Here today, gone tomorrow

OMG time has gone fast.

As Madison Day 4 winds to a close the Python Miester and I are getting our stuff together for an early blast off tomorrow. We're visiting an ex-pat friend of ours. The trip was mostly hanging around, catching up and checking the area. The University of Wisconsin is basically an integral part of the down town and the students definitely influence the main downtown street, called State Street. It has a very unique character being very uncommercial with not many chain stores and a lot of ideosyncratic shops. And guys, there are a *LOT* of very attractive undergrads walking around State Street and the University, though my friend says this is the summer dead time.

One of the big hang outs is called the Terrace. It's right on the lake. It's part of the University but non-University types are welcome. A person can sit outside, watch the boats and sail boards on the lake, - or - drink beer, hang out, and catch up on old times. They also bring in bands and show movies at dusk. Man, I wish there was something like this back home.

State Street also sports some of the best eating I've ever had in the States. There's a very broad range of ethnic food and you'll more often than not end up paying less than $10 for the entree. Everywhere we went was good. All this good food makes it very easy to avoid the fast food menance that usually accompanies travel. However, one should be warned. This is a big dairy state, and they love their ice cream. Of course, there's ice cream here that makes Hogen Das look like a McDonalds ice cream cone.

It's weird, but the people are very polite. I jostled with a person in a store as we passed each other and he turned to me and said, "my fault". Who are you and what have you done with the American? The only thing that truely sucks about downtown Madison is the parking. Oh, and the humidity. It can get muggy.

Outside of downtown Madison begins to look like most other cities. Burbs are burbs and strip malls are strip malls. Except they really like their trees. It's very green in Madison and surrounds, as it should be.

Danged if I didn't make the mistake of going into a Borders in one of said strip malls. They had a couple of security books I never expected to see in a bookstore. Yes sir, just hook the cash hose directly to my credit card and stop sucking at $200. Urg, wonder what the conversion rate is today.

My friend has a very sweet set up and is thriving. Has an apartment downtown, works from home, wanders to State Street when he needs a break.

Oh, in case you were curious. We travelled 1500 km's on our long driving day. We're planning on taking it a little easier on the way back. We're also hoping Canada Customs will be a little easier on us than the Americans were. Guess they don't like BC registered cars carrying one guy from Vancouver and another from Calgary because they made us empty our pockets, searched all our bags, and were really interested in how much money we were carrying. Go figure. I thought the only green they should be worried about from a BC car had high concentrations of THC!

Movies:
Jurassic Park 3 (Sucks ass bad)

Books (Finished):
Lord of the Firelands - A Tale of the Kings Blades, Dave Duncan