NANTWICH FESTIVALS

JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH 

It would be an understatement to say that Nantwich is like a second home for your favorite traveling tandem. We first started coming to this Cheshire town in 2011 when Janet's daughter married a lad from here and over these past dozen years, we've lost count how many times we've come to Nantwich. 

All our trips here are simple and filled with family togetherness and activities. Throw in a couple of side trips to Chester or York, a couple of pub crawls and now, watching the grandchildren play football (soccer) and you have another successful visit.  

WILD BEAVER PIE, PIZZA IN A BAG, AND BEER

One would think after a dozen years the routine would lead to boredom, but Nantwich offered up a lively diversion earlier in September when we were last there. For the first time we got to experience the well-attended Nantwich Food Festival. Even though Colin, the English father-in-law, groused that the festival is too crowded and too expensive Janet and I were very excited about this event and it was a joy to wade through the crowds.

Food Festival takeaway 

There were several clusters of exhibitors in various parts of the town, offering street food, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, live music and lots of alcohol. If it weren’t for the magnificent St. Mary’s Church in the center of town this festival could be found in America, except America itself isn’t as old as St. Mary’s church. Work began on the church in 1340. 

There were several stages for acoustic and electric bands dotted throughout town and food vendors sold cheeses and baklava, pierogies, steak and ale pies and surprisingly good BBQ, fries (or chips) and cannoli, just to name a few items. There were exhibitors who sold prepacked meals, like pizza kits in a bag or steak and ale pies to take home and heat up for that evening's tea.  Several vintners and gin distillers were represented and quite a few micro-brewery beer stands. At one far of town there were small amusement rides set up in a supermarket parking lot. 

Nantwich Food Fest

Even High Street, a usually quiet pedestrian walkway, was packed with revelers shuffling along from one area of the festival to the next. Temporary kiosks selling cheeses and wines slowed them further. High Street goes through the town’s main square and St. Mary’s is at one end, while the Crown Hotel, a waddle and daub structure, erected soon after the Great Fire of Nantwich in 1583, is a bit further along. All the pubs were packed and people who purchased beers or alcohol at the kiosks shuffled around on this Saturday afternoon, the sun brilliant. 
Leaving the festival our family contingent did a small pub crawl beginning in the Wickstead Arms Pub and then over to the Red Cow so the children could run around in the massive beer garden on the premises. Janet and I hadn’t planned to be here during the Food Festival but toasted our serendipity regardless.

NANTWICH FOOD FESTIVAL

Wait, there's more! 

Incredibly these was not the only event on the calendar for this small town Nantwich. There are several festivals. Here's a quick listing of everything and I'm sure we'll get to them all eventually. 

THE NANTWICH SHOW – Late July

It’s basically a revved-up 4H show held in July at Reaseheath College a land-based (or agricultural school), within an easy walk from the Barony in Nantwich. Not only are you able to watch sheep shearing and livestock parades, riders on shire horses, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, and food vendors, but displays of WWII aircraft on the grounds.

If you’re able to break yourself away from the egg competitions, the International Cheese Show is worth the entry fee. Begun in 1897 it is the largest such competition in the world, featuring over 5,000 variations of cheese on display and for sampling and purchase. Don’t forget to look for Nantwich Blue Cheese, our favorite. 

THE NANTWICH SHOW 

NANTWICH JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL – Easter Weekend - 2024

Nantwich will be hopping to live music at venues all around town during the Jazz and Blues Festival. Last year there were 140 separate shows scattered over 15 different venues, including a stage in the town square, several pubs and headlining acts at the Civic Hall.

We’ve been told that Nantwich gets even more crowded during the Jazz festival than the Food Festival! 

NANTWICH JALL AND BLUES FESTIVAL 

THE BATTLE OF NANTWICH – January 27 2024

On January 15,1644 a major battle broke out in Nantwich during the English Civil Wars, resulting in a victory for the Parliamentarians over the Royalists loyal to King Charles I. Eventually Charles I was dethroned and beheaded, but each year on Holly Holy Day members of the Sealed Knot Society parade through town in period dress and eventually reenact the battle. 

Men and women with muskets and pikes and cannon and a fair amount of drinking? What could go wrong? 

BATTLE OF NANTWICH 

There are several more such events during the year. The Nantwich Town Council’s website provides more details: 

NANTWICH FESTIVALS 

Nantwich is a gem. We are very fortunate to have discovered this great little town.

CHARMED I'M SURE?

Finally one last event to consider though it is in the little town of Willaston, just outside of Nantwich. Each June the World's Worm Charming Championship is held on the grounds of Willaston County Primary School as a fundraiser in 1980. Presided over by the International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes  IFCWAP) the event lures people from all over the country as they attempt to "charm" worms to the surface to be counted and weighed. 

The World Champion remains a Miss Sophie Smith who in 2009 at the age of 10 wriggled her way to the top with 567 worms.  

Contestants are given a 3x3 meter plot of land and during the contest can use any legal means necessary to bring the worms to the surface.

Don't worry, after the competition and after nightfall, all worms are released in the woods. This way the birds still have to get up early.

Janet went one year and brought home the brochure. 

 

WORLD'S WORM CHARMING CHAMPIONSHIP

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg 

fun galore at the
Nantwich Food Festial

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

DAY TRIP TO LLANGOLLEN WALES

NO PASSPORT NEEDED

We took a family day trip to the beautiful Welsh town of Llangollen. It was August 28 and a summer bank holiday in England. There are usually 8 throughout the year, although there was an extra bank holiday this past May for King Charles’ coronation. Don’t quite know why they have bank holidays. It’s not like they are anchored to a holiday like Memorial Day, or the 4^th of July, but they are nevertheless an excuse to take the day off and go on an excursion as we did to Llangollen.

UK BANK HOLIDAYS

Don’t ask me how to properly say the name of this strikingly beautiful town on the River Dee in Northeast Wales, but it is a popular place to visit, especially on a bank holiday. Just under an hour’s drive from their town of Nantwich, our family has traveled to Llangollen several times over the years and as we drove along the rolling hills I joked if I needed my passport to cross the border into Wales.

Llangollen Bridge

What one needs when traveling into Llangollen is patience as the place brims with visitors, and caravans and motorcycles and cars and bicyclists and pedestrians shuffle along the streets and over the bridge that crosses the turbulent river popular with kayakers and rafting expeditions, especially so on this holiday.

The beauty is captivating and area establishments take advantage of the vistas as they cling to the edges of the river while offering patrons fantastic views while they sip their pints.

LLANGOLLEN

AONB

Ice cream stands and trinket shops with wacky looking Welsh language names will forever be enchanting, although the true enchantment comes from the surrounding areas.

Llangollen and the River Dee valley and the Clwydian range are designated as an AONB or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK.

AONB

 As mentioned earlier, outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking are popular, and there are several guides in town offering full and half and multi-day adventures on the Dee. To give an inkling as to what's available here's one guide company, the Bearded Men Adventures. With the younger grandsons though we were regulated to cavorting on the rocks of an eddy in the river and eating a prepacked lunch on a bench as we lazed about watching kayakers and rafts course the river. 

BEARDED MEN ADVENTURES LLANGOLLEN

Strollers along Riverside Park on this festive afternoon were led by their dogs of all shapes and sizes, completing the beautiful tapestry. The English do love their well-behaved dogs. We watched a couple of massive dogs, small bears really, cavort in the eddy, their owners not minding the spray when they shook themselves dry. 

We were fortunate to quickly find a parking spot in the Mill Street lot across the River Dee and walked along the water’s edge for a while before crossing the Llangollen Bridge, where we spent most of our time this visit. 

Had we been interested we could have taken a horse-drawn canal boat ride on the Llangollen Canal, or take a steam powered locomotive courtesy of the Llangollen and Corwen Railway. We did neither, Instead, after our meager lunch we sat on the outside deck of the Corn Mill Pub for some pints as the boys ate ice cream. 

LLANGOLLEN STEAM LOCOMOTIVE

CORN MILL PUB LLANGOLLEN

RYDYCH CHI YMA (YOU ARE HERE)

Llangollen

We did explore a bit of the countryside as we drove to the ruins of Valle Crucis Abbey; that’s Latin for Abaty Glyn Y Groes, or Valley of the Cross. The abbey was part of the Cistercian order and founded in 1201. The place thrived until 1537 when it and all the other abbeys in Britain were dissolved by royal decree. Think Henry VIII and the Church of England.

A caravan park nearly surrounds the ruins, despite which there is a pious solitude to the grounds, and as we explored the ruins we talked in hushed tones. There is an entry fee, and we strolled the grounds admiring what was left of the abbey, with dramatic hills looming behind and glowering clouds only adding to the ominous feeling of the ruins. The boys played ‘hide and seek’.

VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY

VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY 

Then we drove up into the winding hills, dodging wayward sheep, literally, as they walked on the road without a shepherd. We slowly climbed the rural hills as the road curved onto itself. Verdant farms were everywhere as well as sheep, until the hills got too steep for farming, and we finally stopped at the Horseshoe Bend outlook, to admire the land that stretched out below us. From this high promontory one can truly understand why this area of the world is rightfully considered an area of outstanding natural beauty.

GOOGLE EARTH - HORSESHOE PASS OUTLOOK

It was the end of a simple, beautiful, lovely family excursion.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

HORSESHOE PASS OUTLOOK

                        RAFTING ON THE RIVER DEE, LLANGOLLEN, WALES

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

THE SHROPSHIRE – UNION CANAL

GONGOOZLING ON THE SHROPPIE 

The history of canals and their use in Great Britain dates from Roman times.

First dug for irrigation and for connecting separate rivers to increase travel inland, the canals were used for transporting goods and eventually became an integral part of Britain’s industrial revolution. Narrowboats are wooden canal boats built to fit the narrow locks of Britain and were first drawn by horses from a towpath, then driven with steam and then diesel engines. Because of the narrow locks boats need to be less than 7 feet wide, and shorter than 72 feet, although some locks are just 57 feet long.

The canals no longer are used to transport wares; trains and trucking are much more efficient; but the canal system of England and Wales is still in use for leisurely activities. There are over 2,000 miles of navigable canals and rivers and according to the Canal and River Trust of the UK there are tens of thousands of narrowboats used as permanent and semi-permanent homes, weekend and holiday getaways, touring and day travel.

Janet's family lives just over a mile from the Shropshire Union canal and there is pedestrian access at the Nantwich Aqueduct at the end of Welsh Road. The narrowboats and canals are a beautiful sight and whenever we get the chance, we try to gongoozle. Actual word! A gongoozler is: “Someone who enjoy watching boats and activities on canals.”  

GONGOOZLER?

WORD ORIGIN OF GONGOOZLE

Apart from the serenity and a glimpse of a lifestyle not readily found in the United States, there is for us an alternate reason to gongoozle…beer, but you already knew this dear reader. One day we spent the afternoon walking along the Shroppie Canal to the Barbridge Junction with the Trent Mersey Canal. Then we lingered over beers at the Olde Barbridge Inn. As the boys ran around in the playground, we watched the narrowboats slip by.

THE OLDE BARBRIDGE INN

Another canal that eventually junctions with the Shropshire Union is the Llangollen Canal. That starts in Wales and eventually passes Canalside Garden Center in Wrenbury where one of the family works. When we visited him last weekend, we watched a narrowboat magically pass, but not before a small wooden pedestrian bridge had to be hand cranked open by a “crew” member on the narrowboat!

                                                        Wrenbury lift bridge 

CANALSIDE GARDEN CENTRE WRENBURY

It’s a beautiful world. There is a list of canals and maps available at the CRT and if you’re interested to being more than a gongoozler you can hire a boat for the day at Nantwich. 

CANAL RIVER TRUST UK

NARROWBOAT HIRE IN NANTWICH

Interested in buying your own narrowboat? Go here:

NARROWBOATS FOR SALE

Or, just gongoozle the day away at the canal side pub of your choice.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

My 2nd novel - THE MUSIC MADE ME CRY

HACK GREEN NUCLEAR BUNKER

 THE NOT-SO-SECRET SECRET BUNKER

The signs are everywhere in Nantwich. These little brown symbols with arrows point in the direction of the “secret” bunker at Hack Green, about 5 miles outside of Nantwich. I had first noticed the odd little signs during our last visit to this beautiful little town and I recently had the chance to see if this secret was worth it!

Despite the whimsy of pointing out a “secret” bunker Hack Green was once a RAF airfield and radar installation during WWII. Chesire county, with her flat farmlands were perfect for airstrips. 

During the Cold War Hack Green was repurposed as a Nuclear Bunker and part of the RGHQ network. There were 17 such facilities throughout England, meant to serve as a headquarters for regional government officials (and other highbrow citizens) in case catastrophe erupted.

With the end of the cold war in 1992 many of the RGHQ facilities were sold by the government and 35,000 square feet of Hack Green was purchased and turned into a museum. There are three levels, two underground, and the blast doors of Hack Green reveal a sobering amount of information and mementoes about how England prepared for nuclear Armageddon.

LIVING IN THE ATOMIC AGE WITH A STONE AGE MENTALITY
Some of the “attractions” of the museum include a very large collection of decommissioned nuclear weapons and displays about defense, living conditions and logistics in the bunker. For the kiddies, because this can be horrifying to some, is a spy mouse game, where toy mice are scattered among the displays and the goal is to find as many as possible and report back to headquarters for a reward.

The full brutality of atomic weaponry is on display in a screening room where the 45-minute film THE WAR GAME shows on a loop. Portrayed as a pseudo-documentary, it depicts nuclear war and its aftermath, and though it is a bit melo-dramatic, don’t take your kids if you decide to visit. The finality of a conflict like this in this atomic age will send us back into the stone age.

It's worth a visit for history buffs. It takes less than 2 hours to get through everything. Admission was £14.90 or less than $19.00usd.

Hack Green is available for weddings.

HACK GREEN "SECRET" BUNKER

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

NANTWICH ENGLAND…AGAIN

VACATIONS FROM HOME

Nantwich doorway

At its genesis this blog is all about traveling while at home. It began when our pockets were of meager funds, but our hearts still brimmed with the need to explore. Back in those early times our destinations were in our proverbial backyard. There were plenty of day trips, camping trips and couch surfing visits to friend’s houses, and a lot of hiking.

As we slowly recovered from our financial nadir, our sights again were set on destinations further afield and if you are one of our sainted readers who have followed us from the beginning you know we have traveled to places like Belgium, Croatia, the Canary Islands, Hawaii, Fiji, Costa Rica and Panama and quite a few Caribbean Islands.

These destinations are just a small listing of our travels, and as long as the meter’s running, we will continue to travel as much as possible in this vast beautiful Garden of Eden, and we will continue to write about our adventures here at Vacations From Home.

“HOME” though is an integral part of our thinking and a lot of our travels have included family.

Nantwich with
 St. Mary's Church in background

My daughter has lived in New Orleans and D.C. and Nashville, and each time she settled in her new city we made a point of visiting her.

We both have family in Colorado, and we have traveled to the Centennial State to see them. We have also traveled to Florida’s Marco Island as part of a massive family adventure one summer equinox and returned to Marco Island a few years later to tie the knot with my trophy wife.

A couple of years ago at the New Jersey beach town of Sea Isle City we crammed 17 family members into a weekly rental. The house was so big that no one had to sleep in their car.

Janet has one daughter living in Austin, Texas and that has garnered several trips to the Lone Star State for us, both together and alone.

But it is here in Nantwich, Chesire in England that has become our most frequently traveled family destination.

DABBER'S PARADISE 

Her other daughter married a young man from this picturesque little town and has started a family. We followed them to Liverpool when they lived there, then Newton and now Nantwich, staying with them each time. We have spent time in Nantwich during the summer and over the Christmas holidays. We’ve been here so often that we have become friends with several other people from town. The in-laws are great people as well, even if I can’t keep up with the father-in-law when we go out for pints. 

The way to the Dabber's Sweet Shop

Over the years we’ve used Nantwich as a jumping off point for travel to UK destinations like Edinburgh, Scotland, Llandudno, Wales, Lancaster and Lake Windermere and the walled cities of York and Chester. Nantwich has also been the staging point for trips to Europe. Earlier this year we flew from Manchester, which is the nearest airport to Nantwich, to Budapest. Next week we are traveling to Seville, Spain after our latest two-week visit to Nantwich.

Our days are filled with leisurely walks into the town center or to the Barony, a large park, often with the boys on scooters or bikes to get there. Some days we time them as they race around the block on their bikes. 

Trips to the sweet shop and coffees and hot chocolates and pub crawls with the adults fill out the days.

Janet often says I would be bored coming to Nantwich as it is really all about family, but that’s the whole point of being here. On the oft chance I’m “bored” I go out for a stroll. I really enjoy walking around town on my own and have been known to disappear for the afternoon in my meandering, a latter-day Ulysses.

There’s lots to see and plenty of pubs to visit to quench my thirst.

I can't keep up with the in-law

I’ve lingered over beers at the Crown just to watch the people and their dogs sitting patiently. I’ve paused to listen to the campanologists practicing their craft at St. Mary’s Church after watching them ascend one of the church towers through a weathered wooden door to reach the bells. And, every chance I get I accompany the father-in-law on one of his delivery trips through the countryside delivering goods as part of the retiree’s part time work. It could be cloudy and rainy, but it will be a glorious day for it is wonderful to see more of this world, even if it technically is our second home.

Thanks for reading,

Love Janet and greg

NANTWICH GOOGLE EARTH

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA

A NECESSARY PUB CRAWL

Mr. Happy Penn, Philadelphia

Back in mid-July we hosted some friends for the weekend. They had never been to Philadelphia, so we decided to show them around. It turns out that the day was the hottest day this summer (so far), but we remained undeterred and plotted a course that took advantage of all the shady spots and a couple of more-than-necessary pub stops while still giving them the gist of what this historical city is all about.

The original plan was to take mass transit, but with the forecast calling for temperatures in the mid-90s we decided to drive in, to at least take advantage of the air conditioning of the car.

Our guests are avid kayakers from the Lake George, New York area, so we drove them first along Kelly Drive to see the sculls plying the river and past the picturesque Boat House Row where the local schools keep their gear. Traffic slowed enough by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, so they were able to see the “Rocky” statue without having to get out of the car and were able to snap pictures of the famous fictional brawler.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Driving down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and past other art museums like the Barnes Foundation and the Rodin Museum and approaching Logan Circle we could see the iconic City Hall with a statue of William Penn looking down on the city he planned, and from this angle it looks like Mr. Penn has his Mr. Happy out, ready to perhaps urinate on his creation. He’s really holding a treaty that he signed with the native Lenape Indians to acquire the land of Philadelphia, but why get in the way of some bathroom humor. 

MR HAPPY

We parked in the underground parking lot at Love Park where another iconic statue sits. The “Love” sculpture was created by Robert Indiana and copies of it can be found around the world, from New York City to Taipei to Singapore…and, Philadelphia. The park is directly across the street from City Hall. We quickly fled the stifling air of the garage to a baking and withering sun. Dodging transients who “worked” the park snapping pictures of the hordes of tourists we snapped some pictures but did not bother with the visitor center. Instead, we crossed the street to take advantage of the shade cast by impressive City Hall. There was a pop-up beer garden, one of many found throughout this city of beer aficionados and a small roller rink that transforms into an ice rink during winter months. We did not linger though, because we were heading to the Reading Terminal. Our friends had read about this indoor market that opened in 1893. 

THE READING TERMINAL MARKET

Like the Great Market Hall we visited recently in Budapest, which was a tourist destination offering everything from food to alcohol to souvenirs and vegetables. In both places the tumult of activity is exhilarating, but at the Reading Terminal Market there's not a lot of Paprika vendors, but you can buy everything from donuts to cheesesteaks. There's a bar. There are Amish serving shoo-fly pie. There are vegetable stalls and there are souvenir stands. It is a busy, must-see Philadelphia destination. 

You can schedule a tour or just shuffle along the aisles to find something to eat or drink. 

We lingered long enough to cool down a bit from the heat but did not eat. Though I made a feeble suggestion to pull up a bar stool at one establishment we had more to see and left.

READING TERMINAL MARKET

 

City Hall 

MEET YOU AT THE EAGLE

Now Macy’s, the old Wanamaker’s Department Store was our next stop, just a few blocks from the market and across the street from City Hall. 

The building features the Grand Court with the world’s largest pipe organ, that is still played twice a day six days a week. During the Christmas season a massive light display delights young and old. In the middle of the Grand Court is a large bronze statue of an Eagle. Acquired after the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904 the statue remains a hit with shoppers, and one only had to say “meet you at the eagle” to know where to go.

Yeah, we know where those eagles can go. Oops … did I write that?

WANAMAKER PIPE ORGAN CONCERTS

The world's largest pipe organ
at the Wanamaker Building

THE OLDEST BAR
We walked through the old Wannamaker’s Department store building taking advantage of as much air conditioning as possible, emerging on the far Chestnut Street side. We were headed to McGillin’s Olde Ale House. 

Opened in 1860 as the Bell in Hand by Ma and Pa McGillin, it is the oldest tavern in the city. Decorated with Philadelphian memorabilia and offering 30 beers on draft including three house specialty beers made specifically for McGillin’s, the festive place is on Drury St and despite the late morning hour there were several other patrons at barstools and tables.

In the past as we had headed to McGIllin’s we would pause for a beer first at the Bru Craft and Wurst establishment. We would have done so on this blisteringly hot day, but Bru Craft was still closed.

Beer is an important aspect of Philadelphia and the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There's even a section of Philadelphia called Brewery Town.

memorabilia at McGillin's

We lingered over our beers so we were ready for the next part of our walking tour, although we soon learned the weather was too much.

I had the McGillin's 1860 IPA which was very nice.  

McGillin’s is a must stop on a Philadelphia pub crawl even if it isn't that hot.

McGILLIN'S OLD ALE HOUSE

BRU CRAFT AND WURST

WHAT ARE WE NUTS?

Elfreth's Alley

So, in the middle of a heat wave on a hot, sticky cloudless afternoon with the temperature hovering in the mid-90s we decided to walk the 1.3 miles from McGillin’s to Elfreth’s Alley. 

This is another must-see destination when touring old city Philadelphia. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in the United States, dating back from the early 1700’s. 

Originally laid out as a cart path in 1703 as another means to access the river, Elfreth’s Alley displays early American architecture built between 1720 and 1836, and all but the Elfreth’s Alley Museum all the home are privately owned. 

Betsy Ross 
House

It is a popular tourist destination and as we withered in the midday sun, not really interested in walking its length, several tour groups passed us in the cobblestoned alley.

Halfway through our trek to Elfreth’s Alley the ales we drank at McGillin’s were sweated out, and we trudged past Independence Hall, paused at the Liberty Bell pavilion, but the line was stretched outdoors, and passed the Betsy Ross House with barely a salute. We only paused long enough at Benjamin Franklin’s grave, another tourist destination on Arch Street at the Christ Church Burial ground, to weakly flip our pennies onto his crypt, not caring if they would bring us good luck, before continuing to the picturesque alley.

Benjamin Franklin's grave

ELFRETH'S ALLEY  

THE KHYBER PASS

By the time we shuffled over to Second Street for our second very necessary pub stop we were drenched with sweat and the cool confines of the Khyber Pass Pub was a welcoming oasis. To say this stop was an emergency would be an understatement.

Along this stretch of Second Street (or 2 Street as its referred to in South Philly) there are a number of bars and music halls and during the night the area can be busy, but when we crawled into the Khyber Pass it was empty. People were either smart enough to avoid the city and/or the heat.

Janet regaled us with tales from her underage antics at the Khyber Pass. It was a 20-minute subway ride from her home in Upper Darby, just on the border with Philadelphia, and they would serve anyone without ID…only if the beer was served in a pitcher and you couldn’t sit at the bar, but at a booth. I’m sure they don’t do that now though!

We sat at the dark cool bar, the sunlight glinting down Second Street like a death ray, as we refreshed ourselves with more beer and French fries. Refreshed, we headed off to our next stop, Campo's to the ubiquitous Philadelphia Cheese Steak.

A side note, just around the corner from the Khyber Pass was the beloved Eulogy Belgian Tavern. With a stunning array of 400+ beers it had been our first choice anytime we went into the city. Vinnie the bartender, originally from Verona New Jersey, was a great guy. Sadly, Eulogy closed a few years ago, leaving us with the Khyber Pass and Janet’s ribald tales of her wild youth. 

THE KHYBER PASS PUB

CAMPO'S

CAMPO’S DELI

Never ask somebody from New Jersey about driving directions. What follows is a half-hour dissertation about the best ways to get from A to B, depending on the time, the day, the car, the mood. Incessant.

Well, it’s the same if you’re silly enough to query a Philadelphian about what place makes the best cheese steak in the city. Put two or more of those knuckleheads together and you’ll get a back and forth about this place or that that will go on for a long time between each other, perhaps with a fight breaking out. Then you’ll be harangued about how to order the Philadelphian specialty, like “wid or widdout” cheese wiz (?) or provolone.

Thankfully Cheese Steaks are great and Campo’s (one of a bazillion Cheese Steak joints in Philadelphia) was just around the corner from the Khyber Pass.

They were good, I guess. Our friends from Albany enjoyed them too. Luckily, we snagged tables inside. The place was very busy.

CAMPO'S

AMERICA STARTS HERE

The last stop on our death march was Independence Hall just half mile from Campo’s. It was here at this historic building both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed and where the United States had its beginning. It is possible to go on a short 20-minute guided tour of this historic building. There are timed entries and tickets must be obtained from March to December 9am to 5pm. Go here:NPS INDEPENDENCE HALL TICKETS to obtain the tickets. There is a $1.00 fee per ticket.

Independence Hall

Visitors must go through a security screening before entering the grounds off Chestnut Street.

INDEPENDENCE HALL

HOME

Not wanting to press our luck and walk any more in the heat, we got an Uber back to the Love Square parking garage. It cost $24 for the time.

Center City Philadelphia is historic and worth the visit. 

Wait for autumn.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2023 by Gregory Dunaj

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY

HITTING THEM STRAIGHT

Admittedly I don’t play golf. Never interested. But, recently I heard a golf reference relating to life and life experiences.

We’re never sure about our time on this golf course called Eden. We may be at the 6^th hole or playing the back nine. We may be putting to get into the clubhouse for drinks at the 19^th hole. We just never know, until we do.

With this new birthday I can safely say that I’m on the back 9, but how I would love to have a couple of mulligans or better, reset my tee time so I can play a full round, we all know that’s kind of impossible.

So, the only thing I could do while playing on this beautiful vast lovely golf course is to try to hit them straight. No more hooks or slices, or gasp, a bogey. Maybe I can shoot for under par; an Eagle or two will be really nice, but I’d settle for a Birdy. 

I have an experienced caddy in Janet and together we’re at least enjoying the fresh air no matter how weak our approach shots. In the rough, we laugh about it and try to bounce off a tree to get back onto the fairway. We miss a 3 foot putt, and we slake our thirst with an adult libation and try again.

Life is good.

Keep hitting them straight!

Love Janet and greg

© 2023 Gregory Dunaj