Costa Rican Beer, White Wine, or Punch?

Those were the beverage choices at the LaGrange Biennial. And red wine. That was my choice. (I admit that I did try the punch too.)


General Lafeyette welcomes travellers to his empty square.

Here are some impressions from my trip to Georgia, in no particular order:

• A dog running in mad circles at the extreme frontier of his invisible paddock as I run by along a country road.
  
• Completely empty town square.
  
• I enter an army surplus/sporting goods store looking for Gu for tomorrow’s long run:
  
  Old timer, comes rushing over as soon as I enter the store. "May I help you?"
  Me: "I’m looking for Gu."
  Old Timer: [Quizzical look]
  Me: "You know, energy gel, like PowerGel...a liquid version of power bars."
  Old Timer: "What’s that?"
  Me: "It’s a high-calorie energy source for endurance sports..."
  Old Timer: "Like for diabetics?"
  Younger guy in store: [shakes head]
  Me: Thank you!
  Old Timer: My wife’s diabetic...
  
• Sierra Nevada listed as an import in the local art/cafe.
  
• College campus without a soul. Granted, it’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon (70 degrees) but wow!
  
• I’m coughing up (and spitting out) the last remnants of that flu bug everyone had.
  
• Evidence of the draught everywhere. Not a green blade of anything. Granted, it is winter, but again...wow!
  
• Daffodils (the one exception)
  
• Many, many lakes, all with boat launches.
  
• Cloudless cobalt sky drops in to a Peter Max gradient to yellow at the horizon made of bare trees like a comb.
  
• Sitting by the lake in a relaxed (or is it expectant?) quiet. The New Yorker in me keeps waiting for something to happen. The reality is more likely to be a sigh, then sleep, followed by more of the same.
  
• For some reason, the town on the hill reminds me of Noto, Sicily.
  
• Everyone I meet has been to New York at least once.
  
• The Bible is on a quarter of the radio stations.
  
• The more beautiful the woman, the sooner church seems to arise in the conversation.
  
• Every bite of food had been delicious. Even at the airport.
  
• At one point, when I parked for lunch, I actually rolled all the windows down to air out my stuff while I took a walk. In New York, that would be the source of a thousand jokes...