Bigfella is Coming to America

[Bigfella]

Hope your enjoying your stay here BF.

having a ball DN

[dave lukins]

having a ball DN

It looks like you're having a good time and seeing thinks you planned to see. Must have been nice to have a guided tour of the Pentagon with Astralis. Reflection at the Memorials and graves must have been sombre. I hope NYC comes up to expectation and I'm sure it will... Have more fun

[astralis]

dave,

Must have been nice to have a guided tour of the Pentagon with Astralis.

or not so guided, apparently!

BF,

great to see ya when you were out here. it's too bad we didn't have more time-- it was one of those days where everything seemed to be sailing smoothly and then things went to hell.

[dave lukins]

dave,



or not so guided, apparently!

BF,

great to see ya when you were out here. it's too bad we didn't have more time-- it was one of those days where everything seemed to be sailing smoothly and then things went to hell.

If it goes smooth it was a guided tour. If it goes slightly off tangent it is always a remembered moment in time.

[Bigfella]

dave,



or not so guided, apparently!

BF,

great to see ya when you were out here. it's too bad we didn't have more time-- it was one of those days where everything seemed to be sailing smoothly and then things went to hell.

Don't sweat it mate. Just meeting was a highlight. I headed on over to ray's hellburger on your tip & it was one GOOD burger. Ray dfoes good work (and a thriving trade).

[JAD_333]

BF

Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to DC. As a native I tend to take it for granted. I must say your description of your visit was worthy of any travel writer. It certainly stirred up my desire to revisit some places I haven't seen in a coon's age.

[Bigfella]

BF

Glad to hear you enjoyed your visit to DC. As a native I tend to take it for granted. I must say your description of your visit was worthy of any travel writer. It certainly stirred up my desire to revisit some places I haven't seen in a coon's age.

Thanks JAD. I try to animate the commentary a bit. I meant to drop you a line, but I was flying around madly during the day & pooped at night. You certainly have a beautiful city here. I suspect it is a place where even the familiar can occasionally provide a surprise. I'll finish off with a bit of last day commentary.

Actually, I'll start last night. having had plans go sideways once or twice, I finally got to see some music last night. I went to Georgetown's Blues Alley to catch the incomparable saxophonist kenny Garrett. I got there just before kick off. I was given a seat at the front....right up front. I was at a table with a couple who didn't really want me there, perched over the edge of the stage. I could literally have reached out & grabbed the sax. The show was awesome. The band was brilliant & after a shaky start I got on well with the couple at the table (everyone here loves Australians apparently). To finish off a fine evening I bumped into the bass player at the bar. he liked Australians too & seemed genuinely pleased to be thanked for his performance. Apparently he apprenticed with Wynton marsalis & Ornette Coleman. Quite a training ground. A fine night indeed.

Today got off to a slow start. I may have mentioned at some point that I havr shed some weight in the last year - somewhere close to 50 pounds. That is nice & has allowed me to do a LOT of walking. It also means new clothes. America has given me another gift - bigger sizes. I can sneak into an 2X here (at home I am 3-5 sizes bigger). I have rapidly acquired a new wardrobe of cool T-shirts - Hendrix, Nirvana, Bob Marley etc. In fact, too many to lug around America. So, I spent some time this morning with the moderately helpful staff of the georgetown post office. Nice building, staff much the same as post offices in Australia. Hopefully everything arrives intact.

From there it was on to one of the few museums in DC that charge - the Newseum. It was geninely interesting. Newspapers & the equivalent that went back to the 1500s - somke of them with the biggest headlines of all time, a reproduction (or perhaps the real) unabomber cabin, a few artefacts, a collection of Pulitzer award winning photos & some 9/11 material. By far the most moving exhibit was based around part of the aerial off one of the twin towers. While that stands in mute testimony to he power of the tower's collapse, the room around it is filled with words. One wall is full of front pages from all over the world from the day after. Another section had the belongings of a photographer killed by the collapse of the second tower as he took photos. His last photos & interviews with friends & family were incredibly moving. The knockout blow was an 11 minute film about the journalists who covered the story that day. I'm not ashamed to say that I fought back tears unsuccessfully. I wasn't alone. A fine addition to DC's museums.

next was the imposing marble edifice of the supreme court. It was a bit of a thrill to look at all the portraits & busts of the justices & grab a quick meal in perhaps the nicest cafeteria I have seen in DC. Then we all got to sit in the court & marvel at the wonderful architecture, the friezes (more fasces on display) & the sense of history. Though the building only streteches back to the 30s, it still echoes with the great figures & famous judgements that have passed through over the years.

My final mission of the day was to see a few last monuments that I've missed so far. First was the jefferson. Perched over the tidal basin it has the pick of spots in DC & is by far the most picturesque monument. Then I walked around to the the FDR memorial. Must say In was a bit let down. This was the monumentary equivalent of a book in need of a good editor. There was plenty of great stuff, but it needed to be more compact (just how many waterfalls does one monument need?) I really felt that the impact of America's longest serving President was dissapated by the size of the monument rather than being enhanced by it. Still a fine place, but an opportunity lost. Last, however, was definately best. The new MLK memorial is truly beautiful. It is wonderfully laid out in a semi circle adorned with King's words. While you can enter from the side, the best option (and one I consciously chose) was to enter at the apex of the arc - through the middle of the 'mountains of despair'. from there you approach a giant block of (lime?)stone from behind. passing another King quote as you walk toward the basin King emerges from the stone block, an almost organic form. To me the statue had the same sympathetic approachability as the seated Lincoln - a profoundly human figure despite the scale. I'm not sure if King is supposed to be casting his glance across the basin at the Jefferson memorial, but it would be appropriate in many ways if he did, half approving, half admonishing his contradictory predecessor. From jefferson to FDR to King had a strange sort of symetry to it. A nice way to finish off DC.

This is truly a place of wonders JAD. it helped to fire my imagination as a young boy & it has not let me down as an adult. As exciting as my next port of call is, I will be sad to leave.

[JAD_333]

BF:

Again a worthy travelogue. I have yet to see the King memorial, it having just opened, or the Newseum. The Jefferson memorial is indeed nicely sited, but I would have to go with the Lincoln Memorial as the most prominently positioned at the end of the Mall. The FDR memorial is a testimony to political push. FDR specifically said he did not want a large memorial to himself, but after years of struggling over it, Congress went ahead. Perhaps it's lack of coherency is the result of indecision.

Hope the rest of your trip is enjoyable.

[S2]

Just spoke to Pete again a few moments ago. It's late and he's out and about in the city which never sleeps and, apparently, having a ball. Attended an Italian festival and then a Coltrane music festival. Hit the museums, Fillmore East, CBGBs (now a clothes store), Village Vanguard and Birdland. Swung by Chinatown and took in a Yankee game among a few other places. Coney Island still on the agenda.

He's definitely looking forward to Memphis and, hopefully, hooking up with Eric and his wife. That'd be cool. Lots of good music, BBQ and fine southern cooking there so Pete should have a good time south of the ol' Mason-Dixon line.

I'm very happy for him. It seems he's having a great time and that's, of course, very good.

[Doktor]

...CBGBs (now a clothes store)...

I missed the part when the club closed. Shame

[Bigfella]

Just spoke to Pete again a few moments ago. It's late and he's out and about in the city which never sleeps and, apparently, having a ball. Attended an Italian festival and then a Coltrane music festival. Hit the museums, Fillmore East, CBGBs (now a clothes store), Village Vanguard and Birdland. Swung by Chinatown and took in a Yankee game among a few other places. Coney Island still on the agenda.

He's definitely looking forward to Memphis and, hopefully, hooking up with Eric and his wife. That'd be cool. Lots of good music, BBQ and fine southern cooking there so Pete should have a good time south of the ol' Mason-Dixon line.

I'm very happy for him. It seems he's having a great time and that's, of course, very good.

I am indeed mate, not least because I have had the opportunity to personally connect with a few WABbers. I'll sit down over the next day or so & do a proper summary for everyone. NY has not been as kind weather wise, but it is a place of such variety & excitement that the weather just doesn't matter.

[Bigfella]

I missed the part when the club closed. Shame

It closed, re-opened & then finally closed again a few years back. you can still see much of the original walls & vents & get a sense of the place. You can even buy books & records, but the clothes were WAY too expensive.

[dave lukins]

Just spoke to Pete again a few moments ago. It's late and he's out and about in the city which never sleeps and, apparently, having a ball. Attended an Italian festival and then a Coltrane music festival. Hit the museums, Fillmore East, CBGBs (now a clothes store), Village Vanguard and Birdland. Swung by Chinatown and took in a Yankee game among a few other places. Coney Island still on the agenda.

He's definitely looking forward to Memphis and, hopefully, hooking up with Eric and his wife. That'd be cool. Lots of good music, BBQ and fine southern cooking there so Pete should have a good time south of the ol' Mason-Dixon line.

I'm very happy for him. It seems he's having a great time and that's, of course, very good.

Sounds like he's really having a ball. I fancy some of that fine southern cooking myself

[Bigfella]

I'm afraid it has taken a while to get to the New York leg of my trip - havin' too much fun in Memphis with Eric .

My first view of New York was the Empire State Building seen in the distance as my train passed through New Jersey. My next view was as I climed the stair from Penn station onto one of Manhattan's busy avenues. If anyone wants to know where Ridley Scott got his inspiration for the set of Blade Runner walk out into midtown manhattan on a rainy day. The crush of umbrella wielding people; the dark sky & the buildings blocking out the light; the steam rising from manhole covers. Quite shock to the system.

From then on New York was all go. I did all the touristy things (well...most). I did the tall buildings (Empire State & Rockerfeller centre); Did the museums & galleries (MoMA, Met, Guggenheim, Natural History); went to Coney island on the only sunny day & had a hot dog at nathans - reputedly the first hot dog vendor; braved the crush on Mulberry street in little italy for the feast of San Genaro & got to have a huge (though the menu called it 'small') pizza at Lombardis - reputedly manhattans oldest Pizziera; Did the Circle Line & the Staten island Ferry; walked across the brooklyn bridge into lower manhattan; wandered around Central Park & Prospect Hill park (Brooklyn) - green oasis in the midst of some of the most dense urban environments in the world; got to wander around an old aircraft carrier. I also did a LOT of walking - manhattan is fairly flat (the bits I was in anyway) and the grid made it very easy to get around. The subway is also remarkably easy to use, which made the touristing so much easier.

Food & entertainment were also highlights. I saw some awesome music. Birdland gave me a wonderful John Coltrane tribute. I saw legendary Australian songwriter paul Kelly in Greenwich Village. It was a special show because I was with an old college friend. We firest saw paul kelly together in 1988, so it was a night of memories, laughter & even a few tears. The mjusical highlight, however, was to sit in the Village vanguard, perhaps 2 meters from the stage & watch Ravi Coltrane occupy a spot where the greats of modern jazz have stood. You could feel the history...oh, and Ravi was awesome (as was the 13 year old prodigy on piano). The other entertainment highlight was a night at Yankee stadium. The weather held off for long enough for me to see a full game. I'm not a baseball fan, but the Yankees have a history & mystique that is undeniable. I got to see home runs, have a bag of peanuts thrown at me & generally had a ball. Sadly my proposed visit to Queens to see the mets the next night was rained out. Still, Yankee stadium was magic.

Finally there has been the food. Everything here is BIG. Pizza, dogs, chees steaks...everything. I tried such a variety. Pizza in little italy. A hot dog at Nathans. A Cheese steak in midtown (apparently a fair facsimilie of the Philly version). Deep fried oreos (little italy again); kosher hot dogs; garlic fries (Yankee stadium). Then there was a fine burger at juniors in Brooklyn & some fine Ethiopian food not far away. Also had a nice cake from Surinam. There was also lots of great fare from street vendors all over Manhattan. I am going to pay fort all this when I get home, but it has been fun.

My last manhattan memory is one I will expand on a little later when I can easily upload pics - the ground zero memorial. Even with all the construction work surrounding it this is a beautiful, peaceful place. A worthy way to remember so many lost lives.

[Blue]

Memphis Rocks! Charlie Vergos Rendezvous has the best BBQ I have EVER tasted and no one in Memphis ever uses turn signals. That's all I'm saying until BF reports.