Farewell, America!

My final fortnight in America was spent between Fox Island in Puget Sound, and New York, NY before jetting off for European adventures.

Fox Island and Seattle

Fox Island, showing Mt Rainier in the distance (disclaimer, I totally taxed this photo from Flickr - but as it looked exactly like this when I was there, I figure that counts)

Having never heard of Fox Island until the day before heading up there, I hopped on the Amtrak train to be collected by Fred Plumer - Deshna's Dad.  

The time Fred and his wife Charron was relaxing and fascinating.  With Charron commuting to the mainland and Fred working from home, Fred would make breakfast for the two of us and chew my ear off with wild stories from a fascinating life, as well as expressing his anxieties about his work for tcpc.org and question over what the future held spiritually for us Western Capitalist folk.  True to the pattern of my experience on the West Coast, these folks aren't backward in coming forward... in the most wonderful way.  When an inspiring person is happy to tell you their life story over breakfast, you just be thankful and listen.

Fred and Charron also liked to crank up the hot tub and I had my second hot-tub-amongst-the-trees experience of the trip. I'm going to declare it a West Coast thing, and I'm a fan.

Fred and Charron's beautiful home, Fox Island

After three short days I bid Fred and Charron farewell (not before Fred had driven me the 30 minutes to the ferry in the snow), and headed to Seattle for a brief stopover before the flight to New York, NY.

Seattle's major tourist attraction; Pike Place Market



Pike Place Market



I had to include this: architectural detail at The Arctic Club (hotel), Seattle

New York

Well, after all those warm fuzzies it was about time for some culture shock. Let's say that if I had a past life, it wasn't as a New Yorker.

Times Square, New York

After four weeks of casual chats on buses and random acts of kindness, the 'eyes-front', shoulder-charging world of Manhattan was a tough adjustment.  Fortunately I had an oasis in my friend Millie and her peaceful Park Avenue (if you please) apartment. 

Park Ave oasis

the locals - rolling out of bed and into a huge fur coat = standard

Neighbourhood homes, upper East Side

Millie nannies for an outrageously wealthy NY family, and it was fascinating hearing about their lives through her stories.  I also have a minor obsession with checking out other people's homes, and a 6pm walk 'round this neighbourhood proved generous fuel for the addiction.


On Millie's day off, we headed straight for the Brooklyn Flea Market, which was a wonderful mashup of fabulous old architecture (it's held in a retired bank), new jewellery/art, retro clothing and of course, great food. (Southern-style pulled pork sandwiches, great coffee, and a chocolate and candied orange peel croissant that proved a near-religious experience...)

Brooklyn Flea



Millie about to eat the best donuts in the world



Brooklyn Bridge



Carousel, Brookyln waterfront

Millie also took me to a couple of great bars, including a Mexican joint in the downstairs of a Vietnamese restaurant, in Chinatown. (Noodles at 5am before hailing a cab home Carrie-style = good night.)

The apartment was also conveniently close to the MET.  I know photos of paintings are generally a ridiculous idea and people take way too many, so I took pics of only my absolute faves - allow me to share two with you.  And one thing from the 'weird/awesome' category:

Matisse at The MET - still life brilliance

Robert Motherwell in all his Modernist glory

Death mask (actual plaster impression) of Lorenzo de Medici/'Lorenzo the Magnificent'.  Like being face-to-face with the infamous arts patron. 

A highlight of my time in New York was heading along to a Broadway show.  My show of choice was a play - The Seminar, starring none other than Alan Rickman.  The premise: A group of four young writers hire a washed-up-but-brilliant author (ALAN RICKMAN!!) for a series of coaching workshops.  Author tells it like it is, the kids can't handle it, love triangles and general brilliance ensue.


It was a treat to witness such a high level of performance.  I also now have to make room in my fantasy romance with Kevin McCleod for a second older man.

Overall though, there really was a feeling that life's tough in NY, and folks are out for number one.  I'd also never been in a place where money and status were of such obvious importance. Even for bars and restaurants; if it wasn't featured in a decent magazine, why would you bother?  As for asking for advice or recommendations from friendly locals - fugghedaboudit - people have places to be.


Despite all the madness, I did witness some moments that were so comically, quintessentially NY.  An old Jewish couple in the supermarket, her to him: "Aych, How're we gonna schlep awl this home?" him: "I dunno, cab?"  Or the policewoman on traffic duty the night our neighbourhood was on lock-down because Obama was visiting nearby: "HEY! Buddy! You better back that cab up, pal - that's right.  Oh, you think I'm PLAYIN'?! I ain't playin' - I am here for the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA." Amazing.


The stores were of course fabulous, and given the energy (and the cash), I'm sure one can live it up large.  For my last few days, I opted for sitting in Central Park or small bars and watching it all drift by.

After the New York chapter, it was time to bid the states farewell and pack my bags for London (a place Americans seem to regard as a mystical fairytale land).  That's where they'd all thought I was from anyway - time to see it for myself.


My time in the US was a teasing slice of American culture.  As expected, it's a crazy place.  But that infectious American appeal of 'hey, life's good here - I could make a go of this'; I felt it and I'll be back.