the thai pavilion at the madison arboretum, pretty!

Alright so I must admit that before I traveled through the Midwest my expectations for the area were pretty low. I didn't expect to do much more than see some fields full of cows, eat some cheese curds, and then be on my way. As usual my preconceived notions about a place I had never been were completely off base! I spent this week in Madison, WI, where I thoroughly enjoyed the people and the cheese curds.
Last night I went to a hip hop show (that's right, hip hop in Wisconsin!) and the MC was talking about how Mid-westerners are made to feel like they're inferior to the coastal cities and how they have their own culture that they're proud of, which I thought was really nice. Good for them for not just bowing down to pop culture and trying to imitate whatever's going on in NY and LA, having your own image is infinitely cooler than biting someone else's. It made me realize how snobbish I was being by thinking that I was going to encounter a bunch of rednecks out here just because I'm an east coast lady. To misquote a song title from The Gossip: lesson learned!
One thing I really like about Madison is that much like Richmond, VA it's a very bicycle-friendly city. My gracious hosts here have an extra bike (with a cup holder!) so I've been cruising around town a lot. There are bike routes here that go all over the place, some are more scenic and others just get you where you have to go.
Other highlights of my trip here include:

- The downtown farmer's market: I'm such a free sample whore, and this place was like my pimp yesterday. Endless samples of local cheese and produce, anyone? Really decent prices too which is always good for a bum like me, a buck stretches a long way here.

- The Orpheum Theater: this great old local theater with wonderful architectural detailing. A little on the crumbly side, but decay can be pretty in its own way.

- State Street: A pedestrian-only area on the University of Wisconsin campus. There are lots of nice restaurants on and around the campus and a great seating area right on the lake. My friend and I ate ice cream there and watched sailboats because she was having a bad day. Who doesn't get cheered up by ice cream and sunshine?

Okay I really want to write more about how much I like Madison but it's mid-afternoon and I'm still in my jammies and I'm going to be really embarassed if my hosts get home from work and I'm not dressed or showered.

Next I'm going to explore the Badlands in South Dakota, party party! All my friends who have been there tell me that it's an amazing place, I expect nothing less than instantaneous spiritual rapture upon arrival based on their reports. However I am scared that I'll see rattlesnakes, booooooooo.

9:22 AM;

Like a drifter i was born to walk alone...