America the Beautiful

For the second year in a row, in the month of August I returned home to America. As anyone would know the US is a wide, expansive country heavily populated along its coasts, and to see the varied regions is no simple thing. I have done what I can to fulfill such an ambition, and this summer I took another step on the path of the explorer. This time I went east to Boston. There begins this travelogue.

Leaving Japan

Arrived Stateside

Nick

I have a friend named Nick. We first met 14 years ago in Japanese class at San Diego State University. I'd be lying if I said I remember the details of that day, or what words we shared, but in the fertile ground of our encounter a seed fell between us--one of friendship--and in the years since it has flourished. So great joy filled my chest when I laid eyes upon my friend at the baggage claim in Logan International Airport. We soon exited, and after a quick breakfast, Nick took me to his house on Boston's west side. He lives with Melinda, his beautiful wife whom he had met eight years before in Turkey during an English teaching stint. The two are now trying to move from their rental house to a home of their own. Unfortunately, every time they've attempted to finalize a deal someone else outbids them.

Downtown Boston

Tall building

Beacon Hill

Caught in the rain

Nick and his wife make a good couple. They are highly educated, well traveled, and both are teachers. Or rather, she is a university professor, while he teaches at a high school. Nick also squeezes in a few hours a week at a community college. Between his two jobs he still had time to show me the city and it was my first visit to Boston so I was eager to take pictures of the sights. We cruised the streets in Nick's new Honda SUV while listening to the latest album from Daft Punk. Their music, I think, is best described as a heavily stylized brand of sexy funk. It suited the mood. In the world outside the car the city had taken on a hyper modern guise with rain pouring from above giving the streets and buildings a slick sheen. OK. So it wasn't exactly like in the movie Tron Legacy, but our surroundings were nonetheless nice.

In the Greater Boston Area, the Charles River divides the city's downtown from the suburbs. On the one side you have skyscrapers and historical sites that harken back to colonial times, while the other is inundated with housing and university campuses including Harvard and MIT. We made the necessary stops to see the most prominent locales. It struck me then how happy I was to be back in the States and moreover, to discover another part of my country. Unlike on the west coast, the northeastern cities have an urban atmosphere with buildings that have been around far longer. The history of the United States may not be much, but it is certainly in Boston where it's most felt. The city's harbor is after all where a group of rebels incited the Boston Tea Party, an event that led to war and the independence of the thirteen colonies.

Metro stop

Harvard dorm

For luck

Furniture store

UMASS

Though my trip to Boston was a time for sightseeing I did also have some business to attend to. I needed to visit the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) Boston campus. The reason was that I am doing a online Master's program through the school. I've yet to take the comprehensive exam, and stopped by the campus to verify my current status and sort out my tuition payment. I suppose a few phone calls would have taken care of the matter, but I really wanted to see the university that I've been enrolled at for the past two years. So setting foot on the campus was like finally putting a face to a name. At the same time it was a bit of a sad experience. I would have liked to have studied in the classroom and met the other students in the Linguistics department, and seeing the local campus life made me realize how I had missed out by studying online.

Mow that lawn

Boats at anchor

Announcements

University library

Eating area

At the student center

Maine

With Boston explored it was time to head north. Nick had it in mind to visit a small town in Maine called Belfast. We drove up the coast and arrived at peak tourist time. The town's largest claim to fame is its dry dock, making Belfast the northernmost port on the US Atlantic coast where boats can stop off for extensive repair work. To pass the time, Nick and I saw "This Is the End" at a local artsy theater. We then hit up a Mexican restaurant. The oddly prepared food was atrocious and I needed several beers to rid the taste from my mouth. But really, what was I expecting?  Maine is as far as you can get from Mexico in the continental US. Yet what they lack in that culinary area they make up for with their seafood.

Lobster is the big local draw and Nick recommended that I eat a lobster roll. They come in two varieties, those smothered in butter, and those covered in mayo. I had neither. I don't like shellfish. And I don't care for McDonalds either. But I ate at one on the coastal highway. Nick and I walked in, and for the first time as far back as I can remember, I was at a McDonalds with not a single brown or black staff person. I suppose the few number of minority people living in the area had something to do with it. Nick also pointed out that prejudice was still prevalent throughout the state. Not that the white folk went around shouting racial slurs. The problem was more subvert and factored more into how employers hire someone, or how readily a bank will give out a loan to a non-White person.

Nick's Lobster roll

All-American lighthouse

Diner

Belfast waterfront

Artisan woodwork

Wide intersection

During our stop in Belfast I discovered that the town was not too far from Acadia National Park. I persuaded Nick to drive further north so we could see it. That turned out to be a good decision. When we arrived the typically overcast skies along the coast cleared allowing us to take in the amazing sights. The rugged coastline had large rock formations that crumbled into the sea, and to their rear, vibrant, green forest covered the inland hills. We paralleled the coast on the park's loop road and cut up the hills in some areas to see the panoramic views. At one point I led Nick up a hike on a rocky footpath. The man had gone soft living in the big city and needed to stop often to catch his breath. The breaks gave me time to eye the surrounding scenery. Aspen trees, ferns and thick moss filled in the forests, and large granite rock jutted out from the open spots. With its generous offering of natural beauty the park was nothing short of impressive and a place I highly recommend to visit.

Nick too was taken aback. He even felt a little guilty that we had driven up without his wife. "She's mentioned it on more than one occasion that she wants to see this place," he said. "So when she finds out I came here she's not gonna be happy about it."

"I don't get it I," I said. "So you had a little fun on your own. It's no big deal."

"What can I tell you Phil? Married life is pretty complicated. I mean, Melinda is genuinely hurt her when I do things like this without her. And she's not the jealous type. It's just that marriage to her is about being together and sharing experiences."

I could see that Nick really did love his wife. "Well, you can put the blame on me. I'm the one who insisted on coming this far north. And besides, we don't get to see each other that often. She'll understand."

"Yeah. She will. And I'll make it up to her one day. I'll have to take another trip out, me and her."

"Right. It's not so far. Only 6 hours."

Nick laughed. But I was not trying to make a joke. 6 hours really did seem like a short drive to me. 

After the hike

Sandy beach

Rocky shore

After the rain

In the forest

Coastline

Trees galore

Pink flowers

New York

After Boston I spent a day in New York City. I walked around Manhattan and not taking any course in particular I stumbled onto a volunteer group serving free food. I had thought it was for the homeless, but most the people lining up seemed to be everyday citizens. They took their meal and got a voucher for free clothes. As for the group of volunteers, they came from outside the city and were organized through a church. Apparently several such groups operated throughout the city and as a whole provided free meals every day of the week. Since I was there I took advantage of their handouts. The food was all right. I also came away with a dark navy blue t-shirt that says I ran in the 2012 NYC marathon. It's the one souvenir I left the city with.

Time Square

UNI-QLO storefront

The Naked Cowboy

Packed parking

Typical Manhattan street

Abandoned heels

Unlike my first visit to New York 10 years ago, I now had the opportunity to roam about Central Park. The large green rectangle is a much needed haven in an otherwise urban setting. Trees, large grass lawns, sports facilities and a wide concourse provide an area for people to enjoy recreational activities of all types. Cycling and jogging appeared to be the most popular. I also saw men playing league softball, people walking their dogs, and a few families having a picnic. And what would central park be without the street performers? I stumbled across a group of young men from the Bronx who did flips and break dancing. To be honest I did not think their skills were anything too spectacular. Yet they were able to draw in a big crowd of tourists and worked them over with an almost comic-like routine. The group leader cracked jokes saying things like "Better we out here working for yo' money. Y'know, 'cus we not at yo' house robbing it." He clearly had no shame in asking the onlookers for tips and several people responded by handing out bills. I'd say the group pulled in over 500 dollars for 30 minutes work. I might have tipped them as well, but I was too busy taking photos to reach for my wallet.

Softball fun

Performing

The big jump

Lotus flower

Rowing away

Cyclists and joggers

Stretching

Main fountain

Family

An aunt on my dad's side of the family lives in Mt. Laurel, NJ. I arrived there next and in a torrential rainstorm. The water came down so hard that when my uncle Bob picked me up at the bus station the visibility out his windshield was no more than 20 feet. On the news they later said it was the most rain the area had ever had in a day. But you wouldn't have thought so the following morning. It was a bright sunny day, and in nearby Philadelphia the streets showed no sign of flooding. To see the city's main sites Aunt Marla and uncle Bob took me to the historic center. We stopped at Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the cemetery where Benjamin Franklin was laid to rest. In the same area was an indoor market. We dropped in for lunch and I had a big, greasy Philly cheese steak sandwich. The thing was so damned good I could have probably eaten two in one sitting. But it was one of the few times I showed restraint. That said, I consumed copious amounts of fattening food during my vacation and returned to Japan eight pounds heavier.

Indoor market

Colonial cemetery

Independence hall

Liberty Bell

Administration building

Exhibit center

Tourists

Our guide

Because I set aside a few days to stay at their house, my aunt and uncle had time to also show me the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. We next went to the historic park where on Christmas night in 1776, General Washington crossed over from Pennsylvania to route a contingent of British forces. Only some 4,000 men took part in the fighting, but the victory, as small as it was, proved to be a turning point in the war. To my surprise I also learned that when Washington attacked the British, the enemy was not drunk from celebrating the holiday. That is a common misconception in American history. The forces, mostly made up of German mercenaries, were instead taken by surprise because they were not expecting an attack due to the snowy, inclement weather. 

Colonial era arms

Nice day for a picnic

Washington crosses the Delaware

Street sign

Historic site

Playing Scrabble with Bob and Marla

During the visit, my aunt and uncle had some things that needed to be addressed. For example, Bob had had a car accident, and though he was not the one at fault, the insurer was giving him hassle over getting the damage repaired. The thing was that the insurer wanted to repair parts that would've been cheaper to replace. This caused a delay at the shop. In the meantime the insurer continued to pay for the rental car that Bob was using. It didn't make sense to him. And what made that the situation more frustrating was that the insurer would only provide the rental car for a maximum number of days, meaning Bob and Marla would be further inconvenienced by something that should have been settled immediately. The insurer was Progressive by the way. In a calm, composed manner Bob told the agent over the phone, "I understand your position here, but I must say, when talking to friends and family in the future I will tell them about this and have to recommend that they don't use your services."  Overhearing the conversation, I nodded. You tell him Uncle Bob, I thought.

Another interesting matter that came up was in regards to the church that Marla attended. The church received donations and had fundraisers to get money for the purpose of helping those in need. As Marla described it, "we want to give people the chance to get back on their feet." One example she gave was about a man who had lost his job due to a health problem. As a result he also lost his health insurance and then medical costs soon ate up his savings leaving him with no money to pay the mortgage. So this poor guy who had once had a good paying job, money in the bank, and excellent health coverage went from a secure position to one of destitution in the span of a few months. Marla's church stepped in to help. They covered the mortgage payments until he recovered and could find another job. Every few months a similar case would come up, and when I arrived, Marla was investigating a woman who was unemployed and about to be evicted from her apartment.  Marla contacted the woman's landlord and social worker to get information for the church committee before they could decide what to do. In the end, Marla felt the church could not help the woman because she had disability issues. Even if her rent were covered she would be unlikely to hold down a job. That meant she would never be able to manage on her own. Because the woman had two children and no one else to turn to it was a difficult decision to make, but the church had a limited budget to work with. They simply could not provide enough assistance to resolve the woman's situation indefinitely. It would be better, Marla believed, to save that money for a different case in the future.

Bob and Marla are good people. They raised two good sons as well, one of whom still lives in the area. He is my cousin Mark. A lawyer by trade, he has a lovely wife and three adorable daughters. The group of us spent a day in Ocean City. Located on a barrier island off the New Jersey coast, the city straddles a long stretch of beach that has become a popular summer destination. I was quite surprised at how nice it was. The beach was comparable to those in southern California and the water had sizable breaks making it possible to surf and body board. I went in with Mark's kids and helped the oldest two catch waves on their body boards. At first they were trying to ride out the whitewash. Then I showed them that for maximum thrust they should position themselves to kick down a wave right as it is about to crest. They seemed to understand, but after I let them practice on their own they went back to riding whitewash.

Beautiful beach

In Ocean City

Boardwalk

Braving the waves

Bob and Mark's family

Ohio

In what now seems like a former life I had once lived in the city of Cincinnati. I moved in with my friend Rodney and we worked across the Ohio River in Kentucky at Citibank. For extra income we also took up part time hours at an Applebee's restaurant. My goal was to save up money, and after I succeeded at that task I took my savings and moved to South America for a year. That was all ten years ago. So for me, it was an odd feeling returning to a part of my past and seeing old faces I had not been sure I would ever see again. Surprisingly, the people had not changed much. When I arrived Rodney's mother Sanae was still working as hard as before. She makes a living buying and renovating properties to rent out. And in the time I was away she had moved to a large seven-bedroom house with her husband Matt. Rodney's real father was a cheat and a deadbeat, and Sanae essentially raised four kids on her own. This is made more impressive by the fact that she was a Japanese immigrant. Then she met Matt, an all around nice guy who works as a rheumatologist. Their marriage brought together two sets of grown stepchildren. Among these children Rodney's younger brother Jason has spent time in and out of jail yet somehow managed to father seven kids by four different women. The three oldest, Sanae helped to raise, two of whom she adopted. They are twins named Chris and Nick. 

Tools for a fixer-upper

Matt and Sanae's home

Family dog

Dinner time

Cincinnati is a city that is split between black and white. The two groups do not mingle much, and it is an odd thing for me to see, my having come from southern California. During my stay I had wanted to go to the downtown area but instead spent most my time in the suburbs. And on one of the days I went to Columbus because that's where Nick and Chris had soccer practice. Rodney's stepbrother Brian drove us. It was about 90 minutes away, and we had a chance to walk around the city center while the boys practiced. The streets were clean and the buildings new, and along the Scioto River, bands played music in a park where the authorities allowed alcohol. I sat and enjoyed a few bottles of beer. I could have stayed there all evening taking in the sounds and sights, but we had to pick up the kids. Afterwards, for dinner, we went to Skyline, a famous chain restaurant in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana tri-state area. Skyline specializes in chili covered hotdogs and spaghetti. Loads of cheese is added on top of everything for added taste and our meal was as delicious as it was unhealthy.

University of Cincinnati

Downtown

In Columbus

Concert in the park

Backpacking with pets

Singer

The Twins

Chris and Nick had only been two years old when I last visited Cincinnati. They were too young then to remember me, though they knew who I was. "That guy Phil" was their uncle Rodney's friend who liked to travel. And to my surprise the twins had already done a fare share of traveling themselves. Sanae had taken them to Japan five times, and also around the States including to California. And there was talk of sending them to Italy for soccer camp. Their grandmother had already made up her mind. The boys were not cut out for schooling so they should instead cultivate their athletic talents. "Besides," she said, "a university degree doesn't count for much nowadays, and tuition costs go up every year.  Why should I spend all that money? It might be for nothing."

Nick and Chris had the year before performed so dismally at school that they were both held back in the 6th grade. It was not because they lacked intelligence. The kids were quite sharp, musically inclined, and surprisingly knowledgeable for their age. But in the classroom environment they did not focus on their studies. That caused them to fail their tests. Sanae thought the best thing to do at that point was have them home schooled. I sat down with her and we formulated a plan. To pass the standardized scholastic tests for a grade equivalent credential in the state of Ohio, the boys would have to learn the core subjects of math, science, and literature. Moreover, Sanae felt they should learn Spanish. That equated to four hours of study a day. A variety of websites provided the needed curriculum, but someone would still have to supervise the kids to make sure they were doing the work. Sanae was too busy to take on the task herself. So she wanted to hire a Spanish/English bilingual who would stay at the house in one of the guest rooms and teach mornings. The problem was she needed to find that person within a month before the next school year began.

"Too bad you're going back to Japan," she said to me. "You would've been perfect for the job."

I nodded my head. "Yeah, it is a shame. But I got my Japanese life to return to." In a way I wanted to help Nick and Chris. However, a year was a big commitment. I also didn't like the idea of spending the winter in Ohio. I had already suffered through one during my first visit to the area. It amounted to miserable, cold mornings, streets covered in salty slush, and brown/black snow along the sidewalks.

At Skyline with Rodney, Brian and the boys

National Parks

For my final day in Cincinnati we took a trip south to Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the largest known cave network. Over 400 miles of natural limestone tunnels have been found with new discoveries made every year. Because the caves are so extensive there are a dozen plus tours that go to the many different sections. We decide to join the New Cave Tour. At the gathering point I was delighted to see that our park ranger guide was a young pretty thing with clear blue eyes and a warm smile, and the way she talked with her southern Kentucky accent lent her an added air of charm. I couldn't help but take loads of pics. We then hopped on a bus to the cave entrance, and once inside, went on a mile long trek through the cool darkness. I tried to get more photos but the poor lighting made it difficult. Meanwhile, the guide gave a thorough account of the cave's history and geological features. For someone who had likely said the same things countless times, she maintained a high degree of enthusiasm in her delivery. Thinking about it now, I should have taken a moment to thank her afterwards for the nice tour. Oh well. I'll have to live it down somehow.

Park entrance

Visitor center

Park ranger

Through the cave

Stalagmites and stalactites

In the gift shop

America has the oldest and largest national park system in the world. As of 2013 the National Park Service has designated 59 parks. The oldest is Yellowstone, though there is some debate as to whether it should be Yosemite. The is becasue Yosemite was the first place to be set aside and protected by federal law. But only after the National Park Service was founded with Yellowstone did Yosemite also become a national park. From there the National Park Service quickly grew to include other areas of natural beauty and the push bolstered a new sense of national pride. Europe may have had its history, castles and cathedrals, but its mountains could not compare with the great Rockies, nor could its ravines match the majesty of the Grand Canyon.

Of the 59 national parks now in existence I have been to 18. I have also visited 30 or so national monuments--an even smaller portion of the hundreds of sites run by the National Park Service. In their totality these places constitute a diverse and incredible collection of natural wonders that no other country can boast. From the lava floes of Volcanoes National Park to the 20,000ft peak of Denali National Park, and the bleach white dunes of White Sands National Park to the world's largest trees in Sequoia National Park, there is much to behold. I should also point out that many amazing places are privately maintained, which is the case of Monument Valley and Meteor Crater. Perhaps one day I would like to see half the National Parks in America. As I continue to explore more of the country during my travels I will be sure to go out of my way to visit as many as possible.

Chicago

I'm no longer the young buck I used to be. At the ripe ole age of 34 I've been around. But deep down inside I know I can't truly consider myself a seasoned traveler until I have visited certain destinations of great renown. One such place is Chicago. While I was a child growing up in San Diego, Chicago was for me a city of prohibition era gangsters, football played on the icy turf at Soldier Field, and blocky skyscrapers that lined the Miracle Mile. I just had to see it. So from Ohio, Rodney and I made for Chicago on a bus and pulled into downtown at around noon. A bit to the north in Lincoln Park was our hostel. We had booked a double room for 120 bucks a night. Accommodations in the big city don't come cheap, not even at a hostel, but at least we were in a good location. A few blocks east was the Lake Michigan waterfront and along it the Lakefront Trail. The Lakefront Trail runs for 18 miles and passes by several sandy beaches. Since it was summer we saw people swimming in the water, sunbathing on towels, and playing volleyball. Who would have thunk it? Nice beach in Chicago? I certainly did not expect that. So standing in person on the golden sand against a backdrop of tall skyscrapers came as a big surprise.

Hostel room

Lakefront Trail

Roller hockey

Residential street

Chicago's famous Vienna

Street art

Rodney and I were not alone. We met another friend named Kady. She is from Amsterdam but she had rented an apartment in the city for the summer holiday. When Rodney and I arrived, Kady was attending the Lollapalooza music festival. The city hosts it every summer, and because music is Kady's thing she went all three days. At some point in the future I too would like to attend a big festival, perhaps Coachella or Fuji Rock. But to get tickets for those you've got to pay several months in advance. The process is a lot like booking an overseas flight and I've never got around to it. Anyhow, once Kady joined us we did a great deal of walking by day and went out for drinks after dark. Chicago has a lively night scene which is one of the high points of being in any big city. From what I saw, bars occupied many a street corner, the restaurants stayed open until late, and to round out the mix, there were clubs galore.

Some bar

Lining up

Jazz musicians

Alcohol selection

Nightfall

High-rise bar

Rodney

Like before with Nick, Rodney was a friend I was happy to see. He had once lived in San Diego where we met while I was still a university student. The two of us worked at a Japanese supermarket called Mitsuwa. Rodney had later returned to Ohio and now lived with his family again. He was currently working at a Home Foods store and helped look after Nick and Chris. But he did not want to stay in Cincinnati for much longer. In other words, his plan was to move back to California and switch over to a Home Foods store in Los Angeles. By the time I met him in Cincinnati he had already put in a transfer request. If it went through he hoped to stay in Los Angeles and work his way up to a store manager position where he would be making a six figure salary. 

As Rodney and I went around Chicago, we talked at length about the things that had happened in the years since we last saw each other. A thing about Rodney, he was never the type to hold back his opinion. If you tell him something he'll give you the most brutally honest response. That is fine most the time but there are occasions I wish he would keep his thoughts to himself. Understandably, we did a fair share of bickering while we were together but the guy is still my good friend and he means well. And I'm not exactly the most easy person to get along with either. Anyhow, when the time came I bid my friend goodbye. He left one way to take a bus home, and I the other to kill a bit more time in the city before my flight. It was sad seeing him walk away, and I wondered if it will be another 7 years until we meet again.

Cubs stuff

Outside Wrigley Field

Beneath the tracks

AT&T Cloud Gate

Lincoln Park Zoo

In Conclusion

I think after this trip I have seen more of the United States than most people. And with every other new place I discover I miss my country and look forward to the day I can return. But for now I am content to teach English in Japan. My job for one provides me with ample time to travel. There are so many more places I want to see, and I'll be honest, it was not even my intention to go to America this summer. I had originally wanted to revisit Europe. However, my best friend Dan decided to get married in San Diego and I knew then I must go Stateside instead. Why not make the most of it I figured. So I hit up the east coast as well. As for the wedding, it happened in the second part of my trip and I will get to that in the next blog post.

Back in America