October 8 So rather than stay in central Chicago (so expensive!) we chose the Pilsen neighborhood. Originally built to accommodate central European immigrants, Pilsen began attracting Mexican immigrants in the mid-20th century. Now, it’s slowly gentrifying and has become known as an artsy “alternative” place with a smattering of galleries amid the Mexican restaurants and bodegas.     Unfortunately the above restaurant was terrible!     Our AirBnB was in a building clearly intended for immigrants: high ceilings, large eat-in kitchen and no closets. The bathroom was clearly a late-addition; the closet in the hall had once served that purpose. The combination of Mexican and “hipster” in the neighborhood made for some odd gaps. Fresh fruit was non-existent which, I later realized, seems to be a feature of life outside major urban centers. Also we walked all over trying to find a loaf of bread for breakfast. Forget about the bodegas. We wound up in a vegan bakery of all places that sold us some sort of sweet rolls. October 9 Time to explore Chicago! I thought a quick trip to the tourist office might sort us out with maps, public transport, events, recommended activities. One of the many reasons … Continue reading →

October 12-14 We pulled into downtown Portland around noon.Time for lunch! We had a decent meal at a downtown bar-restaurant and then looked around a little. Powell’s Books was a must–the world’s largest independent bookstore. Unfortunately my carry-on only plane ticket didn’t allow room for a major book shop but it was fun to look around. Afterwards, we headed to a weed shop with a friend of Diane’s who needed to re-up his supply. It was so clean and wholesome; things have changed a great deal since I left the States! The fall colors were in full bloom and I was impressed with the elaborate Halloween decorations. And the spectacular fall colors: With the light fading, I headed to Hawthorne Boulevard for a look at the vintage shops, boutiques and cafes. I was particularly impressed with the New Seasons grocery store. As kale is basically unavailable in France, I had to buy a kale salad takeout which turned out to be delicious. It took me awhile to figure out the bus system but eventually I caught the correct bus back to our AirBnB just as it was starting to rain. The weather improved somewhat the following day which was great … Continue reading →

October 15-18 We arrived at Union Station, Los Angeles late on the 15th after substantial Amtrak delays. It’s a gorgeous Art Deco train station recently renovated and lit up. Checked into the Samesun Venice Beach Hostel which is only steps from the beach. It was a super-friendly place with a great included breakfast. We took an entire dorm room for ourselves.   And made sure to wash our breakfast dishes after! We were awesome. I loved the hippie vibe of Venice beach and the water was much warmer than I expected. Unfortunately Muscle Beach was closed for renovations though.     The “boardwalk” had lots of souvenir shops especially around Muscle Beach but the scene calmed down as we walked further north. Although I was informed that Venice Beach was gentrifying and many long-time residents were getting pushed out, I felt it could have been much worse. It retained the aura of a slightly ramshackle beach town.   Even if you couldn’t eat the local fish. After a wonderful lunch thanks to Fred and Beth, we dipped our feet in the water! And in the late afternoon, I took a walk around Venice’s little canal network. Although the “boardwalk” had … Continue reading →

October 20-22 After staggering off the train at 5am and taking a quick Uber to our hotel, La Quinta by Wyndham San Antonio, we were delighted to check into our room right away without even having to pay for another night. Texan hospitality! We were all getting a little tired at that point so we headed to bed for a nap before sightseeing. First up was the Alamo which was smaller than I expected. And then there was the musket demonstration: Your Second Amendment at work. There were statues of Davy Crockett and other luminaries that, frankly, didn’t mean much to me but of course is part of the whole Texas mystique. I didn’t see a single ten-gallon hat but the oversize waffles served up at breakfast were Texas-shaped. Thankfully I did not see a single “openly carried” weapon but I did see plenty of signs saying, in effect, “don’t bring your damn gun in here”.     The signs seemed to be everywhere–churches, bars, monuments, restaurants. After the Alamo we took a boat tour of the city’s highlight, the River Walk.     Although uber-touristy, the languid river meandering in the shade of oak trees while families chowed down … Continue reading →