Delaware

State number five:  11-12 September

Before this weekend I knew only two things about the State of Delaware.

(1)  It has ‘modern and flexible‘ corporate laws.

(2)  It inspired and stars in the wonderful Perry Como song.  [Do follow the link and give it a listen.  I defy you not to find yourself singing it for the rest of the day.]

However, when a classmate found out that I’d yet to tick Delaware off my list, how could I refuse the offer of a trip the next day?  And so it was that we left bright and early to visit some friends at their beach house in Lewes.

Our two-hour journey was through uninspiring countryside; the only noteworthy place we passed was Dover Air Force Base.

Dover is the base to which fallen US military personnel are returned, both in wartime and in peace.  President Obama has made significant changes to the way in which these sad events are handled.

Under previous administrations, family members could not watch the transfer and the media was banned from reporting the event.  In the UK we have seen the important roles that the general public and the media can (and should?) play in honouring those who die in service.  Kant thought that a good way to promote peace was to ensure that citizens and nations both know and feel the real cost of war.  Whether he meant the cost in fiscal terms or not, an important principle still applies.

And so we may consider it a Good Thing that the the Obama administration has sought to involve the families of the fallen in their return.  They are given the requisite funds to go to Dover to meet the aircraft, there is a designated centre in which they can stay when they are there, and, with their permission, the media may give their stories the attention they deserve.

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That afternoon we’d a great time on the beach.  The sea was a super temperature and I enjoyed my swim.  We found enormous dead jellyfish, built sandcastles, and I got wonderfully sunburnt.  (You can take the girl out of Ireland…)

Delaware, I discovered, equals crabs.  The boys brought back a bushel, and everyone got to work with their wooden hammers.  And even though I stuck to the hummous, I also received a lesson.  How many veggies do you know who can negotiate a crab’s innards?  Bear Grylls would be proud.

One of our fellow guests owns a tequila factory.  We were treated to the best Margaritas I’ve ever tasted.  And some incredible dancing salt.

Thanks Delaware.