Japanese Brother Visits DC & PA, August 7-13, 2019

As a high school senior, Takashi Matsunaga and I spent our year together in Franklin, IN and graduated together from Franklin Community High School in 1972.  A few years later Takashi graduated from Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan and returned to the US with his new wife, Michiko.  He was then attending Georgetown University and concluded his time there with a masters and PhD in English and Linguistics.  When Takashi contacted me in the fall of 2018, it was to begin our plans for him and Michiko to visit their old haunts in Arlington, VA, Washington, DC and to pay their respects at my (since 1971, also his) parents' gravesite in PA.

Takashi shares Shōchū with me.  This Shōchū is a Japanese distilled
beverage, 25% alcohol by volume. It is distilled from wheat.
Sort of a Japanese whiskey. Very unlike sake.

I saw this as a wonderful opportunity to play tour guide and travel host for my very infrequently seen brother.  We truly enjoyed our year together in high school, having a few rough rubs, but mostly an eye-opening, world-class, experience.  Takashi is a true genius, superb linguist who thinks in English as well as Japanese, AND he likes a good beer!  Of course, he is a terrific person to spend time with.  And his wife, with her constant smile, engaging conversation, and fun attitude, is an even more wonderful person!  In addition to seeing them when they were in the US during the 1970s and 80s, I took my Mother and son, Paul, to Japan in 2006 to visit with Takashi and Michiko.  In addition, Takashi's son, Tsukasa, and daughter, Kaoru, visited my family and me here in the US on different occasions.

Michiko, Kaoru, Mother, Murph, and Paul in Japan, 2006 at Kinkakuji

Due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max planes my original flight was canceled and Southwest had to rebook me.  So my new plan was to fly into Reagan Airport, take the Metro to Dulles and meet the Matsunagas there when their plane arrived.  All went well meeting in Dulles; we hired an Uber ride to our hotel in Fairfax, VA and had an easy afternoon and evening, given the 14 hours of flying Takashi and Michiko had just endured from Nagoya to Tokyo to Dulles.

Takashi and Michiko revist Arlington Towers (now River Place) after 38 years

Takashi and Michiko revist Arlington Towers (now River Place) after 38 years

Michiko and Takashi at Potomac Towers

The next day we rode the Metro to Arlington where Takashi and Michiko spent the first years while earning his master's degree from Georgetown University.

That's the Iwo Jima Marine Memorial across the highway behind
Takashi and Michiko, as viewed from Arlington Towers

After collecting his master's, they took up residence in a different apartment (Potomac Towers) to raise their son, Tsukasa, and give Takashi time to earn his doctorate from Georgetown.

Our day in Arlington was focused upon visiting their old apartments to re-live the past.  Since we were on our feet, we did a lot of walking, from Rosslyn Metro Station to River Place (was Arlington Towers) to Potomac Towers to Ben's Chili to Rosslyn Station.

Things have changed in 38 years!  Not that we were surprised, but the changes were notable.  Both dwellings are now very upscale, as almost everything is this close to D.C.  They were affordable for students on scholarships thirty eight years ago, but not these days.  Although nice and clean back then, they are absolutely luxurious today.

Matsunagas enjoy Ben's Chili Bowl in Arlington

After our walk through modern Arlington, we stopped for lunch at the Arlington version (opened in 2014) of a DC classic, Ben's Chili Bowl.  Although none of us remembered this iconic landmark, we were all impressed with the food.

We returned to our hotel in Fairfax and had a lazy evening, thoroughly tired from our 5+ miles of walking.

The next day Takashi and Michiko took the Metro to Georgetown University and wandered around campus reminiscing about their times together so many years ago. 

Local jazz band plays for tips outside the Vienna Metro Station

Meanwhile Karen was enroute to DC from Orlando and my mission was to collect her from the airport and meet with the Matsunagas after their morning of playing tourist and long lost alumni.  Karen and I caught up with them near the Rosslyn Station, swapped stories from the morning adventures and retired to the hotel.  Enroute to our hotel, we were fortunate to catch a local jazz band playing for tips outside the Metro station near Fairfax.

Saturday was a big day for us as we had a lot planned.  In the morning we visited the National American History Museum, then met with Harry and Narjes, friends from Annapolis, MD.  After coffee and pastries in the Hirshhorn Museum Cafe, we all scrutinized and savored the wide variety of modern sculpture, canvas, video and canvas art works.  Dinner was at Zaytinya, Narjes' favorite restaurant.  None of us were disappointed and in fact were thrilled with our experience!  Narjes and Michiko compared notes as both are big fans of vegetables and fine cooking.  As might be expected, we ordered, ate and enjoyed much too much and were happy doing so!  And we still took home doggy bags!  Saturday proved our best day yet, and every day has been terrific.

Michiko and Karen at the Hirshhorn Museum

Karen, Michiko, Takashi, Russell, Margaret, Fusheng, John

Sunday morning we picked up a rental car for our trek to Bloomsburg, PA where my parents are buried.  We met my siblings, Margaret, Russell, and John, and Fusheng, Russell's partner,  then made our way to the gravesite to pay our respects.

Takashi explores the Rupert Bridge

Since I only spent 3 summers in Bloomsburg, between college terms, I never knew much about the high school or town, certainly not as much as my siblings.  They provided a very nice tour and guided exploration of the new high school renovations and Town Park, including a recently renovated covered bridge.

Takashi, Michiko, Fusheng, Russell, Margaret, Murph, Karen, John at Turkey Hill

Dinner and many memories were celebrated at the brewpub at Turkey Hill.  We did have a new-to-us experience in the Bloomsburg grocery store the next morning when we crossed paths with a robot scanning the aisles!

Takashi, Michiko, Marty, and Karen

Marty's backstory

Thankfully the return drive to DC was uneventful, but we still had a terrific evening in store. 

Harvey, Pam, Karen, and Michiko

Michiko, Karen, Harvey, Murph, and Takashi

My fraternity brother, Harvey, lives just outside DC and invited all of us to join him and his wife, Pam, for a dinner fresh from Harvey's smoker.  The fantastic smoked ham and veggies were nicely complimented with delightful craft beers, smooth bourbon and lots of college recollections.  Our memories may have adjusted our retrospection, but the evening was stupendous.

The next morning Karen and I said our farewells and gave our hugs to the Matsunagas, professing our pledge to visit them in Japan.

Although our own DC adventure ended with a flight the next day, Karen and I took advantage of the extra time and joined Harry and mutual friend, Bobby, for an evening of baseball at Nationals' Park.  The rain held off for the evening so Karen and I returned safely to our hotel and made the flight easily in the morning.



If only the airlines and weather cooperated, we'd have been home on time.  The first leg went well but mechanical delays pushed our departure from Atlanta back a couple hours followed by another couple hours delay due to thunderstorms in Florida.  (Gee, Florida never has thunderstorms in the summer  .  .  .  only every day!)



But our whirlwind adventure with Takashi, Michiko and my siblings and friends could not have been any better!

Harry and Bobby at the Nat's game

LOCKED UP at Beale Street, July 30 - August 3, 2019

While camped at Table Rock SP, we checked the locations and distances for our return drive and discovered that we could easily fit a stop in Memphis fo some more "touristing" and Blues.

Bass Pro Shop Pyramid

So off to Tennessee and pitch camp for two nights at T.O.Fuller SP, just outside Memphis along the Mississippi River.  The next day we took our bicycles to Tom Lee Park, downtown, and enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day pedaling along the mighty Mississippi.  I was impressed to learn that the park was named for a hero who saved most of the folks aboard a foundering steamboat with his little rowboat just a few miles downstream from Memphis about a hundred years ago. 

The bicycle paths led us north to a massive glass pyramid with the Bass Pro Shop (BPS) logo blazoned on the southern side.  We were so impressed with the Springfield, MO facilities that we figured this was worth checking out.

Pond/aquarium in the Bass Pro Shop

It proved to be another BPS first class display of aquariums, stuffed birds and animals in life-like natural surroundings.  In addition, they had a restaurant at the peak of the pyramid along with an outside balcony for viewing downtown and the river from the impressive height near the very top of the pyramid.  The bike ride back to Tom Lee Park was a relaxed, comfortable trek to the RV.

Panorama inside the pyramid

Panorama from top of the pyramid

Karen at the Orpheus Theater and the Beale Street Entertainment District

As there were no signs indicating otherwise, we left the RV parked at Tom Lee Park and walked to Beale Street for dinner and music.  We learned most of the performers in the local clubs were playing fine music, but not the blues.




You probably know the district only runs for two blocks of Beale Street and I was feeling a bit disappointed when we hadn't heard any blues tunes and we were almost to 4th street, the east end of the Entertainment District.

Sam Wiggans, one man blues band

There he was, a gentleman playing his keyboard for tips under a little awning in an alleyway.  And he was playing classic blues!  Karen and I reveled in the rhythmic audio and smiled at the fellow and he grinned back at us.  He appeared to be our age and his selection of tunes bore that out. 

We spent the next song savoring his talent, when another slightly younger gent carrying a guitar walked up and gave our musician a broad smile and a big hug.  Then they both began to jam while we rode the melody wave to happiness!  It was a real thrill to bask in the flair of these two genii.

Sam Wiggans and friend from Tokyo

Eventually, we stuffed bills in the tip jar and wandered slowly back up Beale, trying to catch every note even as they faded away.

The two street performers jamming for us

The Wither's Collection impressed us with superb and historic photography, then we found some BBQ at a club that now had a band including some blues in their repertoire.  It was a bit loud for our ancient ears and we were tired from our biking and walking, so after one set we walked back to Tom Pell Park and the RV.

Click HERE for video

Our first surprise was very positive as we observed the bridges north and south of the park presenting a display of lights dancing on the superstructures and reflecting off the water.  A wonderful show and excellent au revoir from Memphis!

Click HERE for video (check at 1:30!)

Our second surprise was that we were locked in the park!  The two gates out of the park were now padlocked with heavy chains.  Unless I was willing to climb the curb, cross the grass, drop off another curb and enter busy downtown traffic without a stop light or sign, we were stuck.

It took about an hour and two calls to 911 explaining our situation before a very friendly and helpful policeman enabled us to finally exit without mishap.  The 911 operators had mistakenly told us the officers had keys, so he and I had to find another way out.  I have small ramps which enabled the RV to climb up and down the curbs, so when the man in blue offered to stop traffic so we could enter the street safely, all went smoothly.  You may be surprised we have no photos of this event.  :-)

The next day we began our return to Titusville, FL with brief overnight stops, just long enough for dinner, sleep and breakfast.

Our lunch stop on Thursday

Quaint eatery .  .  . 

.  .  .  Inside a craft, antique and gift shop!

Due to the large expanse of sky, we find a beautiful sunset in a Walmart parking lot!

A free overnight in the Bass Pro Shop parking lot included a water view!