North Carolina

Friday, May 8, 2026

Our friends, Linda and Maggie — aka “the girls” — picked us up at 8:15 AM, and we headed to Old Salem Museums and Gardens.

On the way there, I found myself wondering where the name Salem came from. I am familiar with several cities named Salem, but I had never really thought much about the name itself. I learned that Salem comes from words related to shalom and salaam, meaning peace in Hebrew and Arabic.

Most people have probably heard of Winston-Salem, but often in a different context: tobacco country. This was the home of R.J. Reynolds, the company behind Winston and Salem cigarettes. Back in the day, tobacco was big money in this part of North Carolina.

The history of Old Salem goes much further back than that. North Carolina was one of the original colonies, and Salem was founded in 1766. It was settled by German-speaking Moravians who focused on agriculture, textiles, and crafts.

Many of the original structures, including the gun shop, bakery, boys’ school, homes, and churches, have been preserved. Other buildings remain private residences and B&Bs.

As we walked around, I felt as if I were wandering through the backlot of a movie studio. The weather was sunny, with temperatures on the cool side, making it a picture-perfect day as we wandered in and out of historic buildings. I didn’t expect to find Old Salem as fascinating as I did, but I found myself thinking about how much we take modern conveniences for granted.

I was also suprised to learn that Krispy Kreme dounts opened their first store in 1937!

I was glad we got there early. As the morning went on, more and more school buses started showing up, and we found ourselves trying to stay a few steps ahead of the crowds.

We finally left around noon and headed to lunch at Mozelle’s Fresh Southern Bistro, which was delicious. After lunch, we went back to the hotel for a much-needed break and to get some work dnoe, before heading out again for dinner.

For dinner, we went to Blue Denim in Greensboro. I had the shrimp étouffée, and honestly, it was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. I later learned that the restaurant is called Blue Denim for a reason: Wrangler Jeans was based in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Outdoor Kitchen

Timothy Vogler Gun Shop

Timothy Vogler Gun Shop

Horticulture Education Building

Where Terminal 5 used to be

Friday, May 8, 2026

As I sat in Terminal 6, I realized that Terminal 5 was gone. I knew Delta had moved out of that terminal and that they were planning to update it. What I did not realize was that they were demolishing it and rebuilding it.

We flew to Denver, had lunch, and then continued on to Raleigh. There were no direct flights to Raleigh on an airline where I had status. It was after 1:00 AM by the time we drove to Greensboro, North Carolina. I think I have finally accepted that when flying to the East Coast, the time change means you either fly out at the crack of dawn or arrive late.

Even on a good day, flying can test the patience of any traveler. The flights are overcrowded, space is limited, and there are always a few entitled passengers trying to rearrange the overhead bins or seating to suit themselves. Airports are busy, often under construction, and it is very hard to find a quiet space. Unfortunately, Sophon was not feeling well and had been dealing with a nagging problem since our trip to Northern California.

After landing, we made our way to the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons. The hotel itself seemed pretty nice, but when we checked in, I realized it was graduation weekend. The place was packed, and they put us on the 23rd floor. I usually prefer higher floors, but I quickly realized one of the elevators was out of service — not good on a busy weekend.

Well, we have arrived! It will be nice to visit with our friends, and I also planned a trip to Asheville to check out the area, along with the Biltmore Estate.