Author: hebebarlow

The next stop on our American road trip was Nashville, Tennessee. Known as the centre of the music industry in America, it has earnt the nickname ‘Music City’. Sadly we didn’t have long in Nashville, although we still managed to fit a lot in. In the evening we visited some bars and clubs listening to the live performances on offer. We had been planning on trying line dancing, but sadly it was a very quiet Monday night when we went out so this didn’t really turn out to be an option. Still, it was incredible hearing some of the live bands and I feel really happy that I got to experience some really Country music!

The next day we explored the main street of the city. We went to a few shops selling cowboy boots and hats (and admittedly may have tried a few on) although i’m not sure that this is something I would really wear at home! Part of me had thought that maybe this fashion style was just something that was exaggerated in tv shows and in the movies. I was proved wrong however, as there really were people walking around in their boots and hats, looking every inch the modern cowboy.

In the afternoon we visited the Nashville walk of Fame. This is a tribute to musicians from all genres who have contributed to the world through song, or made a significant contribution to the music industry with connection to Nashville itself. Members celebrated on the walk of fame include Kings of Leon, Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley (to name just a few).

Personally, I thought a nice touch was the location of the Walk of Fame itself. It can be found across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and between the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and Bridgestone Arena. Essentially, it is right at the heart of the music of the city, just as it should be.

We also happened to stumble across an amazing sweet shop. It’s difficult to know where to begin describing it! I’m not sure that it would be humanly possible for anyone to walk into that shop and not at least be tempted to buy something. Sweets of every kind lined the walls, there were chocolates, lolly pops, candy apples in a dozen different flavours, marshmallows, and a huge selection of ice-creams and sorbets. It was, quite simply, heaven on earth for me!

I think that Nashville is possibly one of my favourite places that I’ve visited so far in America. The city is very attractive, and I love that the culture is obviously so alive and thriving. Walking up and down the street, you could hear amazing live music from every open window, and sitting watching the performances was incredible. I love how music can be found everywhere in this place – even in the bicycle stands! It seemed like such a happy, friendly city, and is definitely somewhere that I would visit again!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Helen Keller

The next day was essentially just a day for driving. Unfortunately, it’s too far to go from Washington to Nashville in one day, so a stop off is needed in-between to break up the journey. It meant that we were staying in a tiny hotel in the middle of nowhere (the fact that we nicknamed it ‘murder hotel’ probably tells you everything you need to know about it).

Our guide did his best to provide us with some interesting sights during the day though, and so we stopped off at Charlottesville for lunch. This is a city in Virginia, and is famous for two reasons. It was the home of Thomas Jefferson (which is the second most visited house in the country after the White House) and is the home of the University of Virginia – apparently one of the most prominent colleges in America.

It was nice to stop off at a place that has some historical and cultural importance, even if we didn’t really get to see much of it. Our guide gave us a quick driving tour of the University, although sadly we didnt have time to see Monticello – Jefferson’s house. If we had had the time that’s something that I definitely would have liked to have seen!

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta

We started off the day early and determined to see as much of the city as we possibly could. Thankfully, the grid system made navigating pretty easy, and so we were able to find most of the monuments and buildings with relative ease. 

The first building we came to was the FBI headquarters, also known as the J. Edgar Hoover Building – after its founder. Apparently you used to be able to do a guided tour of the building, although this sadly stopped after 911. 

We passed by a number of famous buildings, including the National Archives – which I visited again later in the day. We continued to the US Capitol, which was sadly having building work done to it. It was slightly disappointing I must admit, as it meant that I wasn’t able to get the photos I wanted. It was still an incredibly impressive building however. Since 1800, this building has been the location of the legislative branch of American government (Congress), which writes the countries laws. Standing there, it was strange to think how the building standing in front of me has helped to shape American history and culture for the last two hundred years.

From the Capitol we then began to walk along the National Mall. I have to admit, when I first heard that name I was slightly confused. After all, when hearing ‘mall’ my thoughts automatically go to a shopping centre. But no, the National Mall – also known as ‘America’s Front Yard’ is a 1.9 mile stretch of grass from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Museums and memorials line the Mall, and thus if you only have one day in Washington, I would definitely recommend spending the day in this area as it’s a fantastic place to see numerous sights in a short space of time.

We walked past numerous museums that I would like to explore if I’m ever in Washington again. Sadly, because we only had one day in the city, I had to make the decision to not go in them, and to see the most famous monuments instead. The Museum of the American Indian, the Air and Space Museum, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum are all going on my list of things I still need to do!

I couldn’t resist going into the Museum of Natural History for a quick look though. I particularly wanted to see two things mentioned by my Lonely Planet Guidebook – Henry, the elephant who guards the entrain of the museum, and the Hope Diamond. Also known as ‘Le Bijou du Roi’ (‘the King’s Jewel), this is a deep-blue, 45.52 carat diamond that legend says curses its owners. A number of its owners committed suicide, were murdered, executed, tortured, imprisoned, ‘torn to pieces by wild dogs’, abandoned by their lovers or financially ruined. So whilst I myself don’t believe in curses, I can perhaps see why such a rumour came about. One thing was definitely true however, the diamond was undeniably beautiful, whatever effect it may or may not have on its owners.

We continued on our way down the Mall until we reached the World War II Memorial site. This site can be found at one end of the Reflecting Pool, and is also the only War Memorial to have the destination of being at the centre of the Mall. It commemorates not only the 16 million American Soldiers who served in the war, but also the the 400,000 American who also died.

I think that it is a beautiful memorial. Elegantly simple, it is a touching monument to those who lost their lives. The memorial was opened to the public on April 29th 2004, and was dedicated on May 29th of the same year. A central part of the Mall, it is somewhere that I think everyone should spend a few moments of their time walking around.

Just passed the memorial is the famous Reflecting Pool, at just over a third of a mile long it is the largest of a number of reflecting pools in DC. The reason for it’s name is pretty self explanatory, although I did find it cool that exactly what it reflects depends on where you stand in relation to it. The pool was constructed in 1922 and 1923, designed by Henry Bacon. The views around the pool – and in particular at either end of the pool – were stunning, and seeing this iconic structure in person was an amazing experience.

The final part of the mall we saw was, of course, the Lincoln Memorial. I don’t feel like it really needs to be explained that this is a monument dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of America. The building is designed in the form of a Greek temple, enclosing a large seated sculpture of the president. It was dedicated in 1922, with the primary statue being designed by Daniel Chester French. Since the 1930s this has been a symbolic centre focused on race relations. On August 28th 1963 it was famously the location of Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. This is yet another American monument which I have grown up knowing about, seeing on television and in the cinema. To actually stand in front of the towering statue, and to turn back and see such a beautiful view, was truly awe inspiring. Part of me could not quite believe that I was actually there, that I had seen all of these incredible sights. Whilst the walk may have been hot and tiring, it was 100% worth it, and I am so happy that we made the effort to see all of these historic monuments.

Sadly, there is no picture for the last part of my day. After the Lincoln Memorial we went for a quick lunch, and then the others decided to go and do some shopping. I on the other hand, decided to be a true geek and head back to the National Archives. It’s free to enter and there were two documents displayed there that I wanted to see – the Declaration of Independence, and one of the last four remaining copies of the Magna Carta. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to see two such important documents, and whilst it may not be on everyone’s list, I still think it’s something worth seeing!

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert

We finally arrived in Washington mid afternoon, after a long car journey. We would be staying in a hostel called Hostelling International Washington DC for two nights. I’ve actually been quite impressed with this accommodation. Their beds are surprisingly comfortable, breakfast is pretty good, the bathrooms were very clean, and they even provided towels free of charge which is a nice treat from a hostel. In my opinion though, the best thing about this hostel is the location. It turned out to only be a ten minute walk from the White House, and the majority of the monuments and memorials we wanted to see were easily within walking distance as well. A map of the nearby area was provided by the hostel, showing all the museums, monuments, restaurants, bars etc. which was incredibly useful. This is definitely somewhere that I would stay again if I’m ever back in Washington.

Check out the hostel website link here!

http://hiwashingtondc.org

The day we arrived we had a couple of hours before dinner, so a group of us decided to see if we could find the White House. As I just mentioned, it turned out that it was only about ten minutes away from the hostel which was incredibly convenient! Seeing the White House for the first time was a strange sensation. On the one hand, it was incredible to finally see a building that is so famous, and that i’ve grown up seeing and hearing about on the news. I feel like It’s such an integral part of American culture, and it’s something that I’ve always wanted to see – and now I finally have! On the other hand, it wasn’t quite what I expected. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing to see and it was certainly awe inspiring. But it was also one of those classic moments of ‘it looked different in the movies!’ I suppose it just goes to show once more than you can never truly trust what you see on the TV.

Walking around to the back of the White House (which I have to admit, I’ve always believed was the front of the building) we were surprised to find that we couldn’t get anywhere close to the gates to take a photo. There were numerous barriers and men with ‘Secret Service’ written on bullet proof vests walking up and down, so we decided to ask what was going on. Apparently they were waiting for the first Lady to return to the White House, and thus no one could go anywhere close to the building. We decided to wait for a while and see if we could spot her (or at least the vehicle transporting her) but sadly it wasn’t the case and we had to leave to get ready for dinner.

My first evening in Washington may have been short, but it was still incredible. I got to see one of the most famous buildings in the world, and thus check yet another thing off my bucket list! I just hope that one day I can get a little bit closer to this amazing building and take some better photos of it. I spent the rest of the evening creating a plan of attack for the next day in the city.

 “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

Whilst at camp, I decided that I wanted to travel with a company after camp had ended. It would be a good way to see multiple destinations and do a variety of adventures, and it also meant that I would simply be able to get on a bus each morning and be driven to our next destination and accommodation without having to organise it all myself! I decided to go with a company called Trek America, on a tour which would last two weeks and would show me Eastern USA. This morning, the adventure officially began!

We started our trip from a hotel in New Jersey. It’s a great location as it’s right next to the airport, so if you’re travelling to America specifically for this trip, it’s incredibly convenient. Getting there from New York wasn’t much of a hassle either, as a bus from Port Authority stopped literally just down the street. There are 11 of us in my group, two boys and nine girls (plus the tour guide) ranging in age from 19 to 34, so quite a varied group! We introduced ourselves, loaded the trailer, and set off!

Our first stop was Philadelphia. Less than 90 miles away from New York, this city was one the capital of America until the end of the Revolutionary War in 1790 when it moved to Washington DC. The city was once the second largest in the British Empire, superseded only by London itself. It was also one of the main locations during the War of Independence in opposition of British rule.

Sadly we didn’t get to see much of the city. I would have loved to have gone to see the Liberty Bell (the existence of which, I have to admit, I only know because of the movie National Treasure). We go to go to see the location of the famous Rocky steps, which can actually be found in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The 72 stone steps are not only a good tourist attraction, but are also used by people as the location for their workout. We were very impressed by one woman who ran up and down the steps half a dozen times just in the time that we were watching her – whilst most of us struggled climbing them just once!

We then experienced a traditional dish from Philadelphia – the steak and cheese sandwich, or the cheese steak as it’s known. It sounds like a strange combination of ingredients I know, but it was actually really delicious. Apparently the dish was created in the 1930s by two Italian brothers,  Harry and Pat Oliveri. The brothers traditionally sold hot dogs and sandwiches on the street, but one day created this dish for themselves for lunch, when one brother suggested the other go buy some beef. A customer, impressed by how good it smelled, demanded the unusual sandwich for himself and, tasting it, suggested that the brothers should sell it. And thus the new meal was born!

Sadly that was all we had time for in Philadelphia. The phrase ‘short but sweet’ comes to mind! It seemed like a really interesting place though, and somewhere I would love to go back and explore properly.

“Oh the places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

The rest of the day was spent doing the tour of Uptown New York. I must confess, I think one of the reasons I enjoyed the tour so much was because of our guide. Whilst he was really informative, he was also amusing, telling jokes and getting everyone involved. The tour was actually a ‘hop on, hop off’, but I decided to stay on for the whole circuit non-stop, which took around 2 hours.

We began by driving up Central Park on its Western side, passing by the American Museum of Natural History – which is definitely going on my list of things to do the next time i’m back in the city! We saw Grant’s Tomb, which I must confess I had never heard of before, but I actually found quite interesting. This is the tomb of the 18th president of America, Ulysses S. Grant, and his wife Julia Dent Grant. Apparently, he was supposed to have been buried somewhere else, but this location would not have allowed his wife to be buried next to him. So instead, the ex-president was buried in Riverside park, an act I personally think is quite romantic.

We then drove towards Harlem and went past the Apollo theatre, before driving back down 5th avenue. We went past the Museum of the City of New York, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, more places that I wanted to visit but didn’t quite have the time. It’s amazing how quickly seems to go by in the city! I certainly could have done with another week to try and fit in some more sights.

The tour ended very close to Times Square which was absolutely perfect for me. Looking back, I’m incredibly pleased that I decided to do this tour. Although I simply saw a lot of sights, instead of actually going inside or doing them ‘properly’, I’m still glad that I did it this way. I know for a fact that there’s no way that I could have walked to all of those places in the time that I had, and although the subway is convenient, it doesn’t let you just sit back and watch the city go by – which is something that I love doing. It was an easy and convenient way to tick multiple things off my bucket list for the city, and the great thing is that now I already know which bus tour to go with the next time I’m back in New York!

‘One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.’ Henry Miller 

So, the third and final trip of my day was the night tour! This departed from near Times Square (which was why it was so perfect that this is where the Uptown tour stopped). I took the 7 o’clock bus, which was the earliest available. It was also the best according to our guide, due to the fact that this time allows you to see the city as the sun is going down, and thus get to experience a New York sunset. So I would have to agree that this was probably a very good bus to choose!

We traveled down through Greenwich village, passing the Empire State Building along the way. We drove through China Town and saw the street where Little Italy is – two places I have to confess I was quite disappointed I didn’t manage to see. We then drove over Manhattan Bridge, which was absolutely stunning. The sun was just beginning to set and so whilst you could still clearly see the city, the lights were simultaneously beginning to appear in the nights sky. Truly beautiful.

We continued the tour through Brooklyn Heights, another area I wish I had had time to explore properly! The guide told us that in New York City (if you are living in an expensive area) the general rule is that you pay an extra million dollars for a good view, an extra million for a balcony, and an extra million for a parking space! It’s good to know that I would never be able to afford any of these things if I tried to live in that area!

The tour lasted for about 2 hours, which I think was a good time period. It truly allowed you to see the city come alive in the darkness, and we actually stopped once we had passed over Manhattan bridge so that we could all take as many photos of the city as we wanted. It was a stunning view, and one that I am incredibly pleased I had the opportunity to experience. Even if you’re not particularly interested in the route, or the history of the city, I think it would almost be worthwhile to go on this tour just so that you can experience for yourself the change in the city as the sun begins to set. It was an astonishing end to my stay in New York, and something that I am incredibly happy that I did.

‘Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness’ Mark Twain

Before I came back to New York again, I decide that I would buy a ticket for a bus tour. I’d done a lot of walking in the couple of days I was here previously, and a bus seemed like an increasingly appealing idea. Partly I admit, because of laziness, but also because it would be nice just to sit back and enjoy the city without constantly having to look at a map to work out where I was meant to be going! I decided to go with the GoNY bus (the green one, for anyone who’s done a bus tour in NYC). 

The reason I decided to go with this bus company is because they did a really good deal. A normal tour for say, the Downtown area, costs $34. Same with their Uptown tour. They also had a night time tour, a Brooklyn tour, a Downtown Liberty Cruise, bike rental in Central Park for an hour, and tickets for the Museum of the City of New York. Now, you could choose to do any one of these things, or you could choose to do all of them for $54 (apparently saving $129). You could also have 72 hours to do all of them. This seemed like a pretty fab deal, and they also have a very good map which shows you exactly where each of the buses go, where they stop, which attractions they stop by and what else is in the local area. I essentially felt that it was good value for money and that they were well organised.

I started off my day by doing the Downtown Liberty Cruise. This took us underneath the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn bridge, along the coastline of New York, and then to the statue of Liberty. I really enjoyed the trip. The guide was very entertaining and gave us a lot of information that was actually pretty interesting. He also seemed approachable, so a lot of people asked him questions. We saw some amazing views, and we stopped for a good amount of time next to the island so that we all had time to get as many photos of the statue of Liberty as we wanted. The guide was very good at offering to take photos for families or groups as well.

The company provides a shuttle bus going back and forth to the Pier for the boat. The only slight issue for me was that I decided to meet them there as it made more sense considering the location of my hostel. I ran into a slight problem as I couldn’t find the pier initially and had to wander around for about 10 minutes asking if anyone knew where it was (turned out I had walked straight past it). The issue came from the fact that I was expecting some sort of big company sign, and instead you had to walk around the back of what looked like a storage facility. Admittedly, it did have a sign saying ‘pier 36’, but as I already mentioned, I had been expecting a big green ‘GoNY’ logo so hadn’t even noticed it! So a word of warning for anyone planning on meeting the company there – pier 36 is quite easy to miss so keep your eyes open!

‘Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.’ Henry David Thoreau 

So, back to New York once again! This time I was staying in Brooklyn, in a place called The New York Loft Hostel. I would definitely recommend this hostel if anyone is looking for a good place to stay. The staff were really friendly and helpful, and they provide a map of the local area with a list of good places to eat, shop etc. which was very useful. Here’s their website if anyone wants to have a look!

http://www.nylofthostel.com

I have to confess, the thing that I loved the most about the local area was the graffiti. I know it’s not for everyone, and whilst I’m not a fan of most graffiti, I do love it when they create intricate images. I just find them incredibly impressive (especially because I know I could never do anything like it!) I spent an afternoon just wandering up and down the local streets having a bit of an explore and taking pictures of my favourite finds. So here are just a few of my favourites…

‘If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.’ Cesare Pavese 

My second day in New York was spent exploring Central Park. After so much walking the day before and fitting in so many different sights, I wanted to have a slightly more relaxing day. Besides, Central Park is so large and has so many different aspects, that it was almost impossible not to want to spend a whole afternoon there!

Central Park is of course one of the most famous of New York’s attractions (not surprising since it’s one of the most filmed locations in the world). The park is made up of 843 acres, the land being set aside in 1856 when the area still made up the northern fringe of the city. The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, after they won a design competition. They titled their plan the ‘Greensward Plan’, which incorporated a naturalistic style including winding paths and relaxing ponds. In 1962 the park was designated a National Historical Landmark and today is the most visited urban park in America.

I entered the park from the Southern end, which meant that I soon came across the Central Park Zoo. I have to admit that I was quite tempted to pay it a visit. After all, it’s a zoo in the middle of New York City! However, I decided that it could wait for another day. I’m sure that I’ve seen most of the animals that they have there, and I feel like zoos are much more fun when you’re in a large group of people.

I wandered up the park, taking in the sights.  I passed a little amusement park for children which had some amazing views of the city behind it. There were numerous musicians and street performers, stalls selling posters and paintings, artists creating caricatures, and places to buy snacks. I easily could have spent a lot of money buying souvenirs and art work, but sadly I have no room to take it home with me!

For a while I just lay down in the sun and read, which was incredibly relaxing. As I’ve previously said, I love reading but sadly I didn’t have much time to do any whilst I was at camp. Reading whilst looking at all the skyscrapers towering above the trees was slightly surreal I have to admit. After watching so many films and tv programmes set in this amazing place, it was almost difficult to believe that I was actually there myself!

After my read I continued walking until I reached ‘The Mall’ – also known as the ‘Literary Walk’. This path is the only straight line in the park, and is actually a Parisian-style promenade. It’s a beautiful walk, with statues of literati at the southern end (where I started from) and is lined with North America Elm trees, which are apparently quite rare.

At the end of the Mall I came to the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain. This is one of the largest neoclassical fountains in New York – a term given to a Western movement in art, literature, music etc. that drew its inspiration from the ‘classical’ culture of Rome and Ancient Greece. At the centre of the Bethesda fountain is a sculpture of an angel designed by Emma Stebbins in 1868. She was the first woman in New York to receive a public commission for a major work of art. The fountain depicts a female angel, surrounded beneath by four cherubs representing Health, Peace, Temperance and Purity. The statue refers to Chapter 5 of the Gospel of John, where an angel blesses the Pool of Bethesda, thus giving it healing powers. The statue is also known as the Angel of the Waters and is, in my opinion, incredibly beautiful.

I have to admit, I think that walking through Central Park was one of my favourite parts of my time in New York so far. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular with the residents of the city, as it truly does provide a breathing space from the busy streets which at times can almost seem claustrophobic. It was incredibly beautiful and if I’m ever in New York with an afternoon to spare I already know where to go! Someone told me that you can’t truly say you’ve experienced New York unless you’ve been to Central Park, something I now wholly agree with. Now all I’ve got to do is go back there in the Winter time and see it in the snow!

‘I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.’ Oscar Wilde