Cities have never been a big draw for me. Before we moved here, my experience with cities was mainly New York City. I was not intrigued by that place, and didn't like the idea of having to go there for any reason, except the rare trip at Christmastime, which we did maybe once every five or six years.
When I was young, I had more interest in visiting Manhattan. Being a small town girl, it seemed that it offered far more than my little area did....and it was true! It had so many cultural events, rock concerts, sporting events, etc. There were a few occasions when I attended some of those things with friends' families, or my Girl Scout troop, or the school. Though I enjoyed the events, I was always full of fear about the City.
As I grew older, I avoided the visits whenever I could. We had to skirt the outer limits of NY city whenever we drove anywhere. That was more than enough for me. The fumes made me choke, the traffic scared me, the sad souls sleeping in doorways or peering through high and grimey windows of run down buildings, made my heart sink. NY city is too big for me, too full of seedy characters and crime, and too many crowded streets full of people who bump into you and look right past you. I hated the city.
I'm a real country girl, I guess. I don't need all the hustle and bustle that comes with a city. I don't care if I go to professional stage shows or concerts, I just as much appreciate the local theaters or church cantatas.
That being said, yesterday we had to go to a city that is about half an hour from us, for a doctor's appointment. The office was actually outside of the city, and when we were finished with the doctor, we decided to check out the area. We've lived here for five and a half years, and have never before been in the fairly large city of Greenville.
We wove our way through the narrow, clean streets, discovering some interesting shops and restaurants. We found the Zoo and the Children's Museum, making notes on addresses, for future trips with the kids. It was a pleasant visit, even though we didn't leave the car. We have to return to the doctor again in a few weeks. I think we'll explore the offerings of Greenville on foot next time....and it is something actually I'm looking forward to!
