Educate me!

[Susan Veness]

I noticed from a thread on General Chat and on other chat threads that a lot of ATD members are from somewhat remote areas. I'm a HUGE fan of seeing things off the beaten track when I travel, especially when I have my 14 year old with me.

Tell me about your area. I would love to hear about what's unique where you live. It doesn't have to be fancy (in fact, non-fancy is good!). I'm more interested in what makes it 'real'. What is it about your area that makes it a timeless community, a taste of history or just a wonderful place to be?

[Susan Veness]

Ya know, just after I posted this I got to thinking. Our home in Michigan is a small town, and while it doesn't seem like much to me (I've lived all over Michigan, in some 'impressive' places and some not so impressive places), Simon was especially taken by it when he first moved here because it does have a real small-town America feel to it.

Our high street, usually called Main street in the US, is only two blocks long (only 20 shops or so). There is pond in the center of the public area that has a boardwalk running around it, where families stroll in the evenings. A gazebo is set up there with free Saturday night concerts through the summer and the ice cream shop (which has been there forever!) is the most popular spot in town.

Our community is big on parades and festivals and Main Street closes down for the day to accommodate them. We have an ice carving festival in winter, sidewalk sales, Summer Nights festival, 4th of July parade and pancake breakfasts in summer. Most festivals involve some sort of funny competition, such as 'Best Dressed Dog'. Whenever there is a parade, the area children show up with their bags, knowing the riders on the parade floats will be throwing little pieces of candy to them.

Once you're past the Main Street area, it's fairly typical of any town in the US. But the Main Street makes it special, and you can just imagine covered wagons and horses going down the street if you try really hard. :)

[KillerPenguin]

well as you know im the killerpengiun - im from the artic

its always cold here - i would like to invite you all over sometime - for a penguin chocolate bar

lol

[karrie]

lol kp....

Im from Tain way up in the Highlands Susan, have a wee look at www.tain.org.uk and u will see it!. Its just a small town that has a population of about 4000. Emmmmm Tains claim to fame is that its where Glen Morangie whiskey is distilled.

We are your typical highland town i suppose, have a Gala every summer, Highland games every August and one hell of a street party every Hogmanay :D

Not much else to tell about it really.....

[Susan Veness]

So, KillerPenguin, tell me about the arctic! All I know is, it's cold, it's dark a lot, it's got seals and polar bears and caribu and musk ox and those pretty little fox that turn all white in the winter and brown in the few days that make up summer. But what do you do for fun there? What's your HISTORY? Sell me on the place, Penguin! :D

karrie, your town is just darling! I would so love to see the Highland games (mental note: Travel to Scotland in August and let Simon hang at the distillery while I visit the Highland Gathering), and I'm afraid I'd be taking loads of touristy pictures of all the lovely bed and breakfasts.

Here's a question for you (while we patiently wait for more people to tell us about their home town ;) ): I keep having this vision of a long, bermed (built into a small hillside) one-storey house of some kind, with no windows but a door right in the middle of the building. It has two fire pits in the floor, one on either end of the building. It's along a steep-ledged coast and I have the distinct feeling it is in Scotland. Does that sound like anything you have there? I've had this picture in my head for many years and keep hoping to visit the east coast of Scotland, about 1/4 or so of the way down the coast from the Northernmost end of the country. :confused:

[karrie]

lol susan, our highland games are held out at the distilery.....

erm u could say that i live about a quarter of the way down scotland on the east coast :eek: im about 100 miles or so from John o Groats!!! There are probably quite a few building like the one you describe, they will be traditional buildings from the time of the clearances.

We get loads of toursists doing that very thing up here Susan, always have had but since Madonna got married up here a few years ago seem to get even more now :D

[Mr Orlando]

So, KillerPenguin, tell me about the arctic! What's your HISTORY? Sell me on the place, Penguin! :D

:


ill warn you in avance susan - he isn't called the killerpenguin for nothing - if he told you his history he'd have to kill you !!

hence the name killerpenguin

[dmrevis]

Orkney has lots of archaeology. Stone age vilages etc. Plenty of history for the war buffs too, from the Churchill Barriers, Scapa Flow and the Itallian Chappel. Beautiful beaches, great food and wildlife. Sometimes we also get sunny days too! Fishing too, loch and sea.