What’s Better Up There
Traffic patterns. Roads are layed out on a grid so when traffic is blocked on one road you can cut over to the next parallel road to continue to your destination. Down here roads twist and turn so much you need a compass to figure out where you’re heading.
Parks. Definition: Natural green spaces where people can picnic or play, left in a natural forest state, perhaps including trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and even driving if the park is large enough. Up north parks are places to go for fishing, playing frisbee, exploring the forest. They are not baseball or soccer fields.
Public transportation. Bus routes cover most major roads and trains service the entire metropolitan area including the suburbs. Everyone uses these and no one is considered to be of a lower class for using them.
Insulation. Homes up north stay comfy cozy even in blizzards. Down here homes are built under the assumption that it’s always warm in the south so we freeze our butts off in the cold months.
Diners. Those wonderful all-night places that serve their entire menu of homestyle goodness 24-hours a day.
Independence Day. Every town holds a parade, houses are decorated in red, white and blue, people of all ages wear patriotic clothing, families gather together for picnics and fireworks are fired off by each municipality. The 4th is a big deal up north.
Autumn. Hay rides, bonfires, jumping in big piles of leaves, hot cider, fall festivals and of course the reds and golds on the trees.
Chinese food. Fantastic Chinese restaurants are everywhere. Some are glorious buffets where you can even select raw meats and vegetables which are cooked on the spot and dressed with the sauce of your choice.
Eastern European food. Kielbasa, pierogies and strudel…oh how I miss them!
Bars and Bands. Even the suburbs have little neighborhood watering holes where you can get a decent meal and cheap drinks, and dance the night away to music provided by a local cover band.
Chattahoochee River, aka "The Hooch"
