Indy, part 2

More from the heartland!

I'm staying at a very pleasant Comfort Suites, but I must mention one odd aspect of this hotel. Like many elevators, the elevator here announces the floor as it comes to a stop. But instead of the smooth, pleasant corporate voice often used, this hotel has apparently recorded the voice of a slightly irritated woman with a hint of an Asian accent, and she fairly yells the name of the floor at you. It's like the scolding I get when I take too long to order at the dim sum place.

There was a bit of a mix up at check-in in that they have me in a handicapped accessible room. I told the woman that I really didn't care and aside from the faint "handicap smell" it's perfectly fine. It even provided a laugh-out-loud moment when I went to hang my shirts up and saw that the clothes rack is at about belly button level. Plus, the bathtub is so huge that I could fit three escorts in there (everything is cheaper here, I'm telling you!)

So tonight I made it to White Castle, this iconic institution. I think maybe part of the appeal of this place is its self-imposed scarcity. Not wanting to franchise or take on debt, the restaurant keeps itself small purposefully, with fewer than 400 restaurants. The Castle does not fail to innovate, in spite of its smallness - it has introduced a new way of presenting chicken - in ring form, which is surely how God always intended these animals to be consumed. I asked the woman working there what the best thing to order was and she referred me to the chicken rings. I went with the sliders instead.

Oh, and I almost forgot, not long after seeing the White Castle the first time Tuesday morning, I saw a Steak and Shake, right in downtown. Another restaurant I've heard a lot about but never seen....I guess the midwest is where they're hiding all of them. Tomorrow, I search for Stuckeys!

And lastly, there is an interesting part of the driving culture I've noticed - cars don't like people in the intersection when those cars are trying to turn right, despite the fact that the peds have a walk sign. Even in NY and DC this is perfectly fine! People here get very annoyed by this, however. Maybe it has to do with their impatience to get to...um, whatever there is to get to around here.