Going Down The Shore

Philadelphia's somewhat unique in that it has four distinct, three-month-long seasons. Winter, spring, summer, and fall are all very different and generally last (at least back when I was young) right around three months each. I never noticed it until I moved away to California, where we said that there are also four seasons, shorts-and-a-sweatshirt (winter), shorts-and-a-long-sleeved-shirt (fall and spring), and shorts-and-a-short-sleeved-shirt (summer).

My dad's been pushing Diana and I to come during the summer as she's only been there for Thanksgiving and Christmas and he really wanted us to spend some time at his place in nearby Wildwood, New Jersey. Well, not wanting to let my dad down, Diana and found ourselves visiting Philadelphia recently so she could enjoy the summertime splendor of the Delaware Valley.

The Philadelphia airport's international-arrivals hall (there's a Dunkin' Donuts there too, which also would have provided a nice backdrop):

Before I write more, I have to say that, once I got back home after the trip, I was sad to realize how few pictures I had taken. Thinking back about it, most of the time during this trip was with family doing family-type visiting that didn't lend itself to taking photos. I'm bummed that I didn't though and, next time, I will (that's a promise and a threat). So, to everyone who doesn't appear in this story, I'll try harder next time.

Anyway, most of our time was spent visiting with family, eating, shopping, eating again, going to the shore, eating, and maybe a couple of other non-eating things I can't remember right now.

Hanging out with a couple nieces and a nephew at a family pool party:

A big part of the reason we were there was so that Diana could experience a piece of my childhood summers by going to my dad's place down the shore. The shore is what Philadelphia folks call the southern New Jersey beaches where they spend summer months. I've written about Wildwood before so I'll skip lots of the details.

But, definitely the highlight of our time there was the chance meeting of a bunch of family and family friends. I'm especially bummed I don't have any photos from this fun couple of evenings catching up with folks I haven't seen for awhile, in some cases, for maybe ten years or more.

Of course, we did a couple of beach days and other classic summer activities like the afternoon we spent checking out the boardwalk and its amusement piers:

My dad, Ginny, and Diana riding the log flume ride:

...and Diana and I on one of the roller coasters (I took a photo a lot like this one with me and my dad, which is still one of my favorite photos of us):

Of course no visit to Wildwood would be complete without overeating boardwalk food, which we did, and riding the Tramcar (watch the Tramcar please):

And, further confirming Diana's belief that all people in the United States do is drive and eat, eating breakfast at a local breakfast hot spot, which we drove to:

I love going to the U.S. with Diana. There are so many things that people/I/we take for granted in that there are just soooo stereo typically American that we don't even know it. Stuff like our giant houses, giant cars, giant streets, giant coffees, giant meals, and so on are things that the rest of the world notices while watching our television shows and movies. I have to say that I've been away long enough where things like Super Big Gulps do look pretty ridiculous.

During a couple of summers while at university, I drove an ice cream truck. It was a tough job as I had to work seven days a week and it was verrry hot, but I was my own boss and I was out and about. Diana's always kinda' laughed at it because they didn't have ice cream trucks in Colombia (although they do have coffee carts!) and it's something she's only seen in movies or on TV. While going back to my dad's house one day I spied a truck making the rounds so we stopped.

Diana enjoying her first from-the-ice-cream-truck ice cream cone:

A random bit of Americana that jumps out at me now:

Finally, my sister's family was camping for part of the time we were in town so there was no way we could miss out on the scene and making S'mores over the evening fire.

Diana checking out a game of Washers at a combo RV-and-tent camping place in south-central New Jersey:

Thanks dad for the great trip home. Getting to see everyone was a bonus and makes me miss home more every day. Until next time, when I'll take more photos, we'll miss everyone!