I took the free Staten Island Ferry on one of the few days it was hot. I stood some of the time in the bow and let the wind cool me off. I walked a ways and found a barber shop and got a shave from a black man who knew who Jeff Boschee was. On the way back I encountered a tug boat captain and we talked about the importance of the work he and the ship pilots do.

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

A close shot of a lion. We have lions guarding our library in Valley City, North Dakota.

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

The lions guard the library entrance. The books are slowly deteriorating over time.

READING ROOM AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

1. V;ery nice lamps

MY TRIP OUT EAST
ı
MAY / JUNE 2003
BY
RODLI J PEDERSON

BALTIMORE

I took the bus to Minneapolis and stayed with Kati and Chris. Then I boarded my flight to Baltimore with a stop in Pittsburgh. I took the light rail from Baltimore airport (BWI) to downtown Baltimore. I had supper at a hotel and waited an waited for my food to come. I came to Baltimore to volunteer on a restored liberty ship, the John W. Brown.

I had already determined that my chances of catching a bus to the ship would be another hour wait. I called the ship and the only man on board said he would wait up for me. He said to tell the taxi driver to honk his horn so he could let down the gangplank. I got a cab quickly and headed for the pier.

They keep the gangplank up at night. This reminded me of when the drawbridge of a castle was raised to keep out intruders. The man on board lowered the gangplank and I boarded the ship. It was dark by this time and this made it kind of scary. I got sheets and a pillow and was shown my cabin.

During my time on board I pulled line (rope) to help lower the lifeboat. The Coast Guard inspector wanted to see how well the lifeboat was launched. I asked Cookie (not the cook, but the Chief Engineer) what work he wanted me to do. He gave me the task of cleaning the ladders (steps) going down three flights to the Engine Room. I went and found a pair of coveralls that fit me pretty well and started work. I scraped the ladders with a wire brush, dig out the dirt with a screwdriver and then apply the kerosene.

During the time I lived on the ship there was no food service. I and the other man were allowed to use the galley for cooking. I had to walk to the grocery store and that took a lot of time. It was rainy and cold most of the time and the ship had no heat.

I had assumed that going on the ship to Connecticut would not be a problem. When I got there I was informed that there were not any more spaces. I was offered the possibility of taking a bus to New London and then working on the ship while it was in port. I decided not to take that option.

I was sitting in the officer's mess (dining room) trying to figure out where to go. A fellow shipmate was trying to help me find a hotel room. There was a big horse race that weekend and it was hard to find a room. A lady sitting nearby doing crossword puzzles offered to take me in as a house guest. I had already met her husband who is also a volunteer seaman. I had to do a lot of quick packing, but I made it. As I was leaving my Scottish friend on board said with his broad accent:

"Aye, so you're jumping ship!"

I smiled and said yes and shook his hand and said good bye.


SEVERNA PARK MARYLAND

The next week I spent with some retired people in Severna Park, Maryland. They were very nice and it was a relaxing stay. I took some trips into Baltimore to visit the National Aquarium and walk along the pier. They originally came from tiny villages only a few miles apart in England.

WASHINGTON DC

My nephew, Doug Clapp offered me his town house in Washington DC while he went on vacation to the Virgin Islands. He works for a senator and can walk to work. This made it easy for me to get to the Capitol.. People in his neighborhood were very friendly.

I took the Capitol Tour led by staff people from Representative Pomeroy's office.

After my Capitol tour I spent some time in Pomeroy's office checking my email. Then I went to the Library of Congress. First I visited to the old building and this is an interior shot of that building. It is a very detailed type of architecture.

Then I went to the newer Library of Congress. I got a photo ID to be used to do research. A sign said:

THIS ID IS NOT TO BE USED AS A SOUVENIR

I actually got the ID so I could use the LOC computers for checking my email.

Someone had told me about the Globe in the newer Library of Congress. I went back and found it.

I found it in the map section.

On the floor nearby was this globe. Pretty neat!

While I was there checking my email an alarm went off and everyone had to evacuate the building.

I was walking along one rainy day headed for the Capitol. A beautiful French woman from the Loire River area stopped me and began asking me for directions to Amnesty International. I did not know where the office was and could not help her. Later I went back to the address she had given me and found it hidden above CitiBank. I wonder why this mystery woman wanted Amnesty International?

I went to the National Gallery of Art and found a Diego Rivera painting. The Russell exhibit was fantastic in the way he used light to illuminate. It certainly is a massive structure and you need almost a lifetime to see it all. I went to the French painters section of the gallery. Near some Degas and Monet paintings I heard some people speaking French.

"Do you want these paintings back in France?" I asked the Frenchman.

He thought for a moment and replied, "No, I want the world to see them."

I thought that was a very good answer. I apologized for the freedom fries and freedom kiss business. They thanked me and said they hoped it was all over.

Then I went to the Holocaust Museum and Arlington Cemetery. Both places were very moving. I had never seen JFK and his wife's grave.

NEW YORK CITY
SERVAS

During all of my time in New York I stayed with SERVAS hosts.

I took the free Staten Island Ferry on one of the few days it was hot. I stood some of the time in the bow and let the wind cool me off. I walked a ways and found a barber shop and got a shave from a black man who knew who Jeff Boschee was. On the way back I encountered a tug boat captain and we talked about the importance of the work he and the ship pilots do.

I spent some time in the art research room looking up Diego Rivera paintings. I found some at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. When I went there to inquire they said they had 2, but they weren't on display. "We can't display everything" the lady at the desk said. I did see the Don Manuel by Goya that hung in my boyhood home. Also I toured the new exhibit "Spanish influence on French painting". I saw some of the painting that I had seen in the Prado in Madrid in January.

During my last 3 days in New York I attended 3 operas:


Andrea Chenier by Giordano
June 8 2003 Sunday
Amato Opera in the village at 319 Bowery St A very small stage. I sat in the front row up against a brick wall painted white. The production was excellent. Mr Amato came and spoke to us during an intermission. He said New York University partially funded the Amato.

Boreades by Rameau
June 9 2003 Monday
Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette Avenue at Ashland Place. A French National Opera of Paris production with a lot of ballet which they are famous for around the world. blossoms fell on the stage and the actors swept them up. The way they had the chorus enter in their robes was fantastic.

Turnadot by Pucini
June 10 2003 Tuesday
Central Park, Manhattan. Metropolitan Opera in the Park. Free. It would have been better to call ahead and get tickets for the chairs. I sat on a bench behind a softball backstop. A blind lady, originally from Caracas, sat next to me and I got to know her. Rebecca was late and once she got there spent a hour stepping on people trying to find me. There were no sets or costumes, but it was a great production and an enjoyable evening.

I was away from Valley City for approximately one month. During that time I only paid for 2 nights:

one at a hostel in Washington DC

another the night before I flew back to Minneapolis

I did not pay for my nights:

• on the John W Brown

• when I stayed with the Aldworths in Severna Park

• with SERVAS hosts in NYC

• at Doug Clapp's place