A few weeks ago I flew out to Detroit to meet Patrick's Irish side of the family. In a nutshell, they were very nice people, and talkative. I have never been surrounded by so many first and second generation Irishmen and women, nor have I ever celebrated an Irish grandmother's birthday at a Gaelic League pub. I have had friends that were Irish, and very proud of their heritage, but Patrick's family hails from Cook county, where his grandfather still spoke Gaelic, rest his soul.
Detroit, despite its reputation and economic situation, is geographically located in a very beautiful setting. I did see the run down buildings and homes, which is a sad reminder of what our post-industrial economy looks like in the rust belt. It costs $10,000 for the city of Detroit to raise a building but I am sure, given how many abandoned buildings there are, it costs hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars to bulldoze. But then, even if Detroit could afford to do so, empty plot after empty plot doesn't look so good either.
Anyway, I think I'm falling in love with the mid-west, in a very romantic sort of way. I loved Chicago, and the people I met in Detroit were very cool. Wish I could have seen more though. Such is life.
Detroit, despite its reputation and economic situation, is geographically located in a very beautiful setting. I did see the run down buildings and homes, which is a sad reminder of what our post-industrial economy looks like in the rust belt. It costs $10,000 for the city of Detroit to raise a building but I am sure, given how many abandoned buildings there are, it costs hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars to bulldoze. But then, even if Detroit could afford to do so, empty plot after empty plot doesn't look so good either.
Anyway, I think I'm falling in love with the mid-west, in a very romantic sort of way. I loved Chicago, and the people I met in Detroit were very cool. Wish I could have seen more though. Such is life.
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