"In this sticky web that we're all in, behaving decently is no small task." -- Novelist Stacey D'Erasmo

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Retired Traveler


     A lot of people dream of traveling after they retire. Three or four of my friends have been to Hawaii. One couple I know spent a year in Paris. Another has been living outside of London for six months a year for the past ten years, ever since they retired. Other retirees winter on the beaches of Florida, or in the Arizona desert, or take extended summer vacations in Cape Cod or the Upper Peninsula.

     Me . . . I just took a long weekend sojourn to . . . drum roll, please:  Philadelphia!

     Here's the view outside my hotel window:



     And we drove around some suburbs:



     Then we came home through New Jersey.


     My advice to all current and future retirees. Once you've stopped working and your kids are gone, there's no better time to gas up the car, or buy some plane tickets, and take off for parts unknown.

     Just -- er, you don't necessarily want to follow in my footsteps.

     But, seriously, we were going to Philadelphia to visit some family -- and there's no better reason to travel than that. And we stopped by the historical section of the city, which is preserved very nicely, and really leaves you in awe that a small band of men, on this little town by the Delaware River, fashioned an idea for a nation that still serves us eight or ten generations later.


6 comments:

Linda Myers said...

I love road trips! So cool to see the ordinary in other places - as well as the extraordinary.

Olga said...

We are taking a trip to Hartford, CT in a couple of weeks. That has to be almost as good as Philadelphia (where I have never been and actually would like to visit).

stephen Hayes said...

I've never been to Philadelphia. I'd like to visit the historic sites some day.

schmidleysscribblins,wordpress.com said...

Short trips are best. I just returned from a long weekend in San Diego to visit my son and his family. I think I will do this again next year. Sure beats business travel. Dianne

June said...

Oh, I think your trip was very worthwhile. Why not? I have been to Philadelphia, once. I think I was surprised at the small size of the Liberty Bell, and thoughtful about the bolts holding it together.
If/when I retire, I think I will not travel, though. I shall make my cozy run around my local track and enjoy being home!

fred doe said...

dude: i spent a week in philadelphia one day. you shoulda went a few clicks up the delaware. that's were it's at!