USA Trip, April 2004

DC & Virginia [12] :  Seattle [23] :  New York [37]

WHAT'S THE STORY?

In April 2004 I took a month off to visit a few friends in different parts of the USA.
As well as my epic coast-to-coast road trip with Steve Jones, I visited Marvin in Virgina; Babs, Kevin, Steve and Julea in Seattle and then stayed in a New York city nunnery.

DC & Virginia

First up, a few days in the lush surroundings of Virginia, staying with Marvin McIntyre, who played Truman Sparks in Fandango. We first met up at the train station in Washington DC where we spent the afternoon looking at the city's monuments and museums, including the very impressive White House, Lincon Memorial and Vietnam Memorial.

The White House

Spirit of St Louis

Orbiting module from first moon landing

Vietnam Memorial (Marvin & I in reflection)

I stayed in Marvin's spare house and drove around in his truck (thus setting a very high standard of hosting for my trip).

There was a wonderful sense of community in the town; Marvin knew all the neighbours and did volunteer handyman work with a group of locals, making fences, children's play areas and the like for the poorer families. Virginia was also the first place I experienced 'biscuits and gravy', which is a scone covered in a thick white sauce. Otherwise, everything else about my stay in Virginia was extremely pleasant.

The impression of Madison that stays with me is of a huge house atop a hill, a child racing around the grass with his dog, mountains on the horizon behind.

Taking the 'skyline drive' along those mountains later, I suddenly realised that I was looking out across the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, as sung about by Laurel and Hardy.

Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia

We visited the University of Virginia campus, which seemed a utopia to someone who went to Coventry Uni. Here I saw a poster advertising the 'Atheist Society 3rd Annual Easter Barbecue'.

I snapped many pictures of old houses and cars that are scattered along the winding country roads.

Dropping by one place to enquire about horse rides, I found no humans home but was enthusiastically mugged by a trio of small friendly dogs. Fearful of squishing them under the truck wheels, I played with them until they got bored with me and sodded off.

Next set of USA 2004 pics: Seattle
Back to top
Alex photos home page