Meet Me Under The Whale

[austin_dern]

The next morning without going to breakfast (although I did get a bagel from my father; where he got it, I don't know, but have my theories) and sought the museum showing the Vatican Treasures. While the Concierge was sure that this would be a very easy drive, and provided a printed-out map to the Western Reserve Historical Society museum, we almost instantly managed to get lost in a city of square blocks and roads running north-south and east-west. We did not try the navigational device again, my mother saying because we needed to have a street address and we didn't have that for the museum; an alternate theory would be that it had put out a bad enough show taking us through all of Pennsylvania that my mother would never trust such a machine again. My aunt and I both pointed out if it started taking us too far off course we could just drop it again.

We started seeing signs with the Vatican Treasures label and logo and we rashly assumed that these gave hints about how to get there. It was when we noticed we were getting to roads completely off the Concierge's map that we realized the horrible truth: the signs on the street were just there to confuse the Lutherans. If we kept following them we'd probably be deposited in Indiana.

But we eventually found it, and got in about 45 minutes ahead of our 10:45 ticket reservation time. The guy working the front desk said that well, you know, if it wasn't too crowded perhaps we might be allowed in ahead of the reservation time. He also explained various other features of the museum, such as the antique car display in the basement, the World War II exhibit, and the section of the museum which was closed off due to water damage but they hope to have it opened again in September. (He didn't recommend waiting.) He didn't say a word about the three-storey-tall neon-light Cleveland Indians Indian dominating the entrance hall, but, really, what is there to be said about it?

Trivia: On 17 July 1698 five ships set sail from Edinburgh, Scotland, to inaugurate the Darien colonization scheme. Source: How The Scots Invented The Modern World, Arthur Herman.

Currently Reading: Space Opera: An Anthology of Way-Back-When Futures, Editor Brian W Aldiss.

Comments

[bunny-hugger.livejournal.com]

When I lived in Ohio, I ended up in Indiana accidentally more than once. It was surprisingly easy to do. On one occasion it was simply because I left the nearby state park by the wrong exit. I did live considerably closer to the border than Cleveland, however.

[austin-dern.livejournal.com]

That must be easier when you're so very close to a border, or when the longest parts of your borders aren't bodies of water. It's convenient having effectively only the one land border [1] and that about two hours drive from me.

[1] There is a tiny land border with Delaware resulting from how badly defined the maps were back in 1687 or whenever it was. However, that's tucked inside a state park, so it's not something you can drive across without noticing.