New York -- Chinatown Bus

I'm on my way home from New York to Philadelphia on the Cjomatpwn Bus, New Century 2000 -- pick up at 120 E. Broadway. When I arrive, the police have parked in front o fthe bus and have taken the driver's license. Thirty minutes of discussion occur as the bus sits and waits. Our driver, the same on I had on the way to NY, has long gray hair and appears to be Pakistani or Indian -- South Asian at any rate. The I hear the police tell him that if he doesn't get a lawyer, and show up in court he will be arrested. I think, no way am I getting on that bus. Think about how uset the driver must have been, particularly at the prospect of arrest when you're working for a Chinese company and you are South Asian.

I took the 2:30 bus, knowing how rattled I would have been. The 2:30 bus was a riot -- the passengers were hustled on the bus with the ticket-taker screaming -- police, police -- while our bus was apparently being followed by the police car. She hopped on the bus and hearded the passsengers on the bus to avoid additional ticketing. So apparently the police are hassling New Century for parking the bus ona city street.

My Christmas Vacation

Count the visitors -- this has been an international vacation! I went to Japan (several times), Macedonia, Turkey, Czech Republic, and am hoping for a quick jaunt to Brazil before it's all over. And let's not forget Philadelphia and Brooklyn! It's been a busy week-and-a-half starting with the arrival of Yuki, Sei, Yigit, Max, and Milena on Christmas Eve. That's four countries if you include the U.S.

We started with a Christmas Eve celebration at our house with neighbors and honored guests.

Naoko took our guests to a gospel church on Christmas Day and they all came back filled with the love.

Later our guests (Sei, Yuki, Yigit, Milena) along with Max and Naoko, and me went to the Kubacki's annual Christmas party.

That following day we went to Dim Sum with the crew (Happy 26th Birthday my son). Yuki and Sei returned to New York and we went on to sponsor a Honduran tamale-fest brilliantly executed by Gabriel and Bella. In the middle of this party, Michika arrived from New York. She is on an around-the-world tour and stopped in Philly to get some respite from the hostel she had been staying in. Greg Lytle also arrived to help Naoko animate, as did Tex Kubacki.