From New York To Washington DC Via New Jersey And Philadelphia, 26 to 28 November 1989

If my memory is now serving me well…

…I think I had dinner in Manhatten with Jane Lewis on the Sunday evening, after going to the theatre alone afternoon/early evening…

…and effectively “checking out” of the W70th appartment I had been lent so kindly by the super kind Wegman couple who I never met.

I think Jane drove in to the City and that it was on this occasion we dined in a Lousiana style place in Alphabet City and we then went across the water to her place in Passaic Park, New Jersey. The cunning plan, if I recall correctly, was that Newark was a suitable starting point the next day for my rail journey to Washington DC via Philadelphia and for Jane’s journey into work.

The snow had all-but disappeared by the time I visited Passaic Park, New Jersey

My research 30 years later suggest that Passaic Park is home to one of the larger ultra-orthodox Jewish communities now. I’m guessing that the neighbourhood has changed. Perhaps Jane too has changed…or more likely moved…but in any case I didn’t see much sign of ultra-orthodox Judaism during my visit.

I enjoyed my short stay “in the burbs” – thanks Jane – and I also enjoyed the rail journey from Newark to Washinton DC with a “day tripper” stop in Philadelphia on the way.

Philadelphia freedom

I did much of the stuff a tourist is supposed to do in Philadelphia…

Independence Hall

…and even found time a for a bit of shopping near the railway station before training it to Washington DC.

If I recall correctly, I had organised my digs for a couple of nights in DC through the more conventional expedient of booking a hotel room. Quite near the railway station and convenient for sightseeing. No I cannot recall the name of the Hotel.

My “crashing at a friend’s place”…or even “crashing at a friend of a friend’s place” days were coming to an end, although there was one more “crash night” on that trip – a colder, more northerly story for another day.

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