A Month in the USA-Both Coasts!

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Greetings and Happy Holidays loyal readers! Don´t let this blog entry confuse you -- I had a rather unique itinerary during my stay in the US and the text will be more or less chronological, but the images may not be. I wasn´t very consistent about documenting my visit with photos, so what´s pictured may seem a bit lopsided compared to what´s mentioned. Thanks to all who shared their photos with me - but even so this is the first blog where my text stretches beyond the photos!

I started with 10 days in California (Thanksgivukkah with my Dad, sister Claire & nephew Sam who live there + brother Bob visiting from Baltimore and niece Jenna in from New York with fiance Patrick, as well as a quick trip up to the middle of the state). I flew to Baltimore where I spent a few days with Bob + family before taking the Amtrak train to Pennsylvania to visit with an old college friend, and then drove up to Manhattan with her. From there I went to New Jersey and spent a few nights with big brother Lee + family before returning to Manhattan for a few days with friends + family there. Train back down to Baltimore for a couple more days, then flew back to LA for a few nights before heading back to South America. It was great to have double visits on both coasts, a week or two apart. I felt like I spent a longer time with each family, more in touch with their daily lives.

I had reserved my plane tickets many months ago; Orbitz had prices more than $300 less than my usual COPA route through Panama, so I booked thru them (against my better judgement). They routed me on LAN/American through Miami where I encountered electronic immigration kiosks for the first time, really quite efficient but any advantage gained was then lost again going through baggage claim and customs. I thought my two and half hour connection would be plenty of time, but in the end I had to hurry to get my bags checked back in for the ongoing flight, crossing my fingers they’d find their way onto the right flight (they did!). After a long search I found some pay phones but didn't have enough coins. When I asked folks for change for a dollar, several just gave me whatever coins they had in their pocket and a few offered to loan me their phones. Surprised by willingness and generosity!

I landed at LAX in the late afternoon, and by the time I picked up my rental car I was just in time to join rush hour on the freeway. Remembering not to try to shift the automatic transmission, I joined the heavy traffic - six lanes of solid red brake lights. I was suprised by how dark it had gotten at, 5 pm since I'm so used to year 'round 6 am to 6 pm daylight in Ecuador. After such a long day of air travel, the hour and a half stop-and-go drive to my Dad's place felt endless. As in the past when I've spent the night with my Dad, Benny the dog is asked to relinquish his crushed velvet foldaway sofa bed each night. As I open out the mattress dozens of stashed treats, biscuits & chew toys come flying out! Benny is the light of my Dad's life. He's also the luckiest dog around -- if Dad forgets whether he's already walked or fed Benny, he just does it again! My Dad stopped driving a few years back and says what he most misses is taking Benny to the Dog Park, so we made several park visits together!

Every Wednesday evening Dad scopes out the 'Estate Sales', clipping ads from the Leisure World Community newspaper and taping them to a map, plots the route to visit on Thursday morning. Some of my favorite $1 finds this visit were a fleece jacket (which I needed - it was actually cold in Calif!), and a pair of Kenneth Cole sandals. One Spanish-speaking family had allowed their Chinese neighbor to set up on their lawn and piggy-back off their sale. It's a very multicultural community and you never know what you'll find at these sales. Although more and more people are hiring professionals to run the sales for them, occasionally you'll see objects of real value with ridiculously low prices.

I did my annual toiletries & specialty product shopping at Target and Trader Joe’s. In each of those places I blink and I'm over $100! Then there are the discount clothing shops - I love hunting for bargains on the clearance racks at Kohl's, Marshalls, TJMaxx & Ross. It's fun to actually find quality clothing in my size marked down to $15 or less! I always enjoy hanging out at my dad's, glimpsing his lifestyle and daily routine. In the mornings we would sometimes play cribbage, jumpstart the brain. In the evening the news is always on, every channel reporting the same three or four stories over and over again. I got my first megadose of US media culture via the TV screen at Dad's.

Since my sister now lives in the valley, the 2nd night I was in LA she came down to the coast and Dad and I drove north and we met halfway for a Chinese dinner. The next night I headed back to the airport, this time to meet my friend Joe who was arriving from Panama. His Dad lives about 4 hours north of LA, so I agreed to pick him up and take him to his Dad's. I made a silly sign with a fictitious name (that only he and I would understand!) and waited at the international gate. Walking back to the rental car, we were surprised to see a whole row of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations alongside the handicapped spots! Equal preference these days? Another shocker was airport vending machines selling all kinds of technology - I would feel uneasy spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on something purchased by sticking your card into a machine!

It was great to catch up with Joe as we drove north along beautiful Hwy 101. After dropping him at his Dad's I drove east to Fresno, marvelling at the gorgeous sunset scenery, the apricot skies turning the soft hillsides mauve & taupe. In Fresno I visited with Sue, a friend who's already built her house on the beach in Ecuador, but is having a hard time actually retiring & as yet is not spending much time down there! I had only met her daughter and son-in-law once, in Ecuador, but what luck! They were coming down from their home in Northern California that very night. The four of us tried a new Indian Restaurant. Excellent food but a funky setting in a 'Wild West' style bar. A vague decor effort had been made - saris hanging over saddles?

The four-hour drive back down the Hwy5 was mind-numbingly hypnotic. In Ecuador I have Sharp curves, pot holes, snow-capped peaks, stray burros -- any number of things to keep me alert. This perfectly straight interstate, coupled with a car with automatic transmission and cruise control made it hard for me to stay awake. Sue had passed along some audiobooks that she was ready to part with, but they mostly New Age, Self-Help, soporific narrator types. I kept alert by focusing on the wide variety of car makes & models and the cryptically encoded vanity plates while flipping from one classic rock radio station to another, singing along with the windows wide open.

I made it back to LA in time for my Thrift Shopping date with Tucson pal, Kelly. We both found a few oldies but goodies and I enjoyed catching up with her while I stayed overnight, cuddling with rescue pups Gracie & Gigi. Especially the first few days back in the US, I'm in sensory overload tourist mode. This visit I was stunned by the widespread use of technology! Apps for everything! Order takeout with your phone. Fashion keeps step - advertising for sticky fingertip gloves so users can swipe their screens without letting their hands get cold! Sitting at the next table at a restaurant, all six family members busy on their respective IPhones. Rather sad, actually.

At a health food store I read the label of some shishi organic juice. Other than kale, I had never heard of any of the ingredients! In magazines and on billboards I kept seeing creative advertising for a smart new Brand of hair and skin care products called 'Mixed Chicks' (and there are a lot of them out there!) – Publicity for other new products had embedded, hip cultural cues which were unintelligible to me. Kelly helped me decipher some of it (she's a High School Teacher!) Since I follow Facebook (somewhat) I already knew what a "selfie" was (supposedly the top new word of the year) but I was intrigued and amused at the latest "mash-ups" Here are some that I brainstormed with my east coast nieces} sexting, webinar, chillax, badvertising, advertorial, craptacular, nontroversy, dramedy, romcom bromance (i.e., 2 guys in a mancave), manscaping (i think of mowing that lawn of a beard), murse (manpurse).

I stayed for a week at Claire’s new place, a huge apartment in beautiful Toluca Lake – less tan a mile from where her family lived in Burbank. I lived nearby too way back in 1988! Jenna & Patrick arrived from New York and I was excited to meet my niece's fiance. They had a task, which they successfully completed, finding an LA venue for their Nov '14 Wedding. Bob arrived at Burbank airport (so much easier tan LAX!) and brought along the new laptop he'd helped me buy. He also helped me transfer all my "stuff" to the new computer. (I'm not loving Windows 8- clearly designed for a touch screen but a royal pain to use with a fingerpad!)

Since Hanukkah began the night before Thanksgiving, we got to celebrate both holidays together. Since everybody was there the first night of Hanukah, after lighting the candles and chanting the prayers we opened almost all the gifts. Claire had shared her wrapping paper with me so my Ecuador offerings also looked bright and shiny beneath the Menorah table (a family tradition since we were kids). I felt a little apprehensive, seeing the pile of gifts for me. I was going to have to get them all back to Ecuador somehow...but my sister is the consummate gift giver! Many of her gifts to me were bags to put things INTO! Bob's gift was sharing the cost of the new computer and Jenna's gift was a night out on the town when I was in New York.

The next morning Bob & I drove down to pick up Dad and we had a morning candle lighting (complete with latke eating-yum!) before heading over to the stunning home of Claire's friend Paula. The two women were co-hosting Thanksgiving and had invited their mutual friends and respective relatives. Claire had already done most of the prep work, but I was able to help out by slicing carrots for roasting and preparing potatoes for mashing. The food was absolutely delicious (and lots of yummy leftovers too!) Altogether there were over 30 people in attendance, and such interesting folks! A lot of them were asking me questions about my expat lifestyle.

One of the best thing about the location of Claire's new place is that it's possible to walk just about anywhere. For a family dinner she chose a restaurant that was about a 45 minute walk each way. Christmas lights were starting to twinkle and we had to work for our supper! Another favorite nearby walk is around the Hollywood Reservoir (where the big HOLLYWOOD letters are perched on the hillside). This 5K walking loop had been closed due to mudslides and just recently reopened. For brunch one day Claire took us walking to a cool hispanic area. Patrick had lived in Spain for a few years, so he and I had fun speaking Spanish together as we walked. Way to build in exercise, especially since so much of our socializing focuses around eating! Thanks Claire!

A couple of days, I just took some down time and did what Claire calls, Binge Watching. I had several Grey’s Anatomy marathons, catching up with episodes I'd not yet seen. I enjoyed strolling the neighborhood when I took Riley for his walks. He's now completely blind, but seems to have figured out his new home quite well, whether we took the elevator or the stairs, went out the front or through the garaje. Signs out front of each apartment building advise that pet owners must dispose of “dog defecations”. On doggie walks I saw a few Professional Scavengers, and not just bottles and cans. These folks were pulling amazing stuff out of the trash near the posh homes.

I had recently reconnected with an old friend from Tucson days. Shanah now lives in Alaska, but it just so happened that she'd be visiting her parents in Laguna (half hour south of my Dad's), so we made plans to meet up. When I called to confirm she told me that her mom had a medical emergency so we shuffled the visit a bit. I went down to her folks' place a night earlier and we lit Hanukkah candles there. The inside of the candle box had the blessing printed on it, so her mom had cut it out and saved it for years. Shanah's mom fixed a special dinner and it was wonderful to be with her family. I found myself missing my own mom acutely, but there was also a sweet comfort in hugging Lorraine. In the end I stayed over at her folks' place and went along to the doctor's office and out to lunch the next day. We made it feel like a social outing.

After one more evening with Dad I headed back to LAX for my flight to Baltimore. I realized that prior to this visit to the US I hadn't flown in over 16 months, but I would certainly be making up for it this month! Security Checkpoint lines at LA airport snake around into unused hallways, over pedestrian bridges. Creative crowd control. I was intrigued to see a "No Scavenging" sign over a trash can at the airport. Los Angeles is such a melting pot - I love seeing the various cultural blends. Asian blacks & Asian hispanics have a special beauty to my view. In the waiting lounge, I watched a gorgeous porcelain-skinned Chinese girl and a Hispanic skater-dude strike up a conversation, both chatting in accentless English! I'm always fascinated by Hasidic Jewish women, their modest dress and often ill-fitting wigs. At LAX you can just sit back and hear all different languages swirling around you.

Arriving in Baltimore Bob's work schedule had changed so he couldn't pick me up from the airport. He told me to take a taxi and said it would cost about $70 at that time of day (and that's what it cost, right on the dot!) Very interesting conversation with the driver, a 40/soemthing man from Georgia (former Soviet Unión). He had come to Baltimore 5 years earlier when his wife won the green card lottery. As they were deciding whether or not it was a good idea to go with their two adolescent kids, their house caught fire and burned down. Cosmic answer! I helped him express in English his story of getting started in new land. He said his primary English teacher is the female voice on the GPS machine!

I arrived in Baltimore the last night of Hanukah and again we lit candles. It was so great to see my sister-in-law Kate and my nephew Holden. I gave Holden his gifts (Xmas & Bday - he's almost 17!) and I got another gift; Kate and I went for a massage the next day! It was excellent, especially as I was suffering from "traveller's back" (lifting luggage, uncomfortable airplane seats, long lines with heavy carry-ons, sleeping on sofas, etc.) Glowing from our massages, we went across to Kate's new favorite thrift shop ("Savers" benefits MS research). Kate was looking for tacky Xmas sweaters for their family photo holiday card. It was fun cooking with my sister-in-law and I got to enjoy another round of Thanksgiving leftovers (that sliced turkey/stuffing/cranberry/potato casserole was amazing, Kate!)

Bob and I hadn't played backgammon together in ages, and we got on a roll. He was working from home for a few days while I was visiting, and I was awed by his multitasking skills. While we were playing he wore his phone headset and participated in a conference call while at the same time skimming the Christmas ads in the newspaper and glancing up at the TV to see the reporting about Mandela's passing. I made the dreaded trek up to Bob's attic to take a look at the things I still have stored up there. I went mostly in search of the framed pictures I knew I wanted to bring back down with me, but was bowled over by the quantity of stuff I have boxed away. Next visit I'll have to make decisions about the stamp collection, photo albums, baskets, wood sculptures and so much other "junque".

Bob used his Amtrak miles to help me book my train travel (my brother takes such good care of me!) The East Coast stations are such old, majestic buildings. I love the architectural details on the ceilings and doorways. Amtrak has kept up with technology well, with Wifi signal on most cars and outlets at every seat. A short ride to Philly where I had a several hour wait before catching a local line to central Pennsylvania. The gentle rolling motion of the train, comfy ample seating, gazing out the windows at lakes, rivers, miles of broken-down trailer dwellings, chatting with seatmates. I find train travel so much more pleasant than airplanes. I arrived in Lewistown, PA and was surprised to see 20 or 30 Amish people waiting to board, many of them quite large people blocking exits and walkways without much sense of travel etiquette. After a bit of an awkward all-off / all-on exchange, the train pulled off and I looked around but saw no one there to meet me.

I'd been admiring a silver-haired lady's stylish haircut on the train, and she'd gotten off the train at Lewistown as well. Now she was just hanging up her cell phone as she settled on a bench to wait. I asked her if I could use her phone to make a call. As she heard me ask Eva if I was at the right station on the right date she began to chuckle. I explained that I'd called Eva earlier but just gotten voice mail, so I wasn’t sure. The woman told me that the exact same had happened to her and that she had just made an identical call, asking if she was in the right place at the right time. She told me that her friend was coming over the hills from State College and would be another 15 min or so. There our conversation ended as Eva's husband Ron pulled up, also arriving from State College. The rain was turning to sleet on the 45 minute drive home, and by that evening snow was falling in wet chunks. Eva & Ron & I met their son in Boalsburg (near State College) at a lovely restaurant in an old colonial house. As we were seated, I looked over at the next table and saw the woman with the great hairstyle! I whispered to Eva, "I think that's the lady whose cell phone I borrow at the train station!" Eva took out her cell and asked, "Should I dial her number and see if it's her?" She got up to go to the bathroom and we asked her friend if she'd just arrived by train that day. Sure enough, it was the same gal! What are the chances?! I just love "coinky-dinks"!

I enjoyed catching up with old friend Eva as we made the drive north from Pennsylvania cruising through a winter wonderland! It was a crystal clear crisp 45 degrees when we arrived at her Dad's Upper West Side apartment overlooking the northern tip of Central Park. Ron explained that an outcropping of rocks on the edge was actually the highest point on Manhattan island. After a glorious walk through the park and a stroll around the neighborhood I met up with my big brother Lee who had driven into the city with the whole family. As dusk fell (4:30 pm it's already getting dark up here!) we crept along in the heavy 5th Avenue traffic, a perfect pace to check out the Xmas lights and window decorations.

Back to New Jersey for sister-in-law Pattie’s famous lasagna. Fun to reconnect with my nieces and nephew. Since I only see them every few years, it's a bit like getting reacquainted each time. We played Apples to Apples, always a fun game for stimulating conversation & sharing. Niece Tovah is the Boggle pro, and has been ever since she was a little girl! Shara & I played Checkers - I hadn't played it since I was a kid, and now as an adult I realize that there's a lot of strategy involved. We all went to buy a Gingerbread House kit, and had great fun decorating it together in very creative ways. The Starlight Mint puppy dog face peering out the back window is looking at his choco chip poopies in the garden. The Geriatric Gingerbread Man out front is using his walker, made of candy "canes". Tovah is studying Occupational Therapy - extra credit for that creation! Once we made mini-marshmallow boobies on the Gingerbread Lady, we drew on a bikini so she could sunbathe in the vanilla icing snow alongside the licorice stick pathway.

I really appreciated that the family had cleared their schedules so we could all spend some time together. We went to a holiday craft fair at a nearby church, visited the Children's Museum where Shara used to work and Pattie is now working, all went out for dinner at Applebee's (the huge screen TVs broadcasting multiple football games were a bit of sensory overload for both me and nephew Griffie). Bob had business in NJ, so he met us all for dinner at the outrageous International Buffet – sushi, dim sum, lasagna, roast beef – a bit of everything...frog legs, chicken legs, crab legs (hop no evil, fly no evil, swim no evil). Rather odd to find the oysters resting beside the jello & pudding and slightly disconcerting that the sushi bar was right beside the restrooms!

Knowing that I was headed for cold weather, Claire loaned me a flannel-lined windbreaker to supplement my two sweaters. Before leaving Baltimore Kate hooked me up with wool socks and some gloves. Once in New Jersey, Shara’s down coat, replaced the windbreaker and Pattie pressed on me a woolen cap (that conveniently matches Kate's gloves). I accepted Shara’s old Tote’s chunky heeled boots and was glad that I had them during my first slushy day of walking in Manhattan, however since I am unused to walking on heels and my ankles are perhaps my slenderest body part, my feet could only withstand that one day before I passed the boots along to a friend. Fortunately, the streets were drier for the next few days so my old tennis shoes with two pairs of socks worked fine.

Back in Manhattan I enjoyed a number of long walks -- the best way to see and appreciate New York City! My niece, Jenna, works for Google and she invited me for a tour, starting with an amazing gourmet lunch. All meals are free to employees and their guests, and throughout the office there are eating stations everywhere...a philosophy that no workspace should be more than 300 yards away from food. A nod to encouraging healthy eating, the dried fruit and nuts are beautifully displayed in glass canisters and the less healthy M&Ms and candy bars are down below in opaque containers. Coolers offer a wide range of juices and mineral waters with the sodas hidden on the bottom shelf behind frosted glass. A playful work environment encourages teams to personalize their working areas (silly, fanciful - some areas looked like college dorms!) In office exercise options include treadmill workspaces, ping pong tables and more. Jenna showed me her favorite conference room; the table made from an old footed bathtub topped with glass!

Google’s offices are just upstairs from Chelsea Market, so I left my bags beneath Jenna’s desk while I explored this magical passageway filled with artisanal baked goods, organic fruit & vegetable stands, exotic spice booths and more. There were a bunch of “pop-up” stores – unique handicraft and gift stalls which appear leading up to the holiday season. I was practically drooling in one shop filled with Indian print cotton – transfixed by gorgeous patchwork armchairs upholstered in a mish-mash of whimsical fabric designs.

Whenever I’m in New York I enjoy visiting with Bette, my chiropractor from 25 years ago in Quito! Her 6^th floor walk-up studio apt in the West Village undergoes remarkable transformations between each visit. She is currently sharing her flat and running a start-up business from home which necessitates extreme organization. I admire her remarkably creative use of space to achieve functionality and visual harmony.

When Jenna got off work we gathered up my bags (just a rolling carry-on size and a day pack for this leg of my travels), and she took me out for my Hanukkah evening on the town. We went to Katz’s Deli (yummiest pastrami on the planet!) and then on to see her new digs (Patrick had a tummy ache so he didn’t join us for dinner, but was waiting for us at the apartment). This is a magical time for them as they lead up to their wedding next fall – I’m very excited for my sobrinita bonita & her charming husband-to-be! Jenna bundled me and my bags into a prepaid taxi to take me over to my friend Tina’s (all part of my gift, she insisted!)

My friend Tina and I go way back to Junior High when she played my aunt in a school play. She has continued her career as an actress/singer/dancer and has lived in New York for decades. I stayed in her awesome condominium, ideally located near Columbus Circle at the bottom of Central Park. Tina is always busy with rehearsals, auditions and more but we were able to grab tidbits of time together. Bundled up against bitter cold winds, we went around the corner for breakfast. Perched on high stools in the front window I watched the world go by as I munched on my bagel…a blind guy tapping his cane along the sidewalk, his stocking cap pulled all the way down to his chin! As we sat enjoying our breakfast a window painter created a holiday scene on the very window we were looking through. Fun to watch the design emerge and try to guess what the artist was creating.

Tina grabs jobs wherever she can get them, and the next day she was giving a Nespresso demonstration in a huge store called Gracious Home. After a relaxing afternoon at her place, I bundled up in all the warm clothing I had and walked across town to meet up with her at the end of her demo. There was a Holiday Handicraft Market in full swing at Columbus Circle and I took my time perusing the wares. I was surprised to see a booth of Tagua Vegetable Ivory products from Ecuador’s ProPueblo Foundation. I asked the vendors if they were Ecuadorian and one of the gals said that her mom was. Even the display formation was identical to that of the ProPueblo shop located just down the coast from where I lived!

Crossing the park I continued up Park Avenue, then crossed over Madison and continued north on Lexington. The fancy hotels and shops were beautifully decorated and the streets twinkled with holiday lights. I was definitely glad that I had dressed warmly; I could truly enjoy my wintry stroll without suffering in the cold, especially on the windy cross-town streets. I entered the store and warmed up as I wandered, waiting for Tina to finish. Displays, demos & tastings (dried Fiji apples, Soda Stream beverages, fresh baked cookies, cheese & crackers). I ogled the high end home decor items (sumptuous tablecloths and placemats, $95 for ONE Waterford Crystal Whisky glass! gulp!)

After Tina got free we met up with her friend Pat (visiting from rural New York for just the night) and all boarded the 2^nd Avenue bus down to the Lower East Side where we were to meet my friends Kristin & Troy at The Organic Grill. We all enjoyed a lively, delicious, healthy meal. Tina & Kristin have music in common, Troy & Pat connected over alternative medicine, we told stories of love at first sight and all felt loath to say good-bye as the restaurant was closing up around us.

The next morning I headed back to Bette’s for a chiropractic treatment (she only adjusts friends these days) and then continued on down to Battery Park to visit the Jewish Heritage Museum, located at the southernmost tip of Manhattan Island. It wasn’t exactly where it looked like on the map, and with each wrong turn the bitter cold winds cut right through my many layers (a radio announcer said that the wind chill factor was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit – brrrr!!!!).

I was grateful there was a coat check room at the museum so I could stroll the exhibits unencumbered by my multiple sweaters and jackets. The coat check gal was Israeli and I dug up my Bat Mitzvah Hebrew and practiced speaking with her. I could definitely pick up Hebrew were I to immerse myself for a month or so. Israel is at the top of my “bucket list” of places where I’ve not yet been but hope to visit someday. The museum was well laid out and very informative. I’ve always been interested in the Holocaust years and this exhibit offered many new insights and perspectives. I kept just ahead of several large school groups, so it was a peaceful visit. The top floor had a glass-walled terrace with great views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

According to my Lower Manhattan map (should I trust it?) I only had to walk about 8 blocks to get to City Hall where I was to meet with Sarah, a fellow volunteer from the year I worked in Africa. The last time I visited her, Sarah was finding the balance between her work as a human rights lawyer and her role as wife and mother of two small children. When I called her this time to set up a meeting she told me that she’d been appointed a city magistrate judge and she invited me to have tea with her in her chambers. Well, I couldn’t very well visit a Judge’s Chambers in my beat-up old tennis shoes, so I stopped en route to buy some black suede shoes on sale. I’m so proud of my friend, the youngest New York City judge. We chatted and caught up in her sumptuous chambers – bigger than most apartments in the city! I felt honored that she made time for me on her busy docket!

After leaving the majestic court building, I caught the train to Queens where I went to see Eddie & his mom, Mariana. Eddie and I first met back in 1979 when he was backpacking through Europe and I was studying in Grenoble, France. Our life’s paths have criss-crossed in the 30+ years that we’ve known one another. Eddie’s parents immigrated to New York from Ecuador when his older siblings were tiny. Eddie is the only one in his family who was born in the U.S. Since moving back to Ecuador I’ve become close friends with Eddie’s cousins in Guayaquil; I knew I couldn’t visit New York without making the time to see their Aunt Mariana. After dinner we hung out and watched Mexican soap operas. Spending time with Eddie & his Mom felt like being right at home with my Latin American family!

On my last morning in Manhattan I went to Yoga Class with Tina. Since her friend Derek is the instructor, she got special permission for me to visit (without paying the $35 day rate at the club). I kept up the best I could during the “Flow” Yoga class, which felt to me like a New York City pace! Hurrying home from Yoga I took a quick shower before hopping the subway to the bustling Penn Station where I caught my train back to Baltimore. Wifi access on the rails made the four hour ride fly by!

Bob met me at Baltimore’s Penn Station and I enjoyed another quick Baltimore visit. I was invited to eat crab cakes (yum!), I carefully packed the attic treasures I’d be taking with me, and I helped Kate make Christmas cookies (white chocolate Oreo concerete…yum!) Bob, Kate & I spent one morning helping distribute toys to the needy. Lower Income Moms can earn “volunteer points” by helping out with a local Head Start Program and then “spend” their points at the holiday gift give-away. Most had earned between 100 and 250 points and the majority of the toys & games “cost” 5-30 points. Clothes and stuffed animals were 10 pts each. There were also some bicycles available for 50-70 points.

Our job was to help set up tables of donated toys and games, organized by age and type. Organizers let in groups of 25 “shoppers” at a time and they had 15 minutes to choose their free gifts. As each new group arrived, I would look for someone who seemed overwhelmed and offer to help them find appropriate toys, carry their big plastic bag and keep track of how many points they had left to spend. Bob worked at the “check-out” table, adding up “purchases”. After each group ravaged the displays we had 5 minutes to replenish stock, pulling more toys from where they’d been hidden beneath the tables; each new group that arrived had a great selection to choose from. A joyful and gratifying morning!

Bob drove me back to Baltimore Airport for my flight to the west coast. On this domestic flight I knew I had to pay $25 for my first checked bag and it could weigh up to 50 lbs. When I got on the scale with it at Bob’s house it was few pounds overweight, but I was hoping they’d be compassionate. NO WAY! Their scale weighed it at 57 lbs and they wanted to charge an additional $100 for the extra 7 lbs. NO WAY! Instead I zipped open my rolling carry-on and shifted some heavy stuff over until the big bag was exactly 50 lbs. That way I just paid $25 for the 1^st checked bag and $35 for the 2^nd one - a total of $60 instead of $125 - I guess you just have to know how to play the system. The gal at the counter was very patient and helpful as I shuffled things from one suitcase to the other.

Going through security I was pulled out of line and placed in a “Fast Access” lane (presumably because I no longer had a rolling carry-on – or maybe I just looked honest). We all felt a little special in that line – no need to take off shoes or take out electronics or display our Ziplocs full of trial size fluids. “Wow! Just like before September 11^th!” remarked one guy in line. Just in front of me a mom travelling with two small children was carefully negotiating with them to allow their stuffed animals to “go on the ride” and “have their pictures taken”. Her daughters only started wailing when the TSA agent insisted that they put their juice bottles through the scanner.

My flight got into LAX late at night – it felt even later since my head was on east coast time. At the rental car check-in, it seemed like each of the counter clerks went on break after helping only one customer. Quick Pass members kept arriving and they leapt to the front so the line barely moved at all. It felt like the longest 45 minutes of my life -- my back aching, my throat hurting and my head pounding to the sound of the guy vacuuming the waiting area. By the time I reached the counter I was swaying with fatigue. I also knew that Claire was waiting up to greet me and she had to work the next morning! OY! (Sorry!)

I spent the next two days mostly in bed fighting a feverish wheeze. My big suitcase stayed down in the rental car (since I knew it was right at 50 lbs) and I reorganized the other large bag I’d left in LA. Since my next flight was international, I’d be allowed to check two 50 lb bags for free. I napped and snoozed and drank lots of juice. My last night at Claire’s, Sam came over and we went out for Thai food. The half hour walk to the restaurant actually felt good after having been so inactive for the past few days. I said my good-byes to my sister and my nephew and got ready to drive to Dad’s the next morning. When I loaded up the rental car I saw some papers fluttering on the windshield; a menu for a Chinese restaurant and handwritten note that said: “I’d really love to buy your car. Are you interested in selling it? If so, please call me. Cheers! Alexander” Sorry dude, it’s a rental!!

I had the whole day to spend with Dad before my late night flight, so we did some grocery shopping, took Benny to the Dog Park, went out for lunch and then attended the weekly Scrabble club. I was having a stellar day – getting the right letters and being able to play them in the right places. Two of my three games were over 450 pts! I made a 7-letter Bingo, RELAXED, across a triple word score with the X on a double letter space. That one letter alone was worth 48 pts and the whole word scored me 123 points!

I checked out an audio book from the library at my Dad’s place and had just enough time to upload it onto my ITunes before I had to leave for the airport. Bye-bye to Dad and Benny! The freeway traffic heading north was not too bad and I successfully wrangled my three bags on & off the Rental Car van, onto a cart, and up to the check-in counter. Imagine my delight when the airline agent not only told me that the two big bags were fine, but also offered to check my small rolling bag for free. I pulled out some extra underwear & socks (just in case) and checked all three bags through to Quito.

Thus began the Odyssey (thank you Orbitz for the nightmare itinerary) – taking off from LAX 11:20 pm on Dec 19, arriving in Lima, Peru 10:55 am on Dec 20^th where I was to spend the next 12 hours before catching another night flight, leaving Lima 10:45 pm arriving Quito Dec 21^st at 1:15 am! I was already exhausted from the first night without sleep. During the LA to Lima flight the guy beside me snoozed blissfully while I watched three movies on my personal seatback screen. I find it next to impossible to sleep in a sitting position. The first two movies were relatively interesting, and actually went together quite well. First I watched JOBS, followed by THE INTERNSHIP which took place at the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif. – interesting to see after visiting the NY Google office with Jenna. (I was glad I could fast fwd some the dumber scenes of The Internship). The third film, WE ARE THE MILLERS, was pretty mindless which was ok because by that point I didn’t have much of my mind left!

At Lima airport I was funneled into another security line where I had to wait for over an hour. Usually transit passengers just stay in a secure area, but for some reason in Lima they are joined by other travelers who have not passed through security so everyone has to go through the chute. The wait was made even longer because they kept letting passengers go to the front if they were at risk of missing their connecting flight (not an issue for me by any stretch of the imagination!)

While waiting in the infernal intestinal formation crowd, I saw a sign over by Immigration indicating that since I have a Resident Visa for an Andean Nation (Ecuador) I could actually leave the airport if wanted. I asked an agent if there were any reasonably price hotels nearby. She confirmed with a colleague the name of a $50 hotel that was a $10 taxi ride away, but also informed me that I’d have to pay a $31 airport re-entry fee if I left. Was it worth $100 to sleep for 9 hours? NO – friends had told me that the Lima airport seats didn’t have separator armrests, so I’d just find a quiet corner and crash.

After confirming that there was absolutely NO WAY I could get on the flight to Quito that was leaving in 2 hours (Orbitz, you suck!), I saw a sign for a VIP lounge and inquired about their servicdes. I found out that for $80 I could have a hot shower, free wifi, snack buffet and soft drinks, and a lie-down in a quiet area. I scarcely hesitated before whipping out my credit card. After a heavenly shower I went to the quiet room and, realizing that the lounge chairs did not lie flat, took the provided blanket and pillow and settled onto the floor in the quiet, darkened room. Just as I was drifting off, a lounge employee shook me awake and informed me that I was not allowed to lie on the floor. When I sputtered a protest she simply said that it was against management policy. I groggily got up, followed her out of the room and asked to speak to said management.

To her credit, the gal tried to pile up pillows & blankets to make the lounge chair more comfortable for me, but refused to let me stretch out on the floor, saying that the management was coming for a visit that day. I got the appropriate email and let them know what I thought about their rule! I spent a few hours in the afternoon in the Business Center working on this blog (maybe that´s why it´s so long - I was killing time!) but suddenly the room filled with screaming kids. Parents were using the computers as babysitters - leaving children as young as 5 or 6 alone in the center. I commented to an employee that the sign should read Game Room and, in my opinion, parents should be required to accompany their little ones! By then I was just too exhausted.

Arriving back at Quito´s new airport at 2 am, there was a problem at immigration (my Resident VISA shows up on their computer as annulled - the newest VISA not yet 'actualized´). I spent over a half hour waiting for them to let me in -- precisely what I wanted to be doing after 2 days of sleepless travel! Finally, a taxi to the guest house (arriving 3:00 am) then sleeping the better part of the next day and a half! SO glad to be back HOME in Ecuador!! Thanks for reading - hope I didn´t bore you too much with mundane details!!

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Photos

Family Foto
Gathered for Thanksgiving - Sam, Bob, Jenna, Claire, Dad, me & Patrick

With Bob & Lee in NJ
Three sibs together at the International Buffet. DimSum, Sushi, Lasagna & laughter.

New Jersey Nieces & Nephew
Tovah, Griffie & Shara help decorate a unique gingerbread house

Gingerbread Fun!
Gingerbread man has a candy cane walker and the gingergirl is sunbathing in her bikini.

Free Calls
Amazing all you can do with this pay phone at Philly train station.

With Ron & Eva
Eva and I go back to freshman year at Illinois State. I rode up to NY with them from their home in Pennsylvania.

Xmas with Mho
Yes, that's really Tony's dog's name!

Central Park West
I'm in New York -- and the sun is out!!

Snowy Highway
Near the Pennsylvania/NJ border

Let it Snow!
Early morning snowfall in New Jersey.

Bucolic Bridge
Surprising New York glimpses on a sunny winter afternoon (Central Park West near 105th St)

Central Park Dog Walker
Wrangling canines on a crisp, clear afternoon.

Central Park Reservoir
As seen from Eva's Dad's Upper West Side High Rise Apartment

Chelsea Market
The Spice Stand - colorful!

Efficient Tiny Kitchen
Bette makes the most of her NYC 5th floor walk-up studio. There's room for everything and everyone!

Skyline with Slats
Taken from a moving vehicle on the Geo Washington Bridge!

George Washington Bridge
The lower level is called "Martha".

Lady Liberty - Side View
As seen from the viewing terrace of the Jewish Heritage Museum in Battery Park

NYC Sunset
Taken from Tina's condo at 56th St & 8th Av -- great location, great view!

With Tina on 8th Av
Friends since Junior High, Tina always offers me a place to crash when I'm visiting New York City

Parking Lot
New York's Lower East Side parking solution.

Head Start Toy Drive
Low income volunteers earned points to "buy" these donated gifts for their loved ones. Pictured here, sister-in-law Kate with piles of games!!

Volunteering
Helping with the great toy give-away was sheer joy!! Thanks to brother Bob for setting it up!

Comments

[John Steve Adler]

Your Blog
Jill, Never boring, always very informative! Nice trip etc. Steve