My mission this morning was to find Lake Michigan and I am so glad I did. I walked along the Milwaukee Riverwalk, no one around, and through the financial district, everyone must be at work and found the blue, blue lake. The air is clearer here than Chicago and I was able to see the lake forever, like an ocean. (I had flown over the northern edge of Lake Michigan on our way to Mackinaw Island and saw how immense its shores are.) Bordering the lake are miles of parks and big museums. The art museum is a huge sailboat. No one was at the museum, either.
I met Bob for lunch and we caught the #10 for a ride around town into another neighborhood, Bayshore. We found street after tree-lined street filled with well-tended single family bungalows - yes, I'd move here. Banners were posted in several yards announcing, "SUPER READER LIVES HERE!" Another piece of yard art caught our attention, too, the rear end of a 1959 Cadillac stuck out of a flower bed like it just had a bad parking day. (gave me an idea for a certain red and white Buick Riviera)
People who live in this area love to ride the bus, too. Bob was glad he got to see more the city. We both came away from Milwaukee liking the neighborhoods and appreciating the less hectic pace of 'city life,' people enjoy here.
Another lesson relearned: always explore the four directions surrounding a city. I wonder if the citizens of Wisconsin are aware that their jewel of a city is a well-kept secret? I was ready to write Milwaukee off with the old jingle " . . .Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous." But there is much more to this clean, comfortable, uncrowded city than beer.
We missed so much - can't do it all, but next time we would check out:
A Buck's game
The Brew City Rollers and Steel City Demon Rollers go at it around and around
Harley-Davidson Plant
Miller Beer Plant
Free concerts at a lake shore park
Playing darts in a corner tavern (we passed a shop specializing in dart assessories)
Check out Marquette University and U of Wisconsin, both in the city limits of Milwaukee, plus 7 other universities are here, too! Kids must be working in the northern woods.
The one stop I had to make today was to the Wisconsin Cheese Mart - Bob and I have been banned from cheese for months and months, but this is special stuff in the Dairy State. I shared a chunk of aged cheddar with Bob and we are now ready to head over the state line into Minnesota.
Although, Bob's will always have a soft spot for Milwaukee, the home of Allis Chamblers tractors - the plant is now a K-Mart Store.
Hello, I want one of those Bloody Marys. Was there room for any alcohol? Whata fun time you are having. It is really nice you are getting a feel for the locals. They have a saying about "Minnesota nice" (billboards, signs,etc) See if you notice it. Love, Jean
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