City Life

I made a quick trip to Seattle last week with my mom, and I couldn't help but notice the many things that are distinctly big city -- some of them I always enjoy and savor and others not so much.

There's something invigorating about watching a big city wake up, especially in the summer and even more so if it is a port city such as Seattle. On Thursday I left the hotel at about 6:45 a.m. to take a walk and find a bakery I had read about online. Store owners were out washing down the sidewalks in front of their stores; bakers were pulling the most amazing smelling items from their ovens, after having started hours earlier; joggers were out with their dogs; and in the market the stall owners were laying out their fresh fish and produce. Everything is relatively clean and quiet and the air feels full of energy.

I also love the dining options in big cities. My mom is unable to eat gluten (which is anything with wheat), and while many servers at restaurants in Billings are relatively unfamiliar with gluten, we ate at three different restaurants in Seattle that had alternative gluten-free menus.

But for all the great things about a big city and traveling in general, I was very happy to be back at home, too. And while the economy is driving more people in Billings to strategically place themselves on street corners asking for many, I don't think I've seen signs as, um, creative (?) as the ones in Seattle. One read, "I need money so I can poke smot." Another was slightly more offensive: "My girlfriend won't give me sex. Need money for 2 prostitutes." No kidding. The owner of the second seemed to think people would just give him a dollar because he had tried an original approach.

I don't love to travel because I live in Montana -- I live in Montana because I love to travel. (I also live here because doing so means that I get to see the rest of the world when I take a vacation; whereas when I was living in Minnesota, I spent my vacations in Montana.) This way, I always look forward to arriving at both destinations that bookend my excursions.

At the end of the day, however, one thing I really appreciate is space. Space between houses, space in the sky, and even "space" itself. I can't imagine growing up never getting to see the stars.

Okay, I'm off to mow some of that space. Everything has its trade offs.