Merkley Jiating: Seven States in Three Days

Sam had to go to Maryland to supervise another lead technician's office for a weekend so I went with him! While we were there, we visited some friends and family and saw a few nearby states too!

Friday, June 26th

We were trying to get from Maryland to Virginia and we were just following the GPS. Suddenly, we found ourselves on a ferry! $4 later and we had crossed the Potomac!

While Sam was working, I would just sit in the car. It was 90 degrees and I sat in the car for five hours! We spent most of the day in Virginia. Poor time management got us stuck in DC rush hour. It took forever to get out of that! We ended up getting to Baltimore after dark. In Baltimore, all of the houses are very close together. Most of the time they are touching! And everyone is outside wandering the streets.

We noticed the pretty blue flashing lights on top of the street lights but didn't know what they meant. We found out later that I was hanging out in the car in the blue light district! All of the flashing blue lights means that there is a camera there that is recording the area below. They have cameras to try to deter crime because it is so bad in those areas! Female, white, pregnant, and alone in the car. Scary!

Sam's old roommate is living in Baltimore for the summer so we went to visit him. He welcomed us in his Baltimore attire.

And we spent the next two hours just talking...

Saturday, June 27th

We were trying to get from Frederick, MD to Philadelphia, PA and ran out of money for tolls in Delaware! There was no where to get off and so they said they will mail us a $25 fine for "evading" the toll. Grrr on the whole state!

Because security systems are most often sold in the ghetto, that is where Sam was working! The ghetto of Philly is crazy! Just like Baltimore, everyone was out on the streets! We also went to Camden, NJ and stopped at a grocery store to get cash for the tolls on the way home (although we avoided most of them by taking the long way). Outside of the store there are metal fences that block people from taking the shopping carts more than a few feet away from the store!

We didn't spend the whole day in Philly's ghetto though. We also saw the historic sites in "touristy" Philadelphia.

City Hall

Masonic temple

Jeff squishing Sam

The Liberty Bell

Independence Hall

And you can't go to Philly without joining in the Geno's vs. Pat's Philly Cheesesteak Debate. We only went to Pat's because the lines were so long and it was already 11pm! I don't usually like Philly Cheesesteaks but it was delicious!

Pat's and a little view of the line.

The ordering directions! I was nervous and made Sam order for me!

Geno's is right across the street and looks like a strip club!

Sam approved. :-)

My attempt to take a picture of the Philadelphia Museum of Art stairs (the stairs that Stallone runs up in Rocky).

Sunday, June 28th

We went to church with some members of my extended family in Bethesda, MD and then had lunch with them! I don't get to see them very often so it was really nice!