Monday we were on the move early. 3 Carry-ons stuffed with video equipment. 1
Tripod and each one of us with full Back Packs on our backs. The
traffic was of course a little different with people going to work but not
terrible. Got to the Car Park to find
that although we had pre-paid for an allotted parking spot BEFORE we left Trinidad
all we really got was entrance through the gate and got to squeeze in with a
lot of other cars double and triple parked!
Well, that’s still better than parking on the road much further
away. In a city that expects 17,000
people to attend the World Meeting of Families and 2 million people coming to
see the Pope over the weekend you take what you get and say a big Thank you!
It was amazing to see how organized these people were for
Registration at the Convention Centre.
Everything moving like clock work.
Everybody smiling and reaching out in welcome. One team scans each persons barcode and once
it checks out you get your name tag to hang around your neck. Next you go to the second smiling team who
are handing out T Shirts and special Back Packs FULL of all kinds of stuff –
endless Literature of all kinds and pens, rain coat, water bottle etc….
So, the 4 of us now have 2 back packs each and the giggling continues. We had to find a spot and try to consolidate
all this stuff and squish back packs one into the other and try to divide the
weight evenly.
Then we had to get our Media accreditation in another
room. You have to understand the size of
this building. I understand it is a
Million square feet. You feel like you
are walking for miles to get from one room to another. Once we had our Media badges we were able to
enter the special Media room and find the space allotted to us – Trinity TV! This room is about 4 times the size of the
Hilton Ballroom. Lined with Lifetime
tables and chairs. Extension cords and
plug in strips for each 4 tables. Large
Flat Screens everywhere! These people
have thought of every detail. We were
the early birds so we got a great position and were able to set up and do a
trial run etc… Gina and Dow went out front and did a bit of filming and as they
were coming down the Escalator heard a loud shout, “Dow!” Ann Marie Davis. She was in a state of excitement. Ann Marie did all that she could to make
arrangements for all of us to meet her when we got to Philadelphia but nothing
was put in place except an exchange of phone numbers. God of course is always full of surprises and
organized the surprise meeting.
At around 2:30 pm we finally felt we had to eat. We were all hungry and tired. Of course one of our main challenges is what
to do with all the equipment and bags and baggage whenever we have to go
anywhere. We went out onto the Street
and decided that we would find something to eat at the first and nearest place
we set our eyes on. Right across the
Street was a place called ‘Reading Market Place’ and we went through the doors.
Well! How can this place be described?
It is just that a – Market Place of Food of every kind. Like a ‘Shanty Town’ of Small restaurants one
on top the other with seating areas in between. Everything and everybody
hustling and bustling. In between are
shops with fresh and cured meats and cheeses.
We didn’t have to go anywhere else. Cassie led us to a counter where she
said we should try the real Philly Steak and Cheese Sandwich which was
delicious. Dow walked around with her iPad
taking some video for all at home to see and get the feel for this incredible
place and of course we will be going back there every day! No need to look
anywhere else after making this discovery.
Then we washed the Philly Sandwiches down with ice-cream cones from a
place in the same Market that has been making ice-cream since 18 something or
other and it was goooood.
Updates will be coming from our first day out in the conference. Keep tuning in!
God Bless,
Suzanne Dowdy
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