State number 3: 14th August
It was Saturday. And after a hard week’s toil we were off to Atlantic City, NJ. (Cue: “Atlantic city baby!”)
Trundling through New Jersey’s sophisticated hamlets, our appetites were truly whetted for the coastal treat that was to come.
I have never been to Rome. And now I have seen Ceasar’s Palace, the Trocadero and Trump Tower, I certainly have no need to go. Quelle culture! Quelle majesté! Vive la cité atlantique!
Amidst such glamourous surrounds, can you imagine our surprise when our forty-strong group was taken hostage by a band of restaurant racketeers. Bundled into the back of a van, we were driven for what seemed like hours out into the wilds of AC. 
The Frenchies resisted from the beginning and were not placated by the rations offered during our incarceration. Thankfully, our release was assured after some extreme diplomatic efforts from both sides of the Atlantic. Some say we’ll look back on it and laugh.
Empowered by our new found freedom, we enjoyed a stroll along the boardwalk, taking in the sights and sounds of this quite incredible place. Tarot! Tattoos! Rod Stewart!
Since our arrival two weeks ago, the levels of humidity in the ‘delphic Ghetto have been of tropic intensity. Accordingly, the seaside breeze was a welcome relief. Cora joined the boys for a swim, while I, and others, had to content ourselves with a paddle.
Bleary-eyed, the gamblers returned (shirtless and watchless), and we ambled into Trump’s beach bar. Ranked within the top 21
sexiest beach bars in the world by the Travel Channel, we thought we’d struck gold. Sadly, on the day we attended Donald’s usual clientele appeared to have migrated to the other 20…
All in all, a great day. Atlantic City – the perfectly ironic beachside escape.
Indeed, it was only made better by banter over a homeless platter in an Irish Pub back in Philly (they’re impossible to escape here) where the bar man used to work in Declan’s Dad’s pub in Galway. True Story.
[With thanks to Gabby and Abhinmanyu for letting me thieve some of their great pictures from FB.]
Fifty States 
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