Day 1: To Palmerton

Day 1

And we're off!  Off on the 2015 Melnick-Wolf tour of the Northeast and Canada. 

Matching hats!!!

Our flights were easy. Summer and I sat together and took over 90 funny photos. The following are just a few:

After two quick and easy flights...We finally arrived in Allentown, PA! From there, it was just a quick drive to Palmerton. 

I say "Palmerton" but that's not entirely true. I guess I could say the "Lehigh Valley" to be more correct, but Palmerton is the name my family mostly used to describe where they're from...except my dad actually says something more like "Parmaden". Both sets of my dad's grandparents, his parents, and, of course, my dad lived in these parts: Berlinsville, Danielsville, Parryville, Aquashicola, Lehighton, Mauch Chunk (aka Jim Thorpe), Bowmanstown, Slatington, Schnecksville...

Our first stop on our tour of my dad's haunts was to drive by and see the house that my dad lived in AND my grandpa built. And when I say "built" I mean literally. He nailed together the boards, laid the bricks, ran the electrical, and the plumbing...  My dad remembers helping to nail on the shingles and my grandma having a fit when she learned that he was on the roof. My mom and I were dying to knock on the door and have a look inside but no...

Next we went to see the glacial rock deposits. My dad used to climb around on them when he was younger. The kids and I can't wait to have a go at them. But that'll have to wait for now since we got there around dusk. 

Down in the town of Palmerton we saw the store where my dad used to work. He said that he delivered newspapers out of there and worked behind the counter. 

One of at least three Russian Orthodox Churches in Palmerton.

Then onto dinner at the Bowmanstown Diner. My dad remembered eating here as a young man in the 50s. 

And the final stop:  The Inn at Jim Thorpe. I remember staying here in 1989, when we came to town for my grandpa's funeral. 

We were assigned rooms 310 and 306 but quickly found the second floor balcony which is very much like something one might see in New Orleans. 

While visiting the second floor we found a newspaper article telling about the hotel's  "unregistered" guests. One of whom RESIDES IN ROOM 310!!! (My parents' room!)

And remarkably their message light on their phone keeps lighting up. Who is trying to contact my folks?  My grand parents?  My great grandparents?  My sister? Or perhaps it's one of the many spirits who have been known to haunt The Inn?  I image that during this nostalgia tour we may have times to feel close to our loved ones.