they were arriving and it was great to meet the other musicians of Vision Andina. I spent the morning dashing from kitchen to computer to copy a few more CDs and back again to supervise the cooking, plus taking photos as the band rehearsed - they sounded so good I knew that listening to their show on stage that afternoon would be the highlight of my whole trip to Dallas. When they finished we all sat down to eat lunch which we enjoyed with a bottle of red wine, and it was great to see them tucking in and enjoying the food. Jacco who hardly ever eats at home and mainly eats out even asked for the recipe and said he would start cooking at home sometimes. After lunch we set off for the festival again and I helped them carry instruments to the backstage area and then went off to see everything again, my first stop being to Wayanay Inka to listen to their performance. The remainder of that day revolved around their shows until about quarter to four when I went to the main stage area and got myself a front row seat ready for Vision Andina's show. A Caribbean music show was just finishing and then a Mexican folkloric dance troop entertained us while Vision Andina set up their instruments. Noreen arrived just as the show was about to start and there followed an hour of pure heaven. The 10 songs they had decided to play were about the most beautiful Bolivian songs of all time and the seating area was packed with people watching. I was especially entranced when right at the beginning Jacco welcomed the people who had come to see them, first mentioning me from England. I thought that a wonderful gesture on his part. Hearing Vision Andina live on stage for the very first time was definitely definitely the highlight of the whole Dallas visit.
Back at the booth afterwards it was time to start packing everything up and I helped Noreen with this and Jacco joined us soon afterward once the instruments were in the car. Then he had to drive Juan back to his car which had been left parked outside his house and I went with Noreen to her house, with Jacco to join us later. Noreen said the plan then was to go to a party on a ranch about an hour outside Dallas, but that Pedro had already left and no one knew the address where the party was to be held apart from him.
Back at Noreen's house she produced coffee and snacks and then got on the phone to try and track someone down who knew the address, all of which yielded nothing, until Jacco phoned and said that Pedro and Francisco were performing at an Arabic restaurant called Sands and for us to meet him there. When we arrived Jacco was sitting at a table with another Bolivian and two ladies and upon our arrival Jacco decided we would eat there and listen to the musicians play. The two of them sounded really good too, Francisco singing and playing the guitar and Pedro playing flute or panpipes. The food was excellent and we were all drinking iced tea which is a great favourite here in USA. Somehow tea drunk ice-cold through a glass full of crushed ice tastes much better than the hot variety, especially by the time I had added a few cubes of sugar. I ended up drinking three of these during the evening and enjoying the music of Pedro and Francisco. Unfortunately by the time they finished at 10 pm, no one wanted to still go to the party at the ranch as it would have been too late an evening. Jacco had too much preparation to do at home ready for the studio session today, and Pedro and Francisco had day jobs to go to also. So we said our goodbyes and returned to the house where I was able to help Jacco by desktop publishing all the material he needed for the students at the studio today.
This morning he was up at 6 and on his way to the studio by 7 and he will be home again about 6 pm tonight. I am writing this email now and will then finish the CDs, take a shower etc, in time for Noreen's arrival at 2 pm when we are then going on a drive around Dallas to see some of the posh sights. We drove through some of the posh end of town at night where the most incredible houses are set on huge lots, all among lovely trees and it will be nice to see these places in daylight. I am really impressed with Dallas as a city - it all looks so modern and clean - residential areas in wide avenues with lovely trees. Noreen told me that city officials check every house in the city and if any garden is found with the grass on the lawn a few inches high they are heavily fined. I especially like the fact that at intersecting streets you can see the street name high above as you approach and even the road numbers in small print underneath indicating the road numbers to the left and right. This means you can see well in advance as you approach the traffic lights the name of the next street instead of waiting until you turn the corner and then hope to find a street name sign as you turn which is what you have to do back home.
After a driving tour of the posh end of town she is going to show me some of Dallas's nicest shops until we meet up with Jacco around 6 and then the plan for my last evening is for the three of us to go up a really high tower like the one in Atlanta, this one topped by a ball of flashing lights inside of which is a restaurant and bar and a place for dancing. I am really looking forward to that although we won't be staying late. We have to leave the house at 4 tomorrow morning for my flight back to Savannah which departs at 5.50 and this time the two flights are pretty close together and I sure hope I can find my way to the second flight in the time in what is a really enormous airport at Atlanta. I will arrive in Savannah at 10.25 where Layla will be at the airport to meet me and take me into town so that I can start exploring there while she teaches her class and she will rejoin me there afterwards. I sure hope the weather is nice and warm like it was before I came here.
I will probably send two more emails after this one, the next one covering the days in Savannah up until Friday when we leave for Atlanta - then the last one covering the weekend in Atlanta, the journey home, culminating with Sunday in London following my arrival, when I hope to visit Eddy and Rosa at El Inca, see Jorge and his new wife Viviana at Canary Wharf and finally Aquiles at some point in the afternoon before the journey back to Bath by train - where I will arrive late and return to work on Monday morning!
After that the next Andean event to look forward to is Quimantu in concert with John Williams on Sunday 30th November, unless any of my friends in Peruvian bands such as Dante or Chan Chan decide to visit Bath one weekend soon.
Last Hello From Savannah.
It's Thursday morning and I am taking the opportunity to write whilst Layla is working. She comes back at 12 noon and we have lots of touristy things planned for this afternoon in Savannah. It looks like another warm sunny day outside, apart from a breeze blowing.
My last day in Dallas was thoroughly enjoyable. Noreen came for me at 2 pm and we drove first to Lakeside to look at the huge houses which faced on to Turtle Creek. We crossed the bridge looking for turtles in the water but unfortunately some dredging work was going on nearby which probably scared them all away. It was a lovely spot with various beautiful geese and ducks and we took some photos.
After that we drove to Spanish Village, a large square of shops in a very wealthy area. The shops were designer names such as Christian Dior and it was interesting to window shop. Then Noreen treated us to lunch at Celebrity, a shop specialising in catered meals but also had a few tables outside for people to enjoy their special sandwiches or cakes. As we were eating I was delighted to see that grackles live in Texas too, albeit slightly smaller ones than in Georgia, and I had fun feeding them.
After lunch we drove out to a huge shopping mall and looked around the shops there. I fell in love with a slim-line CD player which worked on the Bose wave principle and was a bargain compared to what it would have cost back home. I may have even been tempted to buy it had I not already bought a CD clock radio in Dallas. There would not have been room for both in my flight baggage on the long haul homeward.
We were looking for dresses for Jacco to take for his sister in La Paz and as Noreen is the same size as her she was able to try things on. She insisted on buying me a present as we did this which I thought was very sweet of her. Of the tops I tried on I chose a lovely cross-over one in black and silver which fit me perfectly - the others were too small, there being nothing larger than British size 16 which is 14 here. Finally Noreen chose four outfits for purchase for Jacco to choose between, as the shop would take anything back within a month of purchase. Also whilst shopping I bought a transformer to convert 110 volt items to 220, not realising at the time of buying the CD clock radio that it would only work on 110 volts. In fact, not even realising until then that the voltage wasn't the same as back home.
We arrived back at the house with enough time for me to change and each had a small glass of wine before Jacco's arrival. Noreen suggested a place to go and eat but Jacco, knowing how much I had enjoyed sea food here in Savannah, said No that he knew a much better place, a Mexican restaurant specialising in sea food dishes, and that we would eat there and then go to the tower.
The restaurant was lovely and had so many lovely things on the menu it was difficult to choose. Jacco chose a plate of appetisers for us to share whilst deciding and I eventually decided on a mixed platter of jumbo shrimps and mixed sea food in the most divine sauce with baked potato and salad and chose iced tea to accompany it, having really got partial to this popular American drink. I never thought I would see the day that I would be drinking tea having disliked it as a drink all my life, but sweetened and in a glass full of crushed ice with several slices of fresh lime in it, it is really delicious. I could happily drink this instead of wine and will do when I start my diet back home.
After the restaurant we drove to the tower, driving through the downtown area in the process which was interesting to see. It is in the downtown area that all the skyscrapers are - out from the centre it is completely different with wide avenues. When we arrived at the tower we gave up the car to the valet service and entered the hotel and had the lovely experience of going up in a glass lift again and seeing Dallas laid out before us. At the top we entered the bar and were sitting right against the glass window like in Atlanta and I was completely mesmerised by the wonderful view, which like in Atlanta kept changing as it rotated also. We weren't quite so high up as we were in Atlanta but higher again was the disco in the flashing ball which we didn't visit. I chose a wonderful concoction called Chocolatini made with kahlua, white chocolate liqueur, vodka and cream covered in thick dark chocolate flakes which was incredible, Noreen and Jacco choosing brandy alexander and marguarita. We stayed enjoying the views for about an hour and took a few photos until returning to ground level in that incredible lift, and then reclaiming the car from valet service (10 dollars for that privilege).
By the time we got back home it was 12.15 so while Noreen modelled the dresses I made my bed up and said my goodnights knowing I had to be awake 3 hours later. Luckily all my packing had been done much earlier in the day before Noreen arrived.
I was awake bang on 3.30 intending to call Jacco at 3.45 but before I could do so, I could hear he was up and already having a shower, and by the time he was ready so was I and we left the house about 4.20 for the drive to the airport, about half an hour distant. At the airport Jacco waited with me while I checked in to make sure I did not have any problems and then walked me down to departures where we said goodbye, with me wishing him a safe and happy flight to Bolivia just two days later.
By the time I reached the departure gate it was only moments before I could board the plane and I was very happy to sink into my window seat, intending to sleep the 2 hours to Atlanta, but as usual could not resist watching take-off and seeing Dallas get further and further away below. It reminded me of the previous night from the tower, all lit up as it was still dark, but once the plane arrived above the clouds one could see the sunrise which looked very pretty. After that I closed my eyes and dozed lightly all the way to Atlanta where I enjoyed another perfect landing. Luckily the plane landed in time as I only had half an hour between flights to reach the departure gate of the connecting flight to Savannah, knowing from the outward journey that it was a very long way in that enormous airport. This involved a long walk, then a train ride to the next concourse and then another long walk and when I arrived boarding was already in progress. Again it was quite a small plane for the Atlanta-Savannah flight but a pleasant trip nonetheless, with me dozing most of the way. But I arrived in Savannah feeling quite refreshed and was outside waiting for Layla by 10.40 and she arrived a few moments later and we were back at the house by 11 am. She went off to teach then saying she would return at 1 o'clock and suggested the beach which I was very happy about as it was another glorious day. By the time I left Dallas the weather there had also improved and 80 was promised on the day I left and it was probably close to that on Monday, and it was warm enough to go without a cardigan on Sunday. It was only on Friday and Saturday that it was so rainy and cold and in fact the weather there is as diverse and temperamental as it is back home in England, never knowing from one day to the next how it will be.
When Layla returned we made straight to the beach as planned - along with her friend who had also decided to join us. We headed straight for South Beach which enjoys the afternoon and evening sun the longest and were soon ensconced on the sand and enjoying the sunshine. Layla and Tracy went off walking and I was content to doze off again in the sunshine until they returned. I woke up when they returned and enjoyed what I thought would be my last day at the beach until 5.30 when it was getting dark. We then headed round to the North side and the North Beach grill where we had decided to eat dinner. All three of us chose the Shrimp Creole and enjoyed a couple of margaritas each too. That dish was absolutely divine and I am sure going to miss those delicious shrimps which are huge and really meaty ones and different than the varieties available back home. The puddings sounded delicious too and I chose blueberry cobbler with ice-cream which was sensational. Tracy and Layla enjoyed their white chocolate and key lime pie also.
Yesterday was another lovely day too. Layla returned at 12 noon again and although the plan was to sightsee around Savannah we changed our minds and went to the beach again as it was such a hot day, at least in the 80s. Arriving at the North Beach grill first we decided to get our food as take-away and took this and two large iced sweet teas with us and drove to South Beach where we could see the tide was going out and parked ourselves right on the water's edge, a perfect spot to enjoy the food, surrounded by sea birds including grackles and having fun trying to feed the grackles without the bigger sea birds grabbing everything. Those grackles are such cute and intrepid birds - it was like a game of strategy between them and the sea gulls and they won out in the end because they were brave enough to walk right up and take food from our hands, whilst the big birds hung back. Then after all the grackles and sea gulls went away the little sandpipers came scurrying along cleaning up what few crumbs were left.
It was so hot that Layla went into the sea to swim but I was happy just relaxing in the sun, listening to the peaceful sound of the gentle surf and reading my book. We stayed almost 3 hours but left earlier as Layla wanted to get back to Savannah in daylight so that I could see something of the town. Once we had accomplished this we did a quick dash home to wash the sand off our feet and change into something warmer and then drove into the main part of town which I had not yet seen. We parked and climbed down steps into River Street, the street cobbled with the same stones that had been used as ballast in the ships in years gone by. River Street was beautiful with the wide river going right through the town and at one end the huge bridge - crossing it takes you into South Carolina which is something we might have done had I been here longer and if we could have fitted it in around Layla's work commitments.
We then did some sightseeing of the shops as I was getting worried not having bought any presents and only 2 days left to do it in. In the next couple of hours I managed to buy all the gifts I intended taking home for people and then we went to a restaurant and sat outside on the upstairs balcony with a good view of the river. A couple of enormous ships went past while we were there - really huge ones which was amazing to see, such huge vessels going straight through the town like that. There was a guitarist and singer entertaining the diners and it was very pleasant even though we could feel the mosquitoes biting us! I chose shrimp again, this time buffalo shrimp (buffalo meaning the fiery sauce on them) and Layla chose flounder and we shared a pecan pie afterwards. Outside afterwards we walked by the river but when Layla pointed out the palmetto bugs I beat a hasty retreat back to the main street, not wanting to see any of them fly. As long as I can forget the fact that they can fly I can just about tolerate the risk of encountering them in the house.
This morning I am covered in mosquito bites all over my neck, some on my face and my feet and ankles are covered in bites, including all up my legs until my knees, even though I was wearing a long skirt, but it isn't too unbearable. I have known worse back in Europe, e.g. France and Spain. It is not much worse than gnat bites back home. Well maybe a bit worse as it has caused my ankles to swell which coupled with the long flight home this weekend will cause some discomfort for a few days.
This afternoon we are sightseeing around Savannah again, this time to see the beautiful squares. Savannah is a city laid out into pretty squares and we are going to see them by driving and then go to lunch. Then the plan is a river boat ride on either the Georgia Queen or Savannah Queen, huge paddle steamer boats. The dinner cruises are quite expensive at 39 dollars per head but we might have done it had it fitted in around Layla's work commitments which unfortunately it doesn't. Instead we are taking the 15 dollar one hour cruise at 2 pm, and then immediately afterwards taking a carriage ride around old Savannah. We have to be back here for Layla's dance class at 7 pm which continues until 8.30 in which I am going to participate too, to get some ideas for the exercise regime I plan to make part of my daily routine at home once I get started on my diet.
We have all day tomorrow here in Savannah too as the plan is to leave for Atlanta very early on Saturday morning. Jerry is working both Friday and Saturday evenings which put paid to the possibility of spending tomorrow night there. As long as we leave by 9 am we will have time to reach the Westin Tower on Peach Street in time for lunch and enjoy one of those huge cocktails and the spectacular views. In case any of you want to take a look at the Sun Dial Restaurant at the top of the Westin tower the website address is www.sundialrestaurant.com.
The End of the Holiday!
I'm starting this on Sunday having arrived safely back in London and will complete the last bit tomorrow. I had a good flight home which only took 7 hours in this direction, landing at Gatwick at 7.20 this morning. From there I took the Gatwick Express into Victoria, stowed my case and am at present at Charing Cross (where I knew I could find an internet cafe) and from here I am off to see my friends Eddy and Rosa at El Inca cafe.
My last couple of days in Savannah were very enjoyable with the warm sunny weather lasting apart from a cooler breeze setting in. We had a lovely time on Thursday - first going on a one hour cruise on the Georgia Queen paddle steamer. When the boat set off up river we were seated at the front of the boat but could not stay there long as we were almost blown overboard by the breeze! Coming back later the difference was incredible as we were sheltered from the breeze and sitting in a suntrap. Amazingly on board near us were people from Wales and Swindon which makes one realise what a small world we live in at times.
After leaving the boat we headed into town as our next plan was a carriage ride around the old part of Savannah. We detoured through one of the candy stores offering free samples of Savannah's famous pralines though. These are really delicious but really expensive at 15 dollars per pound. Just buying one each of these cost us 5 dollars.
We had to wait half an hour before going on the carriage ride so passed the time eating ice-cream and looking at paintings in an art gallery. The actual carriage ride was lovely and lasted nearly an hour, taking in the most historical places and a tour guide talking continuously telling us the history of the city.
After that we returned home as Layla had a dance class for two people at 7 pm until 8.30 but as it happened both students cancelled at the last minute, so Layla offered to do a dance class just for me. For the next hour we did a lot of slow movements to some Hindu music which is often used in yoga. We purposely kept the exercises light and airy so that I would not pull any muscles - what with the long journey home ahead of me. Afterwards we were quite hungry so went to an Indian restaurant nearby for supper.
On Friday we had arranged to meet her friend Michelle at the coffee shop they go to frequently in the mornings. We enjoyed several cups of coffee and cranberry scones and afterwards went for a walk around a beautiful park nearby. We returned home so that Layla could get organised for her classes that day, and then she dropped me in town so that I could spend my last afternoon sightseeing, and she would pick me up in the same place three hours later.
I went into a Spanish tapas bar for lunch and then looked at some shops and bought a few things. I also managed to find the square which had a famous Indian chief buried there, and paid my respects at his grave. Then at 4 pm we returned home as Layla's friend Tumi was due to arrive any minute, as he usually stays at her house when playing in Savannah. In fact we got there just 10 minutes before him, even stopping on the way so that I could get a few things to cook that evening. Layla had to go to work at 6 at the Casbah so I listened to music (Andean of course!) with Tumi all evening and he told me lots about Ecuador which has really fired up my interest to go there one day. Later I cooked a Peruvian dish for supper, saving some for Layla for when she returned from work.
The next morning we had an early start as Tumi would be selling Ecuadorian crafts and playing music at a huge flea-market outside of town as by this time we had decided to go with him so that I could hear him play, instead of the early start to Atlanta previously planned, and we would be continuing direct to Atlanta from there without returning home. As it was just him, he would be playing panpipes in accompaniment to his CDs, as his fellow band members were at another flea market in Colombia that weekend.
We left about 8 o'clock as we had 15 miles to travel and all vendors had to be there by 9 o'clock. I enjoyed browsing round at the flea market spending quite a bit of time in the livestock sections. There was one big shed completely devoted to puppies of all different breeds and I especially fell in love with a blue eyed Siberian husky puppy who was on sale at 400 dollars. I also had a lot of fun in the bird house with had lots of parrots, most very friendly and used to people. Layla took a couple of photos of me holding a beautiful Cockatoo whilst we were in there.
Then at 11 o'clock we said our goodbyes to Tumi and set off for the long drive to Atlanta. After an hour and a half of driving we stopped at a Waffle House for breakfast, and then continued to Atlanta airport which took a further 3 hours, the airport being on our side of Atlanta and thus avoiding possible delays in the city.
There I checked in early, which is a double check-in procedure since September 11th. After checking in and getting my boarding pass I had to then go to the screening centre where all luggage is checked by machine. I sure hope that none of my undeveloped films were in the suitcase as a notice warned they would be destroyed by the machine. I could only hope they were in my hand baggage as I knew that somewhere were 2 undeveloped films in addition to the almost completed one in my camera. Several of the cases were being opened and checked and I was hoping they would not do that with mine, having done a war-dance on it at Layla's to get it zipped closed! Fortunately they didn't open it but the guy lifting it onto the trolley going to the plane gasped at the weight!
Then we went to a cafe for coffee and sandwiches before Layla and I said our goodbyes. I spent about half an hour looking in the gift shops and then headed for the train as my plane would be leaving from the most far distant concourse. I had a fair wait until boarding was in progress and it was great to finally sink into my seat - a window seat which is always my preference - and a gap between me and another lady in the same row. The flight home was good - British Airways look after their passengers so beautifully - but I was unable to sleep more than about an hour. I ended up listening to Andean music all the way home and reading for a while. Each passenger had a TV screen in the back of the headrest of the passenger in front, with films throughout the flight but the best two films I had already seen at the cinema (Homicide Cop and Pirates of the Caribbean). I will continue this email tomorrow as it is going to be a pretty late breakfast at El Inca unless I get going!
Well unfortunately I was unable to see Eddy and Rosa when I arrived at El Inca as they had gone shopping. Serves me right for wanting to surprise them instead of letting them know. I waited 40 minutes in case they returned and in the end left a note for them, as I had to get across to Canary Wharf next to meet Jorge and Viviana. Before reaching Oval station Jorge phoned and confirmed they would be waiting for me in the tube station at Canary Wharf.
When we met it was lovely to meet his wife Viviana for the first time who had returned from Peru with him in August. We went to their home first so that they could show it to me and then picking up their wedding photos to look at over lunch we all set off by bus to a favourite restaurant of theirs. When we got off the bus I realised we were in Bethnal Green and very close to where another friend Claire lives. We had lunch at Nando's which I think is Portuguese, where they specialise in barbecued marinated chicken which was so delicious that we ended up placing our order again after we had finished and enjoyed a second portion! It was great to see their wedding photos. They could not have got married in a more wonderful place - at Huanchaco, the beach I so fell in love with whilst in Trujillo earlier this year.
Finally as we made our way back to their home it was beginning to get dark and I was struggling to stay awake on the bus and still had a few hours of travel before I would get home. I said goodbye to Viviana and Jorge accompanied me to the tube station - with me admiring the scenery as we walked. Canary wharf is very modern looking with pools and fountain and two large shopping malls to be explored at some future visit. I will see them again just before Christmas as I have invited them to Bath for a few days when Jorge has holiday from both work and studies.
From there I had to return to Victoria and pick up my case and thereafter it was quite a struggle being lumbered with that, plus another pull along bag plus a backpack full of things. The wheels on the suitcase were damaged during the outward flight which meant they did not roll properly and it took all my strength to drag it along. Fortunately there are plenty of gentlemen about because as soon as I attempted to get all my things down stairs to the tube trains, someone appeared and carried the heavy case down for me.
Once at Paddington my intention was to ask if I could change my two separate tickets into one direct journey to Bath, but I noticed there was a train already on the platform so decided to take a chance and get on it. The worst that could happen would be having to get off at Reading and taking another train. Again I was lucky that a kind man helped me with the heavy case, even carrying it through a whole packed carriage until I could find a seat where I could keep watch on the case during the ride home. The next two hours was an almighty struggle to stay awake as by this time I was really tired, having only had a couple of hours sleep in the past 36 hours. I finally arrived in Bath at 8 pm where Colin met me at the station, returning to his house first so that we could have a cup of coffee and exchange news and then I drove home and even managed to unpack before finally sinking into bed and a good night's sleep. Today I am back at work. Well that's it I guess until the next holiday or weekend away. The next holiday adventure will be Peru and Bolivia in summer of 2004.
Sunday, November 30, 2003
Monday, November 17, 2003
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