St. Louis, Nashville, and farewell...bittersweet my dear.

Well, good morning, St. Louis. It is very nice to see you in the daylight after having only glimpsed you through my bleary and weary eyes at midnight last night. Forgive me, for not giving much of a look but after my drive all I longed for was my nice, comfy, pillowy down-feathered bed complete with four extra pillows.

So, this morning it’s time for some appreciation. And today also has some significance because sadly it is the last day of our epic coast-to-coast road trip...Tomorrow morning, we jet back to NC just in time for Saturday night dinner with the rest of the family. 

This morning deserves some reverence....

Ok enough! Time for the sights. We are in St. Louis, so we must check out the Arch...the gateway to the West. After my trip, I do actually question this because this doesn’t really feel “West.” I mean as far as I’m concerned as soon as I crossed back into this state, I was East again. Very, very East...

The Arch is just as big, if not bigger than you imagine. Walking up to it, I have to stop and be very touristy and stare up. If I were in New York City, people would be pushing past me like crazy, but thankfully in this city, people are much kinder and allow me to stare UP. The closer we get, the more overwhelmed I become at this object’s vastness. I mean: WOW! The optical illusion question throws my mom. 

“Is it higher or wider, mom?” I turn back and ask her.

“Higher! No, wait, wider!!! Yes, wider...well, actually wait...Higher. It’s higher. Actually I don’t know and...doesn’t really matter???” She looks at me like my question is pointless and then points out at the people sleeping under the arch. There are quite a few people sleeping under the trees away from the boiling hot sun. WHEW is it hot here. It’s only 11am and it is piping hot here. Oh, and to answer the question - it is the same width as it is height. So, Momma, when you read this: the height and width are the same. Thank you architects for giving us a topic for conversation this morning. 

We approach and begin snapping as many pictures as we possibly can; however, from this proximity, there is no way to get the whole arch in - it is just tooooo big! So, I attempt to be artistic and turn this way and that way and try to take in every angle that I possibly can. If a traveler dares, he can take an elevator to the top center of the arch. I really, really want to, but the line is jutting out of the underground entrance and up the ramp. Today a line is going to prevent me, but one day I shall return and venture toward the top. We are driving to Nashville later today to meet friends for dinner, so we must be very wise with our time. So after looking longingly up, we turn and head back to the hotel to grab our bags and head to the Little Italy area to have lunch. Little Italy thrives with culture and personality and overruns with countless Italian (of course) restaurants. I came over here to eat one thing and one thing only: toasted ravioli. Ravioli is one thing, but toasting it is another...Imagine taking that beautiful light pocket of pasta goodness filled with all kinds of yummy cheeses and then dropping it into some hot oil. Yes, picture it. Now Imagine dunking that toasted pocket into some marinara sauce!! Heavenly. But now let me tell you about something even more heavenly.

Allow me to introduce you to my little friend, Ted Drewes! He comes by special recommendation from Bobby Flay - yes, the Bobby Flay. Infamous for frozen yogurt, Ted Drewes dominates the St. Louis area with its  creamy deliciousness. The place only offers walk-up service in it's tiny red and white shack. But these people know their stuff.  From their base of vanilla flavor custard, you pick and add almost in flavor your heart or palette for that matter can imagine. They take you flavors, throw them in the blender and give it a whirl and out comes their signature concretes. Bobby recommends a combination of oreo, caramel, and heath bar. Being he hails as a world class chef, I take his recommendation and try this fabulous concoction! And yes, heavenly!  Creamy, sweet, crunchy, the combination just melts in the mouth - literally. Remember how hot I mentioned it was earlier? Yes, well the heat doesn't exactly work well with cold custard. Immediately upon receiving my cup, I notice the sun begins to immediately work its magic and the concrete becomes a mudslide and then it becomes a river. I am racing the sun for custard. No one wants warm custard! We want cold custard! Me against the sun!

Nashville calls us again. We are ending our trip just where we began it. We have now made a complete loop, from north to south. We crossed the desert and we journeyed back through the mountains and what a glorious journey it has been. Tonight in Nashville, we decide to do something extra special - line dancing. We are throwing on some boots and buttoning up some plaid and planning to go out and do the lines. Step by step we are going to dance our trip away. Wild Horse Saloon is considered one of downtown Nashville's top tourist attractions. And yes, I am opposed to touristy things, but there is a time and a place and tonight just so happens to be that night. If you ever visit Nashville, you must pull on the boots, and do a step or two. The Wild Horse Saloon pumps with energy!  The house band just covers country songs, but when they shut off, the dj turns on some tunes and a young lady jumps up on stage and begins telling everyone which way to go. We learn how to do the catfish, and by the tenth time, I think I have it down. Our Nashvegas friends meet us, and Debbie actually dances with me. Everyone else is chicken. 

Of course, it is terrible for me to call them chicken after everything we have been through together. We've crossed the USA for goodness sakes! That is no small fete! I have no right to call anyone chicken!

But who cares about name calling...I'm dancing, and having a dang good time!

Can flat be dramatic?

Indiana

October 29, 2009

Can flat be dramatic?

Usually "dramatic" is given to landscapes such as sweeping mountain ranges, cascading water falls, or roaring oceans. Not flat...

Driving through Indiana, everything is flat. Everywhere you look...miles and miles of flat. No mountains, no water. The only thing is endless miles of CORN, endless miles of golden corn. Now before you yell, "Boring!" I beg of you be a little open-minded, for it is far from boring. So what then exactly?

Charming?

Daunting?

Dramatic?

Yes, yes, and yes.

So it's family road trip time! Yes, the four of us are taking a road trip together. It's me, mom, dad, and brother Teddy. Road trips are bonding times for us. We share family memories, stories, and lots of mochas. McDonalds has brought monopoly back so hey even more reason to stop at America's favorite fast food chain. If you know me, you know I don't love McDonalds, but remember that on a road trip, family votes comes before individual, and while their mochas aren't starbucks, it' still caffeine - the nectar of life.Yeah...

Anyways

This was my first time in the Midwest. I have driven in this area before, but this was my actual first time staying here. So embarking on this road trip, I was overly excited, and curious. This was a part of the US I had yet to explore. From NC, we passed through Virginia (through which I slept most of the way - sorry, Virginians - it was 4am); West Virginia (got to see the beautiful capitol building in Charleston); oHIo (the flat land began there) and finally we reached Indiana! I had NO idea what to expect, nothing, nada, zippo! So when the landscape whizzing by me turned to golden corn fields dotted with gorgeous barns and silos, I immediately whipped my camera and my journal out. This was a quintessential American experience!

As we drove, the corn did not stop. It just kept on coming. (Now I knew why when I bough

t popcorn it frequently said, "Product of Indiana." What else were they going to do with all of those kernels?) The corn began to grow on me. The color was astounding: golden brown for miles. Farmsteads, made up of two storied farm houses surrounded by white fences with giant barns and silos looming alongside, kept watch over these golden lands. That was another thing that's beautiful up here: the barns! They were massive! and Beautiful. I was absolutely loving the barns. Art in their own way. They stood out defiantly amongst the gold in colors like blood red or gleaming white. Could it possibly resemble something to war of the barns? Red vs. White...which color holds more dominance in these lands? Well, i'll have to consult the Amish. We were in their territory now. It was nothing to be driving down the road and see a horse and buggy headed in my direction. In fact, they got their own lane along the roadway. Now that's power!

I've got friends in all the right places...not quite, but let's just say God has truly blessed me with friendships that scatter all over the world. We were invited to dinner by friends who live in Etna Green, Indiana on our first night in this great state. Having never been there before, we got their address and put it into our forever faithful gps after we checked into our hotel. Getting close, we turned down a two lane road lined with cornfields. We were in the country, only a few homes, barely any cars, no commercial buildings. This was a haven in it's own way.

WELL, suddenly my fair lady (the gps) announced, "you are no longer in a recognizable area. turn by turn guidance is now being suspended." My dad pulled to a dead stop, and we stuck our heads out of the windows. Yeah, there was nothing out there but corn.

We stared at each other silently for a moment. OK, time to go back to the old fashion way. Mom quickly scrambled for the address and we continued driving looking for the street. (I do own a road map.) Thankfully, it wasn't too far down the corn stalked lane. We turned down what seemed to be an endless straightaway. Corn again was strad

dling both sides of the road. Ok no need to panic or anything, but it was starting to get dark, and cell phone service was sketchy. And there wasn't a sign of civilization anywhere. I couldn't help but roll down my window and soak in the glory of this evening. Despite us being directionless and completely surrounded by nothing but corn, the feeling of being out there was beyond intoxicating. For a moment there was something thrilling about the thought of being lost. No panic, no worry. Just peace. Of course, maybe I wasn't worried because I wasn't driving.

Well, Dad didn't have to worry for long, the corn came to an end, and we spotted a mailbox. We turned into the driveway hoping and praying we had found the right house. I mean you never know and we didn't want to knock on a stranger's door in the middle of nowhere, we didn't want to scare us or them. We sent mom and dad to the door as the sacrificial lambs. Mom started laughing when the door opened and we knew it was the right house.

After the greetings, I stole away again to take in my surroundings. Across from their home was a flat open field. Drinking in the cool autumn air, a sense of peace flooded through me. My senses perked up and I noticed some

thing. The silence. Have you ever heard silence? I mean you aren't suppose to hear it, but you can. You can even feel it. It's such a powerful movement, for it's so rare to have that when its present you must take notice. It demands your attention.

An interruption...leaves just fallen from the giant walnut tree in their yard rustled down the road. I stared up at the naked tree with its bare limbs jutting out in every direction like a crazy hair style wondering what it looked like a month ago before it shed its brilliant colors. Now the only color was the red barn behind it. You know the scene wouldn't be complete without a barn. Like everywhere else it stood out in the landscape almost like a beacon of hope. With the cold and the darkness approaching, there was warmth and light there.

I turned and looked back out over the field. Clouds hung low in the quickly fading gray autumn sky. It was an open field, a giant open field, and it was breathtaking. It wasn't a vast mountain range and it wasn't a rushing waterfall, but it was capturing my attention all the same. This flat open field, like many I had seen all day was amazing me. Something so many would view as mundane was giving me sheer pleasure.

So why? I had seen countless fields before, but I had never asked myself this question before. I had never really opened my mind to view it as dramatic before. In the past, I had simply glanced it over, ignoring it. But this open field was God's creation just like that giant mountain or the roaring ocean. It was another masterpiece by the greatest Artist of all.

So can flat be dramatic?

Yes, my friend, I think it most definitely can...

Happy traveling ~

The Amish give me a shock or two...

Northern Indiana, United States of America

October 2009

Spotted: Amish going above and beyond the norm totally shredding all of my thoughts and expectations concerning them as a group and/or people.

Ok, forgive me, but in my mind I have an idea of the Amish. I picture a very strict group of people who have completely shunned society and modern living. They live off the land: only eating vegetables from their own garden, drinking milk from their own cows, slaughtering their own chickens for dinner, and dressing simply in neutral or dark colors. Women wear dresses/skirts to their ankles and bonnets on their heads. Men wear big black hats, dark suits, and grow giant beards that santa claus would have in his younger days before the white took over. And of course, their only way of transportation is the old faithful horse and buggy.

BUT OH NO!!! Was I wrong! Well, it hasn't been the first time.

Here are a few of the encounters I had with the "Amish" this past weekend in Indiana.

1. In Walmart, I spotted an amish woman clad in dark navy skirt, white blouse and a bonnet. I watched her curiously. I didn't know the Amish shopped at Walmart. Was that allowed? Ok but here is what made my eyes bulge. Her cart was filled with two or three bags of Lays potato chips, cheez-its, and Christmas edition Little Debbie cakes!!! The little white tree cakes with red and green decorations. Umm...hello? Is that in any way natural?? I smiled broadly at her all the while my mind was racing with questions. I honestly wished I had asked her what possessed her to choose the Little Debbie cakes...I really do.

2. While at a gas station, a blue van pulled up and six or so traditionally dressed Amish men headed into the convenient store. Are they suppose to drive cars? Isn't that too modern? I guess not, they happily strolled into the store to pick up whatever their eyes lighted upon.

3. I witnessed two busloads of traditionally dressed Amish people heading into...the GOLDEN CORRAL! Ok...this totally shocked me. I believe I actually sputtered something similar to: "But...Wha...Wha What? But can they DO that??" I mean come on everybody, it's the Golden Corral! I'm sorry but I have to laugh...I never in a million years thought I would see them heading into a restaurant much less the Golden Corral. I shall now quote one of my friends, "The Amish have to eat too!"
Well, yes, they most certainly do, but what happened to those gardens growing in the back yard? Those chickens clucking in the coop? Those cows mooing to be milked? Just wondering everybody...I am simply wondering...

4. I did witness a more traditional Amish sighting with a twist. Driving down the road in the pitch black of night, and when I say pitch black, I mean black. No light except our car's headlights. We were in the corn back roads. Up ahead an orange light flashed...my brother and I freaked out. It reminded us too much of a scary movie we've seen. Well, it turned out to be an Amish family snuggled up tight in their horse and buggy, buggying it down the road lighting the way with orange hazard flashers on their buggy. Apparently, lanterns have gone out of style.

5. Again in Walmart, (on another day; isn't it funny that if you need something while traveling, the immediate go-to is Walmart?) a not so traditionally dressed Amish mother and her daughter (both shockingly bonnetless) snatched up two Halloween cakes from the bakery. The little girl looked down jubilantly at her cakes. Her excitement was so overwhelming, she almost licked the plastic lid...almost.

There were several more, but I think you get my point. Now please don't think I am knocking on the Amish. I am a firm believer that people should live how they feel they have been called. I believe God calls us all differently, and I know that some Amish families feel closer to God by living a simpler lifestyle and I fully embrace that. In fact, I salute them. I think it shows extreme self control to be able to live an Amish lifestyle especially with all of the modern day conveniences. Clearly some are choosing to embrace the 21st century evidenced by my spottings. I am simply sharing my amazement.

This goes to show that no matter what I expect from a place, people, or culture, I must always prepare to be shocked...just a little, and that's one of the joys of going to a new place and experiencing it.

I had a certain idea of the Amish when I set out on my journey, and I have a completely different view coming back. I guess I answered one of my own questions...

How open-minded are you?


More to come from Indiana...keep your eyes open.
Happy traveling~