Ann Arbor is deeply ingrained into my very being. I grew up in Toledo, OH. To get home on the expressway, I always had to follow the signs toward Ann Arbor, which was only about 45 minutes away. It is also the site of my favorite University.
I wanted to attend U of M, but didn't get to apply until it was too late to qualify for enough scholarships to offset the out-of-state cost. (I had mono three times in high school and took my SATs and ACTs late.) But I still made it up there a few times to visit the campus, eat great foods and to go shopping. I also crossed the line a few times as I visited Ypsilanti to see friends at Eastern Michigan. I have fond memories of lots of shopping, lots of ridiculous binge eating, and visiting a couple of bars. But don't ask me to tell you the specific names of places I had gone, because I can no longer remember.
The last time that I was in Ann Arbor was the weekend in 2010 that my grandmother died. I was coming home, anyway, because I had gotten tickets to the Michigan-Bowling Green game. I took my mother with me. She suffers from Alzheimer's and this was the last time the two of us went out on a mother-daughter outing. It is a bittersweet memory. I terribly miss my mother and my grandmother. But I got to see my boys in the maize and blue play in person. I have been a fan for many, many years now.
I look forward to having the option to return some day. I get jealous when I read my friends' posts about visiting or going to games. Ann Arbor is a treasure trove of culture and fun of which I didn't take advantage when I was close enough.
Check out the visitor's page here to plan your own trip!
Believe it or not, I have been to Ann Arbor. There are two Pilots that we used to count. But, being an Ohio State fan, we stayed in Toledo and drove in each day rather than paying Michigan for our hotel rooms!
ReplyDeleteStopping by during the A to Z Challenge from Debbie & Harry's Kitchen.