High in the Middle, Round on Both Sides

What state is high in the middle, and round on both sides? O-hi-o, of course! Hahaha. I've been telling that joke for years, and must have made it up because noone else has ever seemed to have heard it.

Anyways.... still getting to know the place, slowly. The 'no handguns' sign on the door of a cell phone store was alarming, but many of the people I've met have been friendly, and the restaraunts I've visited have all had excellent service.


Hoover Dam, next right? Am I really that lost?!

My home base is still Easton Town Center, so this humongous upscale shopping complex is probably not giving me the real Ohio. I did eat at a fun, family friendly place called Hoggy's, and hopefully this place is more indicative of the times to be had here in Columbus.


No, that's not MY Mini, though it looks like it. But hey, THAT guy just shouldn't have been driving!

Have seen some farmland, and some nice parks, and have been reading about the history of the area, and the things to do downtown. Apparently the German villiage has a book store that's 32 rooms of books! Sounds like a place to visit! There's also the world famous Zoo, and the Indian Caverns, and all kinds of things yet to explore.

But first a nap... I've caught a darn cold!

JOHN :0)


Abuelo's... a really nice place to eat in Easton Town Crossing.

Another Day in Ohio

Welcome to Ohio

[Note: In the spirit and style of Brian Hughes, one of our generation's finest bloggers, you may find quite a few Editorial Comments added to this blog as a humorous effect. Cheers, ye Editor]


Since my last trip to Columbus was cut short, I decided to return again. This time, I thought it would be great to drive the ten hours there, and really see this vast nation of mine. (@#$%! airline fares...)

Time seems to slow down the further you drive. Sure, the first two hours seem okay, but the clock slows, and the miles stretch, until the pain in your backside can no longer be described. But let's go back to the beginning, shall we?


Indian Country, Pa.

First thing, I woke up late (of course), and then, while packing, heard what I thought was thunder. Looking out the window I saw... snow. In April. And though it stopped for a while, it managed to follow through the first half of Pennsylvania. (of course). While looking at the snow which shouldn't have been there, I noticed that there was quite a bit of traffic in my neighborhood. Turns out that they decided to tear up half the road around the corner... the way I was going, of course.

The construction didn't end there. There was construction nearly every twenty minutes of the ten hour trip, meaning that I probably could have gotten here in 9 hours, considering how long I sat or crawled past orange traffic cones.



So 2 McDonalds and three rest stops and twenty construction sites later, I arrived in Ohio, where it was bright until 8:30, which was a plus for the drive, considering it gets dark about 7:30 in NJ. Of course, it was well after dark by the time I arrived.


Falling Rock Zone in the Mountains of PA.

Driving did give me a better perspective of the land, and a bigger appreciation for air travel! Ohio still looks pretty flat to me... definitely big sky country... especially after driving through PA, which was all beautiful mountains, including one spot which had a sign which I think claimed the spot was the highest elevation east of the Mississippi, but it was hard to read a long sign while zooming past it. Driving, though, did give me a better appreciation for Ohio. I finally got to see stretches of farmland, vast panoramas, and signs for places like Grandpa's Cheese Barn.


Big Sky Country


And speaking of difficulty reading signs, here's a travel tip. Try to avoid driving East, as you'll have the sun in your eyes most of the way, and when you finally get to the unfamiliar places, all of the road signs will be black silhouttes. It's a round planet, so I suggest you make life easier and only travel westward from now on.

Cheers, JOHN :0)

Columbus, Ohio, Day 2

Short post today, since I don't have a good wireless connection. No photos, but I promise more tomorrow.

First impressions... people tell you a lot of things, but don't listen to them! The taxes in Ohio are not 25% of what you find in NJ, contrary to popular opinion. Property taxes are as high as any place in Jersey, at least in the areas I visited. I spent most of the day north and west of the city, and the entire place seems to be under development, which is why the taxes are so high. From this point of view, the place reminded me of New Jersey, where the greed of the developers eliminates the natural beauty and history of the State.



Again, I was close to the city, and also, I suppose a booming locale is better than a dying one. There were many beautiful areas to live, and to shop, and some cute downtowns. Like the rest of the world, there are quite a few Irish pubs that look promising, and Columbus has a terrific zoo and aquarium to offer. I was surprised to see Amish shops, and to hear that there were Amish communities not far away. There is also an ancient Native American cavern that I look forward to exploring, and some nice farmland that hasn't turned condo yet. There are two large lakes that are state parkland, and free for everyone to enjoy, and one huge momma of a shopping area that could be a small town in itself.

All in all, an exhausting day, and so of course take everything I say with a grain of salt. You can't judge a place on one day's visit... it isn't fair.



I was surprised to see how close it resembled jersey, although truth to tell New Jersey has a lot of trees and wooded areas, and justly wears it's title of Garden State. From Ohio, I expected a lot of farmland and a slower paced life and hopefully a better cost of living. The people did seem very friendly, and the cost of living will probably be founf to be more reasonable if I get away from the tourist areas.

More later, after I get some sleep. If you're reading this without photos, please come back in a day to see those. (update: photos added.)

Cheers, JOHN :0)



Photos:

1) Downtown Dublin, a cute little town that apparently had one heck of a St. Patrick's day parade.
2) One of two beautiful and large lakes that residents can enjoy.
3) The Public Library in upscale New Albany.
4) A farm with a horse.

Notice that the land is fairly flat out there, a least where I've seen. New Jersey is very hilly, and has it's share of mountains, and lots of wooded areas. Again, though, I never strayed far from the city, so I'll have to report again later when I've seen more.

Columbus, Ohio, Day 1

So I'm in Columbus, Ohio, doing some research for a future project, amongst other things. Only a brief visit, but I will share what I can.

Tonight I am in a swanky part of town called Easton Town Center, a collection of shops and restaurants not far from the airport. The taxi ride cost $20 bucks for a 3 mile trip, and at least as far as Easton Town Center goes, prices are not any cheaper here than in New Jersey. From the crowd, though, and the number of hotels here, I am guessing this is a touristy area.

Many of the restaurants are familiar to me, which just goes to show how the world is getting smaller in some ways. The above photo is of a miniature railway displayed outdoors here, and the horse statue can be found outside of a Chinese bistro.



So far, Columbus reminds me of Philadelphia, or Boston, perhaps, in the sense that things are spread out as opposed to crowded into a massive downtown area. I did little research before coming here, though, and I'm more familiar with other areas of Ohio, so this will be a learning experience. Sometimes it's good to get away to somewhere you haven't been before and just experience.

Tomorrow I will see the rest of Columbus. I've already done some research on the area in a local bookstore, but have a lot to learn yet.

Hopefully this last picture is NOT an indication of things to come. :0)



I'll try to post tomorrow!
Cheers, JOHN :0)