Friday, March 20, 1970

State College → Baltimore
Woke up at 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast of hamburger at Winky across the street.
I'm going to travel for a week from today.
In Mark's hometown of Baltimore for a couple of days, and then a full look around Washington D.C.
Ready at 11 o'clock.
At 11:30, Mark's car left for Baltimore with Mark, Doug and me. Doug parted at Harrisburg.
(Mark's "Beetle" is quite a problem car. Since it only goes up to 50 or 60 miles per hour, we might get caught on a charge of the Lower Speed Limit of the highway.

Unfortunately, we are in a downpour.
Mark is disappinted so much, saying,
"There are good sights I wanted to show you on the way, but this terrible rain ruined my plan."

At 3 o'clock, we arrived at his parents' house in Baltimore.
Mark's brother George and his family also welcomed me. Their daughter Agapi at the age of three is cute.
All of them talk in Greek. Mark's mother doesn't speak even English. I have realized gradually that I am with a Greek family.

At night, Mark shows me around Baltimore's slums and downtown.
Then we entered a dimly lit bar. It's crowded so much. Now a strip show. Pushed by Mark to a front row seat.

Around 10:30 p.m., we headed to a Greek cabaret "Acropolis" near the port.
Two dancers, Greek music, singing, improvisational dance of sailors.
Dancers knock pottery plates on the floor one after another. The plates crumble with a thud each time. Mark looks very satisfied, fiddling dexterously with the rosary in his left hand.
Stayed long with a few glasses of beer until 1:30 a.m.

After returning home, we ate the late night meal that Mark made, and went to bed quietly so as not to wake up his father, Greek Orthodox pastor.

Parted with Mark at 14:00. From now, I have to travel alone. No idea where to go.
Hang around and walk north from the Mall. Lunch of chaw main at a drugstore along the way. Brackish.
Enter the Woodward & Lothrop's Department Store and think about where to go with the aide of a map. No idea.
Pick up a taxi. $1 to YMCA.
I don't like Y because it's a den of gays, but it's "cheap" anyway. Still, $6.50 in Washington D.C. For the time being, I have secured a place to stay for tonight.

16:00 Take a walk to book sightseeing by Gray Line tomorrow. Walking is also a good way to get to know the terrain.
Book Tour A tomorrow at a Chinese store next to Gray Line for $19.50. On the way back, a luxurious cuisine with beer at a Chinese restaurant.
Scary at night but outing. Movie at $3.25. Overlooking the White House and Treasury Dept., I arrived at Y at midnight. My throat hurts, so decided to quit smoking for a while. Go to bed at 1 o'clock.

Tuesday, March 24
Washington D.C.

Wake up at 7:30. Breakfast at a cafeteria on the way, then straight to the Gray Line.
9:40 Bus Tour "A" departs. 52 participants

The Capitol of the United States, really good.

White House It's close to Y (YMCA), so I've been looking at the exterior since yesterday. The inside is also stunning. The statues of past presidents and paintings

The view of the Mall up from Washington Monument. The Capitol is beyond.

Lunch, served at Hagate's Restaurant. Ordered deep seafish.

Arlington National Cemetery & the Tomb of the Unknown, Christ Church, Mt. Vernon, ..., saw the popular sights one after another.
Engrossed in taking pictures, I was mostly latest back to the bus. They named me No. 52.

18:00 Tour completed. The bus tour was a quick look of the sights. Still, I felt that "Washington D.C. is like the most wonderful." I'm glad I came here.
Dinner was spaghetti and beer at a nearby restaurant.
19:30 Return to Y. My legs are like sticks. My feet are swollen in my shoes. Walked a lot. Tired. Whitehorse bought at a liquare store with oranges and anchovy. The excitement of the day is revived, letting the amount of alcohol rise, too. Drunken.
10:00 Go to bed.

Wednesday, March 25
Washington DC

8:00 a.m. Wake up late. Maybe because I drank too much Whitehorse straight last night, I feel like hangover. I wouldn't like to waste precious time in bed, so I wash my face immediately. Light breakfast with oranges and potato chips of leftovers last night.
Depart from Y at 9:30.

Corcoran Art Gallery	Even an art deaf was fascinated.
Pan-American Union	Take a break in the basement. 3 eggs (32 cents) and Coke (10 cents).
Washington Monument	Entrance fee 10 cents. All four sides have great views.
The view of Washington Monument from Lincoln Memorial
Freer Art Gallery	A lot of Japanese ukiyo-e here.
Smithsonian Institute	The display of Apollo and the moon is detailed. I want to show it to Yoshiko (my daughter).
Botanic Gardens	Fairyland-like beauty.
Shortly after 2 o'clock, hungry and tired. Eat spaghetti at an Italian restaurant.
Library of Congress	A solemn library. Stayed for about 20 minutes.
Supreme Court	We saw everything in detail. Both the exterior and the solemn interior are good.
Capitol	Bought a guide book that I forgot to buy yesterday. ($1.00)
National Gallery of Art	How rich! It is indeed a world-acclaimed art museum with dignity. How long does it take to see all? I want to come again and again. Never get bored.
National Museum	Wonderful. Worth seeing. I want to show what in here to Yoshiko.

Already at night. Dinner is dumplings and fried rice with beer at Beijing Tower (北京楼).

Washington D.C., other pictures

Thursday, March 26
Washington D.C.→Harrisburg

Check out the YMCA at 10:00. Breakfast at Kay's.
Leave the belongings in a locker at the Greyhound bus terminal. Buy camera battery and film.
See Ford Theatre and The Place Where Lincoln Died. No impression.
See National Museum again. How I wish to show it to Yoshiko, tedious.
Visit National Gallery of Art until 2:30 p.m. I liked Raphael. Tired.
I missed the bus at 2:15, so the next one is 5:15 p.m. Late lunch of fried rice at Am Chi.

20:30 Arrive in Harrisburg. The bus service further for State College was all over. I was forced to stay overnight here. Enter Hotel Plaza. $6.40.
I've never seen a room so dirty. There is no toilet nor shower. I can't help but feel bad about the dirtiness of the communal toilet with no door. The dark corridors are also creepy. I have to save money modestly. Lock sturdily.

Friday, March 27
Harrisburg → State College

Get up at 9:30. I woke up many times in the middle of the night. Travel is fun, but lodging accommodations are hard.
If you pay $10.00, it's comfortable, but if you want to save money, you'll end up in a hotel like Y or something like that. Even so, Plaza in Harrisburg was a mischoice. Employees and customers look gloomy and scared. I checked out and went outside, finally feeling refreshed.
Harrisburg is the state capital of Pennsylvania and State Capitol is clean. I went up to the top floor, and took a lot of pictures from above. Leave Capitol and stroll along the river. Enter the downtown area. Lunch at Woolworth's.

Harrisburg, other photos

At 14:45, the bus departs. While reading the Perry Mason bought at the stop, I drove all the way to State College.
17:00 Arrive at University Club. Take off the dirty clothes. Cleanse myself in the shower. Boil coffee. For some reason, Mr. Swanson came out to my head. Turn on the stereo. Simon and Garfankel are singing. His kids, Jeff, Paul and Danny, are a singers' big fan. Read the accumulated letters. The one-week trip is over. Total cost: $116.00.

Saturday, March 28

I spoke to Cal Yoshida, a student friend, last night. According to him, his parents live on the island of Maui, Hawaii.
He recomended me to stop by on the way home to Japan.

9:00 Wake up. I didn't get much sleep. At noon, watch the movie "Fuego". X specified, worst.
16:30 Go to Rec Hall. I couldn't do the registration. It was over at three o'clock today. Pissed off. I have to wait until Monday.

Spaghetti at Myer's ($2.00).
17:00 Go see "The Adventure". Good movie. I watched it twice.
After the trip, I have felt collapsed. Drink two bottles of beer and go to bed.

Friday, April 3
8:00 p.m. Go see the show of Doc Watson, an American Guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music.

Saturday, April 4
8:00 p.m. Julliard Quartet

Saturday, April 26
8:00 p.m. Fifth Dimension

Monday, May 4

After dinner, Nick and I lay in a stock of the ingredients for the evening.
The banquet starts at midnight with Nick, Jim, Saeed, and... . Wine, baked eggs, bacon, sausages and hot dogs. Until 2 a.m., Everyone got drunk and went back to each room.

Friday, May 8

I got a call from Bill Wilson, a friend in Japan. It's really sudden. He's staying in San Francisco right now.
"Kenko-chan (wife) is with me. I'm going to study Chinese from now for two years here in San Francisco, and then go to China. Will get back to Japan several years later. We are now hanging out to Florida. Why don't you join us?"
Why didn't he let me know a week ago? All my plans have been decided!
Drive with Mark and John near somewhere. John was reportedly arrested during the previous anti-war demonstration.

Tuesday, May 12

My farewell party today. A total of 25 people in the basement lounge of University Club. Thanks a lot, every one!
Mark couldn't come. I thought at first how dull without him, but I am happy and grateful for everyone's blessing.