‘Bama Rama

Birmingham frustrated this weary traveler. The walk from Amtrak wore out a wheel on my luggage, while the dart, their bus system, toyed with the idea of public transit but held to a quality lower than my rolling bag.

I have no idea how to fix this malfunction, but at least it can be left in my faux wood walled abode while touring a city that gradually revealed three prominent personalities. History reads of beginnings in steel and iron during the Industrial Revolution, working into the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Remainders of both eras create attractions with guiding roads that clearly display the poor management that still exists. Headlines of the Birmingham News’s local section mentioned the possibility of three governors within one month while a headlining story reviewed Sarah Palin’s welcomed visit. Dissimilarly, the University of Alabama and the world class hospitals dominate southwestern blocks of the city with plans for expansion.

Really?

A short of my day relates. Breakfast beverage at Lucy’s Coffee and Tea sipped while looking at the two doctors and five fellows discuss salary and living. A walk to Vulcan, the largest iron cast statue EVER overlooking the city, lacked a continual route of public transport with parts of the sidewalk nonexistent on a busy road. Wondering through residents to Dreamland BBQ saw a mix of track housing and larger, aging estates. No one at the University of Alabama really knew where I could get a tour of the campus. Those doctors are really smart so I can’t rag because they can probably read minds too.

Well, probably not.

However, my walk of the campus with a UAB logo reminiscent of Star Wars typography interested an art school graduate that saw none of this in a four year college run. With large plots of browning grass criss-crossed by cement walkways in between expansive buildings, the sprawling grounds were bleak. Sunday’s gray sky continued to loom.

Crippled Suitcase greeted me while I walked over to the funky, floral clothed mattress where I kicked off my boots before dinner with family of relation that is too twisted to even try and figure out. But family is family and long talks, a microbrewed Sweet Water IPA, homemade dinner, two inquisitive tots, and Bruster’s Ice Cream sent me home happy from a night with the Coco clan. Advice from Jay, an avid foodie, applied not only to approaching and enjoying local foods, but also to my handicapped companion.

You get what you pay for.

With that in mind, good night moon and good night Crippled Suitcase.