Recent travel - Charlottesville and New York

Ange and I traveled together to the US - which was just great for me.  I've had the loneliness of the road in chunks (not about roads - but as an aside, an interesting article I saw about the modern condition):
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/age-of-loneliness-killing-us

So it was great to be together.  First stop was Charlottesville - viewed as the gateway to the South; suburban rural - sort of an American Stellenbosch sort of feel.  Here is the start of my mate Tom Sours garden, autumn leaves emerging, woodpiles ready for winter.

I also went to see one of my dad's closest friends Gus Gerrans, who in a bizarre alignment of fate lives in Charlottesville with his wife Sue.  Extremely cool people, it was lovely to see them; but also really emotional for me - managed to hold it together until I got back into the cab and then had to have a good old-fashioned weep.  I am really happy to have been able to see him - I am hugely grateful to him for a trip he took in April, all the way to Cape Town, and then a drive to Knysna to see him.  This on a recent double hip replacement.  55 years of friendship is something special.  I feel for his loss.

After a few days in the South, we drove to Washington and flew to New York.  I'll spare you the rave - you have to go some time - we all have to go some time, and then again.  It is an outstandingly fabulous place.  Full of delightful surprise.

Pancakes for breakfast in a New York diner.  Conceptually great - feel a bit foul afterwards.

Ange in Central Park - not really what you'd expect - fabulous, massive - a great resource for the people living there.

Sucking back a couple of beers next to the lake in the park (you can see how far away the edge of the city is here).  Man you can walk in that city.  On this day, we walked from our hotel, through a piece of the park, to a restaurant for dinner, and back to our hotel - which amounted to about five hours of walking time.

Which is why you need good shoes - and you know the whole think about Hong Kong shoes and me - so I could not resist buying a couple of pairs (these both Docs) - been wanting a pair of black and white brogues for 20 years (at least).  Now absolutely no one takes me seriously - unless it is to ask "why are you wearing golf shoes?" Which is when you know the world is finally fully perverted; imagine golf taking over style.  That's like saying if you have a lawn at home you must love golf.  And I have no beef with golf.  Its just that it is only a game, and these shoes are, well, extremely cool (I think).