American Meccas
So, I'm reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I'm about 100 some odd pages in, and I get to this part where Wednesday and Shadow are talking about "places of power" in America. Wednesday tells him that it's those little "roadside attractions" (read: tourist traps). All I could think about when I read that was the idea of South of the Border in South Carolina being a holy place.
Now, there's a tourist trap. It's this nasty roach-infested motel with a small amusement park and restaurants. I hated it. My folks and I stopped there on the way to Florida the last time we went to Disney World. All I really remember about that night was that the pullout couch gave me the willies and I stayed up most of the night in the bathroom with the light on reading Little Women.
I've been to others that weren't that bad. There's several on the way out west. In Rapid City, SD, there's a place called Dinosaur Park. It's basically a hill covered in concrete with gigantic replicas of dinosaurs painted a friendly kelly green. There's the rock museam with the petrified log garden and UV reactive rocks in a really dark room. Actually, that was pretty lame. And let's not forget Evan's Plunge, an enclosed and indoor hot spring with water slides. That was great fun.
There are others across the country, and if you read Weird U.S., I'm sure you'll hear of most of them. But really, how could a house made of old rubber tires or Corn Palace be a holy place? Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't, but it really is funny to think about.
Now, there's a tourist trap. It's this nasty roach-infested motel with a small amusement park and restaurants. I hated it. My folks and I stopped there on the way to Florida the last time we went to Disney World. All I really remember about that night was that the pullout couch gave me the willies and I stayed up most of the night in the bathroom with the light on reading Little Women.
I've been to others that weren't that bad. There's several on the way out west. In Rapid City, SD, there's a place called Dinosaur Park. It's basically a hill covered in concrete with gigantic replicas of dinosaurs painted a friendly kelly green. There's the rock museam with the petrified log garden and UV reactive rocks in a really dark room. Actually, that was pretty lame. And let's not forget Evan's Plunge, an enclosed and indoor hot spring with water slides. That was great fun.
There are others across the country, and if you read Weird U.S., I'm sure you'll hear of most of them. But really, how could a house made of old rubber tires or Corn Palace be a holy place? Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't, but it really is funny to think about.