We have been on the road a few days. We have already crossed through 8 States. NY, CT, RI, MA, PA, MD, VA and NC.
Although we have hurried down the east coast, we have been planning the slow methodical return with many more stops to savor. We shifted off the main highways and onto county and bucolic country roads. A billboard for a restaurant placed next to a sign for bug extermination made us laugh, we also laughed when we passed a sign for a garage sale that really was to sell a garage! We passed cotton and tobacco farms, sheep and cows grazing in front yards.
We wanted to stop at a country roadside lunch place but because EVERYTHING is closed on Sunday, we were only able to purchase delicious Virginia peanuts along with a winning lottery ticket (fingers crossed). We arrived in New Bern, NC around 3:30pm. New Bern is very charming. The Swiss settlers named the town after Bern. The city embraces its’s symbol with bears everywhere. At last, everything is coming together, who knew?
Friends who split their time here and in NJ greeted us. The town is very pretty. It sits where the Trent and Neuse Rivers meet, about 30 miles to the Atlantic. Lots of beautiful sailboats in the water.
New Bern has several claims to fame. These include that it is the birthplace of Pepsi Cola, it is the home of Nicholas Sparks. And also, that it was the very first capital of NC.
The Tryon Palace is the old Capitol building and open for tours. We enjoyed a wonderful riverfront dinner with some NC specialties including fried green tomatoes at Persimmons Restaurant. It was great catching up with our friends in New Bern, where everything comes together.
Where is Wendy 