Prelude to Europe: New Jersey and Philadelphia

I am beginning a new journey.

As I mentioned in a recent photoblog post, this has been a rough few months for me. (More to come hopefully in the next month or so about that.) For the next two weeks, I’ll be indulging in some self-care-via-travel in Ireland, Germany, and some new points in between.

The trip started Friday night, when I left Seattle for New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I met up with my friend Thor, who is now a writer and educator on wine and food. (Update from 2025: Thor has sadly passed away since we connected in 2019. His web site – which I had linked to in the original version of this article – appears to have also met its demise. 😢) When I last saw him, he was a classmate of mine in a small town in northern Minnesota. That was more than 30 years ago. It was an absolute pleasure to catch up and share delightful food, wine, and cocktails with him over the course of a few hours last evening.

I landed at 7am in Newark and had something like 12 hours, by car, to make it to Philadelphia. The “direct” route from point A to point B might take 90 minutes in weekend traffic, but did I go that way? Of course not!

Being the contrarian that I am, I drove down the length of New Jersey and took the ferry across from Cape May to Lewes, Delaware, before turning back northward for my meeting in Philadelphia.

Most of my photos for this post are from the ferry trip. Even though I ride ferries often, I still revel in the experience of a new vessel. Each one has its own personality; its own little quirks to share with you.

My ship has come in … · Ferry Terminal, Cape May, New Jersey

Delaware Bay, southwest of Cape May, New Jersey

Delaware Bay, southwest of Cape May, New Jersey

Delaware Bay, southwest of Cape May, New Jersey

Huh. Wasn’t expecting to see that sign until week after next. 🤔

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A few of the photos are from my dinner with Thor at Oloroso. I can not find adequate words to describe the food, cocktails, wine, and discussion that was had there; let’s just say that my friend chose very well.

Oloroso, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oloroso, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Penn Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

As I write this, I am at the airport in Newark, New Jersey, awaiting word that it’s time to board my flight to Dublin.

Good news: It looks like Hurricane Florence did not significantly impact my plans on the East Coast this weekend. (I went farther north than its path.)

Bad news: It looks like Hurricane Helene will make a direct hit on Ireland when I’m there, although it is expected to weaken to a tropical storm or even less by then. I’m warned to expect heavy rain next week.

I will be working remotely from Dublin this following week and then traveling in other parts of Europe for the week following. Stay tuned. 😊