Philly and Washington DC
This trip has been an eye-opening experience. I guess there's the stereotype we have of Americans, that they drive big cars, they eat big and they are big around their waistline. Well, as much as I hate placing people into stereotypes, it couldn't be closer to the truth.
The Yanks serve huge portions of food. I went to this place in Philly last night, and being a tapas place, I thought I could eat 2 plates worth. I ordered some lobster mashed potatoes that was piled higher than Mt Everest and a crab pad thai that was bigger than Canada. And they called that tapas!!!!!.....
Fortunately their "bigness" extends to some good things. I went to Tenth Presbyterian Church in Delancey St Philly and it was a traditional Presy service. Good solid, exegetical preaching with hymns accompanied by a full brass choir (at least 5 piece) and timpani and tubular bells - pretty much orchestral in nature - was quite inspiring. Bigger can be better after all. I was welcomed by an American sitting next to me in the pew, that was encouraging - he has a son in Australia - in "Mell-BORN".
The Yanks serve huge portions of food. I went to this place in Philly last night, and being a tapas place, I thought I could eat 2 plates worth. I ordered some lobster mashed potatoes that was piled higher than Mt Everest and a crab pad thai that was bigger than Canada. And they called that tapas!!!!!.....
Fortunately their "bigness" extends to some good things. I went to Tenth Presbyterian Church in Delancey St Philly and it was a traditional Presy service. Good solid, exegetical preaching with hymns accompanied by a full brass choir (at least 5 piece) and timpani and tubular bells - pretty much orchestral in nature - was quite inspiring. Bigger can be better after all. I was welcomed by an American sitting next to me in the pew, that was encouraging - he has a son in Australia - in "Mell-BORN".
I then went to the Philadelphia Orchestra - a boyhood dream fulfilled. One of the greatest orchestras in the world - it was a pity they only did Mozart, so they couldn't unleash their full power, but their delicacy shone out yesterday. Superb ensemble in a hall that leaves Sydney for dead. Sydney's exterior may be awesome, but any musician worth his/her salt knows that the Opera House Concert Hall's acoustics are deadset awful. The Verizon Hall in the new Kimmel Center [sic] for the the Performing Arts is a modern classic, wonderfully detailed on the inside with great sight-lines and clear acoustics. What a hall! And to think they're doing Sprach
there on Thursday night........grrrWashington DC is freezing - my legs went numb, I couldn't feel them walking through the Mall this afternoon. Plenty of tourists around, and plenty of people wanting me to help them take photos. I hate shooting with point and shoots though - i find them harder to use than an SLR. Grr.....
I lost my beanie too - dropped it whilst trying to wrestle my bag out of the doors of a train on the Washington Metro. Not happy!
I'm looking forward to the Smithsonian museums tomorrow - should be awesome - and a tour to Mt Vernon on Wednesday, that will be great.
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