Princeton to Pittsburgh

This morning I left New Jersey for Pennsylvania. I made a short detour to stop at the small town of New Hope, just over the border. I could literally feel the air shift as I drove over the bridge crossing the Delaware river. New Hope is one of those tiny towns in which ever other store is an antique shop and even the Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are located in historical buildings. Just about every establishment sported a pride flag. All of a sudden everyone was kind and helpful and stuff just worked. Even the toll booths had come into the 21st century. No cash, and if you did not have an EZPass, they would just send you an invoice after scanning your plate - like all of the other civilized states I have visited.

This is the longest drive I have done in a while. It would have been about 6 hours as a straight shot, it was closer to 8 hours with several requisite stops. I still arrived in Pittsburgh mid-afternoon. For some reason I booked a nominal Marriott here, rather than a Courtyard or a Fairfield. The difference in quality is palpable and it is, literally, in the city center, which is convenient as this is a walkable city. Kimi, Airadel and William at the front desk were all friendly and helpful. As I keep saying, staff makes a huge difference. Kimi immediately directed me to an art and music festival that was taking place in the Cultural District, down by the rivers, a short walk from the hotel. It was a perfect activity for a short afternoon outing to get a feel for the city.

While I love nature photography, this is a welcome break from chasing small birds that hide in think foliage.

I have yet to organize my itinerary for the next couple of days. Stay tuned.