That part of the trip definitely did not disappoint. After the train chugged out of Penn Station, we flew past various run-down suburbs, lots of graffiti-covered trainyards (which is where I stole this post's title--some clever writer scripted the above on a boxcar...in cursive!), and multiple abandoned factories. Unfortunately, the train's window was super-dirty, so pics were terribly sub-standard...but I did like these:
I emerged from the train in Saratoga Springs, where I was retrieved by yet another Germanic aunt, who thrilled me by commenting that my Deutsches Haus-improved pronunciation was "excellent." (I think she was just being nice--but who cares?! I felt wunderbar!) We then drove up to Lake George, dropped off our bags in a local motel and set off--with my sister, two nephews, Scrawny Bits, and one other aunt--for the much-ballyhooed bargains, crafts and general wonderment.
Well. I don't want to knock Warrensburg, because I actually thought it was a lovely town. But the "world's largest garage sale," was more like a mile long crapmart, with a few gems of good stuff sprinkled in. The essential problem seemed to be that they allow official "vendors" to peddle their wares...so much so that the little old ladies selling record albums and yarn off their front porch have been usurped by pros selling ginsu knives and bundles of socks. If I wanted ginsu knives and socks, I'd head for my nearest Manhattan street fair, you know?
Anyway, there were droves and droves of people there, and the weather turned sodden and grey...so it was hard to get any good snaps. But here's one of a nice lodging house, which I thought looked promising, should I ever care to take a "tourist room" on a return visit:
I spent the rest of my time trying not to slip and fall in the mud, avoiding the legions of booths hawking "bloomin' onions," and trying to find a piece of pie. (Every single church or ladies' auxiliary selling homemade food was totally sold out. This gave me a little thrill--despite my own hunger--as it seemed to support my theory that people actually don't like mass-produced crap in some cases, and will actively try to avoid it when given the opportunity.)
So, the garage sales were sort of disappointing. Total haul? A bag of yarn purchased from a terribly nice man, a Polaroid Land Camera, and several patterns (including one for a bra! Who EVER made their own bra, I ask you? I feel certain that will be a disaster should I ever attempt it...but I had to have the pattern anyway, as I'm sure you all understand.).
Lake George, however, was very fine. I was shocked to realize that I have never been there before...which is kind of an unsettling realization for an Upstate Native like myself. What did I like about it? Well, there were steamboats:
And lots and lots of neon signs, which always make me feel like I am living the fabulous life, even when I am only walking around a tourist town in the off-season, in a huge downpour:
I didn't get a chance to eat in this restaurant (I opted for the Polish joint next door, since everyone knows that Poles=Raw Sexual Power):
but I pledge to go there on a future visit. You know, the one where I take a tourist room and embrace my inner huskiness.
(By the way, I fake-ified that last picture, since I was a little disappointed in the color quality. So sue me photo-purists!)
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