The same but different

In two and a half weeks here we've had opportunity to reflect on some of the differences between US and British life. Some of them are large, e.g. Americans live on a continent rather than a small island and think nothing of driving for several hours to get from A to B. Since we've been here we have spent a lot of time either driving or being driven, to the extent that we might be losing the use of our legs. It certainly makes me realise how much I walk normally....
Others are just quirky, like public toilets which flush as soon as you stand up and before you're quite ready, or large bill-boards by the road-side with pictures of grinning lawyers advertising their services. One of the strangest things we've seen has been several British red phone boxes (minus window-glass, doors or any actual telephones) in Suttons Bay, north Michigan.

I've got used to saying tomaytoes, chips (instead of crisps), asking where the restroom is and telling the time American-style (no-one could understand me when I said '5 past 5' because you have to say '5 after 5'). We provided great joy to a waitress in a restaurant last night just by opening our mouths and saying things with an English accent. She kept saying 'I love your accent, it's just like the movies!!' I said 'we feel the same - your whole country is just like the movies!' She seemed to take it well.

Most cars have automatic gears which is fine, and I've now managed to stop getting in the driver's side when I'm supposed to be a passenger, or reaching into the glove compartment to put the hand-brake on. There are many more toll roads than in UK and cars have a special compartment in the middle to put your change in for when you come to a turnpike (sounds a bit Dick Turpin but that's what they call them).

Coffee-drinkers are well-served here and we've also enjoyed iced tea and coffee. Getting a decent cuppa is a different matter, but has been helped by our strategy of bringing a big box of tea-bags as a present for each of our hosts in the places we've stayed. We've also learned to improvise, e.g. heating water in a microwave and adding coffee creamer in place of milk.

Insects are that much bigger, and one of the characteristic sounds of places we have stayed has been the sound of crickets chirruping in the background. They make enough noise to drown out the sound of J's ipod which is an achievement. We spotted one on a lamp post and it was big and black, not like the little green fellas you get in Britain.

Customer service is a highly-developed art, apart from the odd occasion where they dispense with it entirely, for example checking into our Michigan motel when the whole transaction was carried out in silence. Our abiding memory of the US will be of a warm, generous and hospitable people.

Weather

It's been an eventful few days, with some of the excitement provided by meteorological upheavals. The east coast of America does not usually get the more dramatic kinds of weather, but in the last week or so (coincidentally, since we were here) has experienced both an earthquake and a hurricane. It just so happened that for both of these events the damage was mainly to property and trees, and thankfully the number of human casualties was low. We were in Michigan for most of the time, where the weather was sunny and warm. A highlight for us was a boat trip on Lake Michigan in an old-fashioned schooner. Conditions were perfect and there was enough of a breeze to see the ship put through its paces - wonderful.

The coverage of Hurricane Irene on the US news and weather channels was extensive (I thought the British could talk about the weather but this was something else). A lot of it focused on New York, one of the worst-affected places, and highlighted all the preparations which had been made. This does seem to have paid off, and although there will be a fair bit of clearing up to do, it could have been much worse. The tone of it was not unlike election night in the UK, waiting for the results to come in, and with the weather equivalent of Peter Snow's / Jeremy Vine's swingometer.

Our journey today involved driving in some wet conditions, but we made it to our hotel in Philadelphia safely. The hotel is rather quiet, as the airport has been shut. But everything is working normally in the hotel, and they didn't suffer any loss of power. So we are now enjoying the calm after the storm and reflecting on these natural phenomena which remind us that our control over events is less than we sometimes think.

I love New York

A highlight of our trip so far has been the day we spent in New York. I can truly say there is nowhere else like it. Our day started at 8.30am when we got a lift to Trenton station from a kind friend of our hosts. Trenton is at the end of the line for the Philly SEPTA (transport) system and at the start of the New Jersey Transit train line. The travelling time to NY is about an hour and a quarter, so at 10:30 we stepped out of Penn Station NY and hit the streets of the Big Apple.

We were instantly swept up into a different world full of people, excitement and energy. Our first stop was the Empire State Building. Having fought off the ticket touts outside offering us fast track tickets for $49, we went inside and paid $22 to go to the 86th storey - 80 floors by lift and the last 6 on foot up stairs (queue for lift was long). The view is incredible; I have never been in a building where skyscrapers look small by comparison. We spent some time up there marvelling at the sights all around.

Our next stop was 5th Avenue - lots of interesting shops but I was not allowed to linger. We strolled up Broadway to Times Square and then onto Central Park where we stopped for icecreams and smoothies. Central Park is like a rural oasis in the heart of the city, with bicycles, horse-drawn carriages and even a game of croquet in progress. After a little while we found the heat too intense to walk any further so left the Park and took the metro to South Ferry. From there we boarded the free Staten Island ferry from where you not only get good views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline, but also a refreshing sea breeze into the bargain.

We only scratched the surface of New York, but I know we will want to return to sample more of its attractions.

Images of Philadelphia

Murals like these are found on the sides of lots of buildings:

The Liberty Bell:

In the old part of town:

Things I like about America

In no particular order....

• Coffee
• Air-conditioning
• They know how to make a good salad
• It's summer and the sun is shining
• Getting a teenager out of bed is easy because we're 5 hours behind which makes 8am here the ideal waking up time
• Customer service
• Oat raisin cookies
• Most other food I've had
• Coffee

Philadelphia

Ethnically mixed, smart, cultured, down-at-heel, bohemian, historic, noble, tacky, vibrant.... Philadelphia is a real mix and after nearly a week here we have gathered a rich variety of impressions. It has been a whirlwind of activity and  this is the first opportunity I've had to write anything on here. We are staying with my Russian friend who came here 12 years ago. Her daughter was just 3 when they moved from Siberia. So we are seeing things partly through their eyes too. Although one thing we are realising is that there isn't really a 'typical' American experience - there is such diversity here (in this city at least).

We have been to Atlantic City and swum / body-boarded in the warm sea. We have taken in a show on Broadway in a rainy and traffic-filled New York with cars hooting just like they do in films. In theory you can get fined for sounding your horn; I'm not sure how they'd enforce this though. We've explored Philadelphia city centre (or Center City as it is known), including the Liberty Bell, Independence National Historic Park, Penn's Landing, the Museum of Art, a rather strange and interesting alternative art installation, and the Free Library of Philadelphia.

We've eaten out at some great places - Carrabba's Italian Grill is my favourite so far, which we especially appreciated because we were pretty hungry by the time we got there. We were also driven to Norristown (about 40 minutes from where we are staying in the Philadelphia suburbs) and treated to a feast of Japanese food. We've enjoyed some great home cooking too, with a Russian twist. Lest you should get the impression it has been all about food, I should add that I managed a swim at a health club earlier this week.

The weather is HOT, but we are getting used to it and most indoor places are air-conditioned. It has rained a bit too. Being British we're on more familiar territory with rain. We are walking a lot and using public transport, but realise that one reason many Americans drive everywhere is that it's so darned hot, as well as the fact that pavements, or should I say sidewalks, are only found in some roads (seemingly at random).

We are enjoying our stay here and experiencing warm hospitality. It has been great to catch up with my friend and has also been an opportunity to revive my long-dormant Russian language skills. This area has a thriving Russian community and we often drive past Russian shops, restaurants and other businesses. So... here we are in America, and at the same time, in a little piece of Russia!

This picture is taken at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in the tree garden on the top storey.

Today's the day

It's Thursday 11th August and we leave for the airport in about an hour. All the preparations are made, out-of-office message switched on, cats and plants catered for and suitcases wedged shut. The intention had been to pack light, but somehow we have not achieved that aim. Never mind, the cases all come in well within the weight limit, and some of the contents are presents so we still hope there may be a little space to bring back the odd souvenir.
I should add that the picture of a suitcase in the last entry is not my personal suitcase, but more of a generic Jules Verne 'round the world in 80 days' type suitcase (although it's only 20 days in our case).
So - tally ho and see you on the other side of the pond!

The excitement mounts

A week tomorrow we set off for the United States of America for three weeks holiday. We will be staying in three different centres: Washington DC, Philadelphia and Ann Arbor. Apart from a short stay in Washington DC 18 years ago, this is the first time I have visited the States. It will also be the longest family holiday we have done with the three of us (two adults, one teenager). So - a great opportunity and a challenge!

My suitcase is already almost packed and we have finalised our itinerary. Am now just tying up loose ends at work before I disappear for several weeks.

Mamboman1 (2007) Suitcase, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamboman/506006207/

If anyone has been to any of the places we'll be going to, what would you recommend for us to see and do? We want to take in New York and the Niagara Falls during our stay.