Donald's Vacation 2011 - Day 17

I think I slept through the alarm this morning and just managed to wake up in time to get ready rather hurriedly and rush down to the front of the hotel to catch a shuttle to the airport. There was only one other bloke also waiting and the shuttle didn’t pick up any more passengers from the hotels it visited before the drive to the airport.

The T.F. Green airport at Providence is relatively small so going through all the security checks and getting to the proper area to wait for the aeroplane was easy.

The aeroplane taking me first of all to Philadelphia was quite small, only seating about 50 people. Whilst on board I had a coughing fit which I was eventually able to overcome to some extent by gargling some cough mixture. There was no service by the 2 air hostesses as this was only an hour’s flight.

At Philadelphia I had to walk miles to find a shuttle bus which would take me to another terminal. I couldn’t understand why the same airline didn’t have all it’s planes coming and going from the one placed - but no matter. It was only a short wait to board another little aeroplane to go to Detroit.

Detroit airport is ginormous. Aeroplanes land about 30 miles from it and taxi for an hour or so to one of the many terminals.

I was met at the airport by my friends in Michigan, Rich and Adrienne and we drove to a small Greek restaurant to have a snack. I tried lemon rice soup and a Caesar Salad.

We then went back to their charming home art the end of a leafy cul de sac and I was taken on a tour of the house and the garden, both of which were very neat and tidy and well cared for.

We all had a lively and interesting conversation as do friends do who have been released from the confines of communicated only under the restrictions of email correspondence.

In the evening I was in for a surprise. Rich had arranged for me to be taken on a tour of a local cinema palace in Redford. What a little gem. It was a Chinese atmospheric which had been taken over by the local Theatre Organ Society in the 1970’s and over the years has been gradually restored by them

I was shown the 3/8 Barton organ, the stage and the bio box – and was pleased to note that all films they show there are projected with proper carbon-arc lamped reel to reel projectors.

It was a lovely gesture and a real treat that Rich and Adrienne had arranged for me.

Afterwards we dined at a favourite restaurant of theirs and had a very nice repast.

More talking at their home afterwards after which we retired for the evening. I had my head on the pillow just about ready top enter the Place of Dreams when some clown next door decided to let off surplus fireworks from the 4th of July. I though all hell had broken loose,. Oh, well such are the delights of travelling in foreign parts.