The Dichotomy of East and West

West Coast highlights: Beautiful architecture and landscapes, historic sites to be seen and lots of interesting and diverse people.

West Coast lowlights: The aversion to any temperature below 50 degrees, too much packing into too little a space and a possible overdose of crunchy granolas.

California holds a certain mystique for me that can be hard to explain. I've traveled there twice and enjoying myself immensly both times, yet when the time came to depart I found myself ready to head back east. Why is that? It's not that I disliked where I was staying or that I was bored. It's not that I don't like the west because there are many things that draw me into it. I think the reason I yearn for the east is because the west is, in all honesty, a bit soft. The summary, I believe, My dad put it best,

"If the west coast got in a fight with the east coast, the east would kick it's butt."

A bit harsh, maybe, but the sentiment it quite accurate. When you walk down a street in say Boston or New York, people bustle by you as they stare at the concrete below their feet. This may not be the most friendly example, but you don't see this often in CA. Now, don't get me wrong, CA is great and I love to visit, but I don't think I could stay permanently in a place where cream cheese is called 'schmear".

Now I'm back east, where I truly belong, and feeling at peace. Amoungst people who are sarsactic and synical and don't think its 'chilly' until the thermometer hits -20 degrees.

Maybe next time I hit the west coast I'll bring a little piece of the east with me, as a memento of sorts. Now all I have to do is decided whether I bring the bagal with cream cheese or the snarky man who served it to me.