ktravula – a travelogue!

Me, and Lin, a fellow FLTA from China

I’ve been thinking about describing America in one word. I am failing. There are too many first impressions and so diverse a people to push into one word. But constrained to describe America from the little outlook I now have from Providence, Rhode Island, I’d go for “Life” – that is, a country where the most conspicuous attribute is its constantly beating heart. Here are a few of the photos from downtown Providence city mall.

Noodles, fried chicken, grilled chicken and mushrooms - An american meal

The meals are as diverse as the people. There is a spending culture that is quite infectious. The first dilemma a new visitor faces is choosing a meal that is satisfactory. So far, I’ve been lucky.

Borders

BORDERS is an amazing bookshop where you could pick a book out of the shelf and spend your whole day reading it within the cafe without anyone coming to tap you on the shoulder asking when you’ll return it, or whether you intend to pay for it soon. I have come across some other amazing bookstores here. The Brown University bookshop is well equiped and also allows for visitors to take their books and read, as long as you don’t attempt to go out with them.

I hear this is Obama's brand

Don’t believe everything you hear about Bud Light. It’s nothing compared to the bite or strength of the Nigerian Star or even Harp. I even wonder why they call it a beer when something like ginger ale would have been close enough. No, I’m kidding. But when I say it isn’t as strong as Star or Harp, believe me. I still wonder why they require identification and proof of age before they sell it to customers. Even if you couldn’t tell from faces who is eighteen and who is not, it might have saved them all the trouble by decreeing that whomever chose to drink this Bud Light is exempted from such restriction. They could drink a whole crate and still be fit enough to walk on a tight rope across a deep stream without falling in! Oh well, maybe this exaggeration is not needed, but I hope you get the idea. A more detailed post of that interesting experience of the city is coming soon. Watch out for a post on the amazing Apple shop, and why I may not own an Apple iPhone/product soon.

This travula must sleep. Now. It has been a very long day.

Signs is it.