Over the weekend my wife and I had a brief stay in Indianapolis, Indiana. While we didn’t see any formula one races [1], or score any Colts [2] tickets, we did get to spend some much needed child-free time together, courtesy my in-laws. Here are my notes from the trip:
- It doesn’t take long after crossing the Ohio that you officially enter the Midwest. There’s a marked difference in land usage and even terrain from Kentucky — there’s no mistaking that you’re in the breadbasket of the world. “Land spreadin’ out so far and wide. . .” Well, you get the picture.
- We made a stop in the pleasant town of Greenwood, IN so my wife could browse a famous quilting shop [3] there. After my obligatory five minutes in a shop with way-too-much estrogen, I recused myself to the front porch of the store so I could read a book [4]. One rather perceptive woman, upon entering the store said: “Here’s a husband who is used to stopping at all the quilt shops with his wife — he knows just what to do!” Indeed.
- Downtown Indianapolis seems almost oasis-like, surrounded by nowhere. I’m sure there are ample suburbs (I’ve seen a few on previous trips), but the contrast between the agrarian and the urban is striking.
- Like many cities, Indianapolis has put a lot of money in to renovating its downtown area. Restaurants, cafes, sports venues, and interconnected shopping malls [5] pepper the urban landscape of downtown and give the sense, at least that something is going on.
- Also, like many cities, Indianapolis’ many renovations do little to mask its thriving homeless population.
- To avoid the hotel’s [6] pricey — and most likely tasteless — breakfast, we ventured over to Steak n Shake [7] for our morning meal. I know that these restaurants are everywhere, but their coffee was quite remarkable. For a coffee novice like me [8], it was pure joy.
That’s all for this Travelogue. Where will we be next time? I wonder. . .