America is strange

[triskellian]

So we're now safely installed in Racine, Wisconsin (21 hour trip. We were very tired when we arrived last night). We're here (Racine, that is, not the US in general) solely because it's where the Western Martial Arts Workshop 2005 is, and pretty much all we knew about the place before we got here is it's on the shores of Lake Michigan. So I was surprised and delighted to discover while driving around looking for a non-existent yarn store this morning, that not only does Lake Michigan count as the sea for all intents and purposes (all my intents and purposes, anyway), but Racine has a beautiful sandy beach! Sadly I wasn't prepared for this, so I arrived wearing jeans and boots, and without swimsuit or towel, but I'm forming plans.

The strangeness of the subject of this post is from another part of this morning's entertainments: shopping in the mall across the road from the hotel. For the most part, this was fun, and I'm amazed at how friendly and helpful all the shop assistants are - one of them, having told me he didn't have the thing I was after¹ checked with his manager after I'd wandered off, and then left the shop store to walk down the mall and find me to tell me he did have it after all. And almost every place I went into, people said hi, started a friendly conversation, and they all seemed unduly pleased to discover I'm English². But this actually confuses some of my normal shopping instincts. When someone working in a store says hi, I can't tell if they're just making small talk (which is welcome) or about to try and sell me something I don't need (which isn't). The first time I fell for this, it took a while to explain that no, I don't need a US cell phone³.

Actually, the roads are pretty strange, too. The speed limits are all really low, and the lane etiquette is bizarre. I mean, there doesn't seem to be any. Pick a lane at random, and pootle along in it. Overtake on either side if you fancy it. And there's hardly anything in the way of signage to confirm you're on the right road. Pick a road according to a destination mentioned on a signpost, and you'll get no further mention of that destination till it's time to leave the road, which worried us driving out of Chicago yesterday.

¹USB phone charger. smiorgan's charger isn't working, and there seems little point buying a US charger when a USB charger would continue to be useful at home.

²I don't usually think of myself as English, so much as British, but the first person we had this conversation with, on a bus at O'Hare airport yesterday, didn't understand "UK" or "Great Britain" and only worked out where we were from when we said "England".

³Oooh, get me with the lingo ;-)

Comments

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

I'll have another go tomorrow

When you do, note (if you haven't already) that in America 1200 North Main Street is liable to be 24 blocks (3 miles or so?) from 1200 South Main Street, and that only one of them will be a yarn shop.

Don't drive to Indianapolis or Atlanta.

Especially Atlanta, it's feckin' miles away. By the time you get back, that'll be your holiday gone.

I can't help noticing that you're only 60 miles from Chicago. Go to the Art Institute. You can even be a student and get in for $7. Even if you're not planning to go to Chicago properly, I'd say it's worth the round trip.

[onyxblue1.livejournal.com]

She has mentioned that she doesn't want to go anywhere where it's difficult to park, and I think that's the definition of Chicago. "A large American city where it is difficult to park." Really, you could look it up somewhere. It is really a nice art museum, with the Chagall window, and that other thing, you know . . . the one that's all dots. I really like the section with the weaponry and armor. No, I mean it, it is an extremely nice museum, and if you have the time, and want to brave the parking, you should go.

Once upon a time, it didn't really cost anything to get in. They had a recommended donation, but you could get in for free if you wanted to.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

I wasn't driving when I was there, so I didn't notice. But with a bit of local knowledge, there must be somewhere in the city you can park. And then you get to go on the El too.

with the Chagall window

I wasn't too fussed about the windows, to be honest. They're certainly very blue, though.

the one that's all dots

This one.

Also good are this one, this one, this one (which looks a lot more impressive in real life), this one (which I didn't see because it was down for cleaning or something), this one and the ones next to it, a bunch of stuff by Dali and Magritte that they don't seem to have on their website, about a tonne of Chinese jade, and all sorts, really.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Once upon a time, it didn't really cost anything to get in.

They still do that (well, they did a year ago, and their website still says that $7 is just the recommended amount for students). They were also completely free on (I think) Tuesdays.