There's so much diversity in America.... NOT.

[Liv]

So one of the things friends used to tell me in Europe, is how much they envied the grand landscape of America and how diverse it is. How every state has it's own distinct flavor of culture and nature.

I never understood it, honestly.

The U.S. has two flavors.... trees and sand (maybe an occasional mountain). Culture, well, it looks the same everywhere: lots of churches in the south, lots of factories in the north, and the same brand-name big box establishments scattered everywhere.

With an exception to major cities, like New York, or Los Angeles- I'm not sure if we could even call ourselves a melting pot anymore. At one time, I'd believe this was true, but the whole stew simmered down into a homogenized gravy of similarity which doesn't really change much from place to place.

Driving through Canada and seeing an infusion of French and British buildings and names, combined with American and Canadian culture made me wonder if Canada wasn't a better example of the romanticized image of what America should be than America is itself.

Case in point... I'm leaving for Dallas in a few weeks. I can take one of three major ways from Greensboro to Dallas. I had thought about taking I-20 through Atlanta, Alabama and Mississippi since we normally take the I-40 route. After two weeks of endlessly searching for interesting places to stop along the way, I abandoned the whole idea. An entire portion of the country was reduced down to uneventful nonsense. I asked around both online and off, for good restaurants, neat stuff to see- and the response was: "don't go that way".

So one Executive Decision later, and we're taking I-40 again. I've driven this beat a few dozen times, and have seen much of what it has to offer, but I can honestly say I think it's the middle "belt" of the country, that offers the best of what we have to offer. You find the better food, and best remnants for a road-side-attraction America of the past. After I hit the Underground-Sea and get a Hub Cap Burger this time though, I may have exhausted what diversity America has to offer.

The good news is I've never been to New Orleans, and on the way back we're taking I-10 through NOLA. I'm interested in seeing how French America sounds and tastes. It's been a few months since I broke out the French and I'm looking forward to the diversity of francophone Louisiana.

I've also never had gator. Combined with testicles, squid, and octopus from earlier in the year... I'm on a roll.

For the record, I'm taking recommendations if anyone has any "have-to" stops along the way.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

I dunno, Liv. I see HUGE differences just within our state. Go chat with a local on Ocracoke Island, and one living near Chimney Rock. And not about bloody fast food or church. I've done that... just sat in local, family-run diners and listened to the conversations around me. It's beautiful at times.

I especially love the ocean communities, and the folks that run the little Mom-n-Pop stores for tourists. They are invariably pleasantly surprised to be asked for advice on non-touristy places to visit or eat. Course, I have also gotten to know some of the dive boat operators... they know cool stuff to find around their ports.

Then, I've gone out to Maui and Oahu at the far end of the country... LOVELY people to encounter, out of the ways there. I truly love staying at bed-and-breakfast places, going to the grocery stores, just watching people.

And getting to another cool island... I love Manhattan. Not the touristy places. Just strolling down, say, 8th Ave. and checking out the myriad little shops along the way, stopping in for a sandwich at a deli or this one place that claimed it had "world famous hot dogs."

It really IS a wonderfully diverse country. Always new places to see, new sorts of people to learn about. With the proviso that you DON'T try and chat them up about bloody guns or religion.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Case in point... I'm leaving for Dallas in a few weeks. I can take one of three major ways from Greensboro to Dallas. I had thought about taking I-20 through Atlanta, Alabama and Mississippi since we normally take the I-40 route. After two weeks of endlessly searching for interesting places to stop along the way, I abandoned the whole idea.

Really? You didn't as MOI, and I've driven at least through to Louisiana on I-20. Granted I only passed through GA and AL to get where I was going... but I could point you to some nice by-ways in Mississippi. They have the Natchez Trace Parkway, which has a nice drive through the countryside. And the Civil War Park at Vicksburg -- that is a MUST see. Worth at least a full day to stop and learn and remember.

I wouldn't bother with the river boat casinos, naturally, but driving over the river there was kinda cool, I thought.

Never made it down to the coast, though. I should have forced myself to go slog my way to NOLA at least once, but never did, to my regret. Oh well.

[Liv]

I came across both of those places, and neither really excited me. After all we have the Blue Ridge Pkwy here, and while on a good day I could handle a Civil War Memorial, these days I think it would bother me too much.

I suppose I'm looking for something wild, crazy, and new.

The Ancient Mounds looked interesting... but I was afraid of being underwhelmed.

I hate to sound so.... well, negative....

...but I want something to wow me.

Perhaps I'm just ignorant to Alabama's and Mississippi's WOW factor, if so I'd love to find out about it....

...but so far, I'm not impressed.

I'm a junkie, I know it.

[Liv]

Back....


Alamo cool, though quite confused why there needs to be a Ripley's Believe It or Not at every National Landmark.

[A Person]

I suspect you're yearning for something iconic, historic and exotic - like Stonehenge, Eiffel Tower, Giza Pyramids or the Taj Mahal. If that's the case then you're bound to be disappointed.

Ripley's "Believe it or Not" is as American as Tim Horton's. Canadians have to make money off Americans somehow and Jim Patterson has it down to an art form

[Liv]

I did eat some Alligator.... that was cool...

[A Person]

I've had alligator - and snake too - but the main problem was that it was prepared in breadcrumbs or batter and fried, with the result that it tasted like chicken nuggets. The meat could (almost) have been anything, all I could taste was the coating.

[Liv]

Yep, same here.....

There was a chain called Papa Deaux's.... someone recommended while we were out there.... and it was rather good, but hard to tell it was any different than other meats.

But... I now have the spirit of the gator in me.

In less than a year I've ate horse, squid, octopus, alligator, and testicles.

Fear me food chain!!!!

Still want to try rattlesnake....

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Back....


Alamo cool, though quite confused why there needs to be a Ripley's Believe It or Not at every National Landmark.

Hm. There's a Ripley's in Gatlinburg, and in St. Augustine... not EXACTLY landmark places. Not one in Charleston or Savannah. Hm...