21 and 22 April 2010

The USAToday newspaper delivered to our hotel door includes a story about the passing of a legend in women's and human rights in the USA. Reflecting on the life of Dorothy Height is a great way to start the day celebrating Lynda's birthday with bagels and coffee delivered to our room. The hotel here in Charlottesville really has given new meaning to "southern hospitality". It really is one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in. (Omni Hotel Charlottesville - they are a small chain in USA & Canada & if you can get a good rate, definitely try to stay in one of these next time you are all in Nth America)

The day has been gentle, with a few hours in the gym, spa & sauna followed by catfish(tastes a bit like red fin which I haven't had since I was a kid) and grits for lunch. Thanks for all the birthday messages and wishes. I won't forget where I was when I turned 34. (hee haw) Dinner saw us return for the third time to Escafe for crab cakes, fried chicken, grilled pork washed down with French sparkling and redwood zinfandel from California.

The visit to UVA (University of Virginia) has exceeded my expectations. One of the Professors I interviewed quoted Malcolm Fraser when I asked him if he was supported as a leader of research in the University "life wasn't meant to be easy". Who said Americans don't have a sense of humour? This Professor was also humble enough to admit that George W Bush had declared war on research funding for the environment, to the tune of a near 90% cut to Federal Research Funding for Universities delivering on anything to do with the environment. The GFC had added insult to injury & these guys are really feeling the pinch on research funding not to mention their endowments.

On e of our last tasks in Charlottesville took us to the Central US Postal Service Centre to send a parcel. We were greeted by a "Customer Service Officer" who helped us choose the most cost effective envelope, sealed the parcel for us & was so pleasant and friendly we were tempted to make a customer service video of her and send it to the Daylesford Post Office, anonymously of course.

As we say goodbye to Charlottesville and board the Amtrak service to Penn Station, Manhattan, NYC, we are a little sad to leave the comfort of a small historical city that is in every way quintessentially American, even with the ice skating rink right outside our hotel. Every night there has been ice hockey matches on the rink.

The train takes us back through the Virginia countryside and forests, to Orange, Washington DC, Baltimore (setting for The Wire), Delaware, Philadelphia, and then on to NYC, "where" one of our fellow travelers tells us "dreams are made". She should know as she clutches her mint tin with Obama printed on the lid (refilled many times) & asks us "how cool is our President?" thumbs up all round - she offer us a "Yes, we can". I have resorted to hand signals to save being misinterpreted by my aussie accent which remains incomprehensible to most (Rachel is very impressed with my use of Americanisms and style of eating with my fork only!). Train food is typical. Just as well we picked up a couple of brownies at the soda fountain/drug store in Charlottesville. You can buy everything at the drug store…..wine by the milk carton, six packs of beers and cigarettes along with all the conventional pharma pain relief options, which were attached to the fridge doors for the beer. Have a nice day!!

My last reflection of Virginia is the US recession. In the centre of the C'ville Mall which is a thriving dining and retail strip stands a deserted hotel development only half built with a sign that reads due to be open "summer 2009". The site was totally deserted. You can't escape that fact that the USA is in recession. For us it means a great exchange on the USD, great rates on excellent hotels and incredibly amazing sales for clothing (Macy's here we come!!) But the losers are the working Americans that have lost their jobs in the millions.Over 9 million at last count & it will probably get worse before it improves. I could be wrong about this but we haven't been bullied for tips yet at all. I have even had the impression from taxi drivers and waiters alike that they are just happy for the fare/order let alone the tips. Sandwich bars have "economic recovery packages" at lunch time. You can buy a car here on terms for zero interest rate. NYC will prove this perception one way or the other.

We have booked two off Broadway shows for the weekend. Tonight we'll go and sit in the orchestra pit to see "The Glass Menagerie" written by Tennessee Williams. Saturday night we have tickets for the "Temperamentals" only playing this weekend & we still got tickets. We either got lucky or very unlucky. We'll let you know & I guess who cares, it is NYC after all!!

If you want read more about Dorothy here you go:-

African American civil rights activist Dorothy Height has died at the age of 98

Born in Richmond Virginia (only a short distance from Charlottesville). "At 25 she began decades of work at the National YWCA and was assistant Director at the Harlem YWCA in 1937". Revered by Presidents, 1st Ladies and significant leaders in the civil rights and women's' movements , President Obama called her the "godmother of the civil rights movement and a hero to so many Americans"

Catch more of this fantastic account of the life of Dorothy Height:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-04-20-height-obit_N.htm