U.S.A.
“America for me! Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.”Henry Van Dyke
I can't help but love the USA. It's so easily knocked, and it's politics and foreign policy so often make it an easy target. There have been worse primary powers in the history of the world...
From a traveller's point of view, it's a fascinating country in which to travel: a seemingly endless variety of peoples and cultures all sharing the same flag, and all calling themselves Americans. The landscapes can be truly breathtaking, and the people must be congratulated for making such a huge effort over the years in developing and maintaining the National Park system to preserve this beauty for all.
U.S.A. Tales: The Merry Pranksters and the Ministry of Food | The French Bakery | South by Southwest |
The Merry Pranksters and the Ministry of Food
The Ministry of Food was a café on the outskirts of San José for homesick British expatriates...I met Alan Ball in the Café once, not for much more than to say hello to, but it was something to meet a member of the '66 World Cup winning team. No-one else of great fame that I remember, but he was among many who used to come for breakfast, or to stock up on Marmite, Branston pickle or HP sauce. - read this tale
The French Bakery
On arrival in the town, I couldn't believe my luck: this was just the sort of place I'd come to the USA to see. Firstly, I couldn't believe how small it was, a rare treat to find a USA hostel in such a wonderful little town. Its location: breathtaking! Set in a small valley in the midst of the mountains, the views in late winter on a clear sunny day were truly lovely. I'd arrived in late afternoon, so had very little time to see the town on the first day, but the scene had most definitely been set. It was like being cast back a century to the mining days of the town. I very likely wanted to be a little blinkered, but I couldn't see much more than the general store, a few bars and a restaurant on the one main street. The Real Wild West - albeit with a cinema (looking suitably ancient), and a gift shop! I decided that I had to go exploring later, which in the short days at this time of year, meant after dark. - read this tale
South by Southwest
Standing in the heat of a south-Phoenix morning in early summer, I looked down the highway and prayed for a ride. I was the only hitch-hiker around - but there weren't many more vehicles. Sit, stand, walk up & down, look at the cacti. Hot and dusty, I was thirsty and starting to sweat. I looked up and down the highway, and couldn't believe that this wasn't the ideal place to hitch a ride. Easy to see and be seen, ideal place to stop, and obvious where you were going: one long road from south of the city centre all the way to San Diego: some 355 miles passing some of the most amazing scenery in the southwest USA. - read this tale
Page last updated Saturday, 14th March, 2009