Hanging out in Philly.

Hello friends,

I hope all are well on this Saturday afternoon. I write you today from somewhere in the middle of western New Jersey.  I’m not sure where I am exactly, since I had to scramble all over the countryside looking for a library to write this post. It is a beautiful place to get lost in, filled with farms, produce and animals. I pulled off the road for a minute, on a lonely lane, to tear off a couple ears of corn from a field. I don’t know if that’s illegal or not, but I was hungry and this is after all, a survival tour!

I’m getting to like this part of the country, the more I see of it. Philadelphia is an amazing place. I’ve only see parts of it and worked only in the north and south sides of town, but just driving through the local neighborhoods and busy streets on my way to and from the campsite. The different types of homes and buildings give the area plenty of character and charm. Crowded streets and busy stores fill almost every block for miles on end. The smell of mom and pop eateries fill the air as I stop at the red light intersections. The different races seem to blend very nicely here, as opposed to some of the other stops I have encountered. Something I have only seen in the big cities like San Fran and Los Angeles. There is still a lot more cities to visit, so I look forward to comparing them all in the end,

I’m yet to eat one of the world famous Philly cheese steak sandwiches, something which I have on my list to do. My new friend/coworker Tony has given me a number of places to try and I will before my time is up here. The historical places dot the entire area and the waterfront views are great to see, especially from atop of the Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman bridges that connect the two states. It’s been difficult for me to take pictures, since my eyes and hands are on the road constantly. I guess I will have to settle for the pictures in my mind.

My only criticism of this place is the fast moving pace of the traffic and people. Maybe because I’m riding with the commuter crowds or this east coast impatience attitude is spot on. Many seem to have a hair trigger on the horn. The streets and freeways are very congested and it feels like every person for themselves. A far cry from my time spent in the heavy traffic of the H1 and 2 of the island of Oahu. I didn’t hear a honking horn or see a middle finger fly weeks or months during my time there. Here you have one second to react to a green light or they are beeping you immediately! People cut in lanes and force their way in as if you don’t exists. I’m new to the area and still rely heavily on my Google maps to get around, so sometimes I hesitate at intersections, only to be blasted with a rude honk! Some woman screamed at me on a turn, thinking I was going to scratch her car as we passed each other on a narrow street.  I try not to get fired up and react hastily to the idiots who act this way, fighting my pure Mexican/Aztec blood from boiling over is a challenge! Ha-ha.

So I will spend another week here working with Chris and Tony, remodeling and saving up my money for the end of the month bills. I’m hoping I can visit N.Y.C. by this time next week. Although I still have to complete a New Jersey gig before then. I’m going to try tomorrow Sunday to get one in before Monday and Philly start up again.

Thanks again to you friends for your precious time and support. Have a great rest of the week and stay safe wherever you call home. #Yo-Ga-Fla

Juanjohn