Took a trip up to New Jersey to visit my best friend, Jim, and his family. I don't think I have stayed up that late, so many nights in a row, and finished off so many bottles of wine. We had such a great time. Jim's wife, Paola, was a wonderful host and I truly felt at home there with their family.
The highlight of our visit was when Paola invited an Argentinian couple over for dinner. We were given a demonstration on how to drink mate (an Argentinian and Uruguayan drink similar to tea but with a real kick). Marc said I looked like a natural drinking it and fears I will be carrying my own flask around shortly.
Mate (mah-tay) cup
While in North Jersey, I also got the chance to reconnect with another gradeschool buddy, Nikki, and feel blessed to have grown up with such great people around me. Thanks Nik!!!
Took a trip to Philadelphia, as well, to visit my mother, grandmother, and Aunt. It was bitter sweet. The visit was too short, but we made the most of it. The girls would say there favorite part was eating the Tower of Pisa (six scoops of gelatto icecream). I will have to get a photo of that from my Aunt.
Liberty Harbor RV Park
Last, but not least we took a trip to New York, New York. We stayed in a Liberty Harbor RV park in Jersey City. It was great! We set our tent trailer up and from where we were sitting we could see the Statue of Liberty. In the morning we just walked a few blocks and caught a train right into New York. The city was amazing. We spent our days pounding the pavement, taking in all the sights and smells (not all good), and spent a bit of time wondering "Where are the restrooms?"
Marc and the girls in Times Square
We were able to get tickets for the 911 Memorial (which was a beautiful tribute), and stumbled into Little Italy for their San Gennaro festival (biggest and longest religious festival in nyc). It was there that Marc became Italian. I never saw a man eat so much. He tried cannolli, sausages, italian ice....he was very happy. As Marc was tasting the foods, Raye, Morgan, and Mary spent their time haggling with a Chinese vendor for pashmina scarves (the Chinaman won).
Marc's favorite...sausage!!!
Little Italy
appealing food in China Town
unappealing alligator feet....
In New York, we also got to visit with my cousin, Lynsay, and she directed us to two of the girls favorite places...Saks Fifth Avenue shoe department and the infamous Magnolia Bakery (Sex and the City) where everyone enjoyed a $3.50 cupcake.
Now we are back in Maryland downsizing again. We left our tent trailer at Jim's and I just listed it on Craigslist last night. That was my third home in the last year to say "goodbye" to. We had an amazingsummer traveling across the states. Saw so much and experienced so much. Too much to actually write about, but I don't regret it at all (except that we miss our dogs). Now I am weeding through the remains of our belongings and trying to figure out how to get Rayelynn's 88 key digital piano that we drug around all summer down to Uruguay without getting stolen!
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