Visit to Shelby Twp, Michigan 2/15/16

After a long day in Flossamer that ended with a tiring golfing session at the country golfing club, I tapped my space watch three times and found myself back in Michigan. And not even an interesting part of Michigan, just the boring suburbs north of Detroit. I checked the google maps I downloaded onto the space watch and I was in Shelby Township, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit, 15 miles away from the city. The Space watch dropped me off in the middle of a neighborhood. As I looked around all the houses basically looked the same. The sign that said “Welcome to Shelby Township” might as well have said “Welcome to Suburbia”. I walked on the sidewalk through the neighborhood and I passed people on walks with their dogs or friends and all I could think of was why everyone kept smiling at me? I guess it’s just a friendly place. I continued to wander around the place and had to come to a stop as I ended up in front of a busy road. I turned the corner to continue exploring the subdivision and I heard from afar people laughing, talking and playing music. I walked towards the intriguing noises and saw that it was a big gathering of people barbecuing food and having a good time. I thought to myself that it definitely must be the “Neighborhood Summer Block Party” I saw being advertised on posters all around the subdivision. I was starving because I haven’t eaten anything since golfing so my plan was to just grab a hot dog and continue exploring Shelby Twp. As I’m putting ketchup on my hot dog, a kind family comes up to me and introduces themselves as the Millers. We talk for a while and they soon find out that I am “new” in town and that I have no place to stay for the weekend. I told them that my car broke down while I was on a road trip to Canada because I obviously didn’t want to tell them the real reason I was there. That’s top secret. I also panicked when they asked for my name because I had to make sure to not reveal my identity so I glanced at the nearest chip bag and said my name was Steve Hotchitos.

Anyway… after the neighborhood block party barbecue was over, the family invited me to their home to spend the weekend until “my car was fixed”. The next day was a beautiful sunny day so the parents took me and their 2 children to Stony Creek MetroPark for a bike ride around the lake and a day at the beach. Upon entering the park, I knew that this was where everyone gathers on weekends in the summer. All around me were people playing sports, kayaking, fishing, biking, barbecuing and swimming. However, this thing they call a beach, did not feel like one at all. Yeah the sand and water was there and all, but I really don’t recommended swimming in that water, even though everyone does.  After the park we got hungry for dinner so we drove down Hall Rd or M59 in search of a restaurant. I didn’t even realize we were driving through different cities because everything around here looks the same and the surrounding cities like Sterling Heights, Utica, Rochester, Troy, etc. aren’t really that different. As we drove down Hall Rd I began to understand why they drove here to get dinner. You will most likely find any restaurant or store while driving down this road. After dinner we decided to go see a movie at Shelby Township’s newest addition, the Emagine Movie Theater, with very comfy reclining couch like seats. We drove back home and the sun began to set and made the view of many Kroger’s, 7elevens, CVS’s, gas stations, schools, and subdivision entrances a little bit more beautiful.

On Sunday, I woke up to the sound of a small white dog barking and 2 kids getting yelled at for swimming in their private pool before going to church. Next thing you know; I was in their mini van driving with them to church. After church the parents drive me and the 2 kids to do what every suburban teen’s idea of fun or “hanging out” is, going to the mall. We drove back to Hall Rd (we are always driving south because the more north you go in Shelby Twp. the more farmland you will see) where there are 2 malls. We went to a mall called Partridge Creek, a really cool outdoor mall, its main attraction being the many dogs shopping with their owners. While shopping the kids told me about some concerts going on in the area and they explained that that’s one of the main reasons they venture to downtown Detroit every so often. Having a car in the suburbs becomes a huge necessity after you turn 16. Despite the lack of events and activities to do, everyone in the suburbs is always very busy with work and school. Everyone tries to get involved as much as they can to keep themselves busy. After a long day of shopping we cooled off by going to get some of the most delicious ice cream at Erma’s Frozen Yogurt. While I was eating the ice cream, a curious little kid came up to me and asked me about my cool watch. Before I could get his grubby little hands off of it, he TAPPED THE SPACE WATCH THREE TIMES!!!

Visit to Shanghai, China, 2/15/2016

I ended up waking in a familiar city. I saw the Huangpu River and the Bund and realized that I came to Shanghai again. However, it seemed older and more mysterious than I came here last time. So I checked the space pocket watch and found that I returned to eighty years ago. The watch provided me with background knowledge that Shanghai got its own colonial history from 1850s and this particular historical background gave the metropolitan a multi-culture basis under the mysterious Eastern veil. I calmed down and started to appreciate this city from a different angle. I saw men wearing suits and overcoats and women in high heels, walking hurriedly on the streets. I heard bells ringing from the trolley buses, which were always full of people. I smelled the fragrance of food and recognized that there were both traditional Chinese food like pork buns and Western desserts like cream cake. After observing the environment as well as the passers-by carefully and listening to what people were talking about (of course translated by my pocket watch), I did feel how the Opium War changed a city dramatically. Although people suffered from the aftermath of the disastrous wars, the wars turned Shanghai into a bustling metropolis with great opportunities to be discovered. Many banks established their branches on the Bund, ships came and left day and night, and people’s attitude towards new things became more inclusive and open as shown in their clothes, language and many other daily routines. That’s why Shanghai was described as ‘the Paris of the East’.

http://hznews.hangzhou.com.cn/wenti/content/2015-11/15/content_5981443.htm

I decided to go to Yuyuan Garden first, which was a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie. It was finished in 1577 by a government officer of the Ming Dynasty named Pan Yunduan. Yu in Chinese meant pleasing and satisfying, and I found that the atmosphere in this garden was tranquil and relaxing just like its name. I wandered around the narrow streets paved with rocks and was attracted by all kinds of things. I bought a delicate handmade umbrella in one of the handicraft workshops. I tried delicious food, including Five-flavored Beans, Ligao Candy and Roasted Chestnut. I enjoyed the old artists singing a piece of Hu Opera, which was the traditional Shanghai opera sung in Shanghai dialect. There was so much fun in Yuyuan Garden and I hoped that these skills and art forms as well as the spirit behind them could still be passed down within families and become more widely known and respected.

Then I went to the Wang Residence because I heard people saying that it is one of the biggest garden houses in Shanghai and there is a story about it. One of the Chinese Republic dignitaries WangBoqun built this house for his newly married wife at a huge cost and was later impeached for economic crimes. The house looked Western from the outside and tons of marble and copper were used. I had extraordinary eyesight and when I looked through some open windows, I found that the living rooms and bedrooms were decorated with Eastern-style ornaments. The house looked breathtaking under the blue sky and was surrounded by well-maintained tress and flowers, making it second to none. Unfortunately, I knew that the couple could only stay here for one more year because the war one year later would force them to leave and the days in Shanghai would lodge in their memory and haunt them in the rest of their life. What a pity!

http://www.shanghaitour.net/merchant/businessdetail_30076.html

I felt a little depressed and so at night, I took a rickshaw to the Paramount on Bubbling Well Road to forget all the sadness. It was a major entertainment venue and was designed in Art Deco style. I had listened to many genres of music after I arrived on earth, but this was the first time I really listened to old jazz, and it bowled me over. Wearing Chinese silk dresses with impeccable makeup and hair, the singers and dancers were beautiful and elegant. Customers drank, smoked, laughed and talked constantly as if the night and happiness would never end. Being immersed in the music, alcohol and stunning atmosphere, I thought of the Latin saying ‘carpe diem’. I knew that Shanghai would be stricken again during World War Two, but I just wanted to live for today and slept in old dreams…

http://tupian.baike.com/a1_84_23_01300542856671142050233793465_140_jpg.html

Visit to Flossmoor, Illinois 2/8/15

Cassidy Komorowski

Travelogue

I tapped my space pocket watch three times and soon fell asleep. I woke up in Chicago, Illinois where I took a 45 minute Metra Electric train ride south. Even with my space pocket watch, I was still jetlagged from being overseas so it was nice to be able to sleep a bit more. It was finally my stop and I got off at the Flossmoor train station. Flossmoor, Illinois was a super cute town from what I saw looking over it on the platform. 

The platform was right behind a restaurant called “The Flossmoor Station” and an ice cream place called “Caboose.” I was still full from the yummy cuisine I had earlier and I’m lactose intolerant so I decided not to go in either place. As I walked down the stairs, I saw everyone walking around. There were a lot of people in the town square, which surprised me, but then again the nice weather probably helped. 

I then realized that all the neighborhoods surrounded the town square so everyone just walked whether to the train, library, or to grab a quick snack at the fresh Italian market. I soon followed everyone into the Flossmoor Public Library. I learned all about the town. It was started around 1924 and now has about 9,500 people living there. Generations and generations have passed through the small town and have lived in the same houses. The librarian told me that you cannot get by without someone knowing your Uncle or even your twice-removed cousin. From my observations, my favorite thing about Flossmoor was that it was very mixed – mostly between white and black people. About 48% and 49%. Even though there are generations of families there, as Flossmoor evolved over time it seemed so did the people. The people there was nice and welcoming of everyone. I said goodbye to my new librarian friend, left the library, and proceeded to walk throughout the town.

I noticed that as Flossmoor changed over the years you can still see the old architectural designs in all of the buildings. Some of the places there were places that residents’ grandparents have been going to for years. I stumbled upon the the ballpark where teenagers were reminiscing on their little league days. It seemed liked a place where most life long friendships were made. I watched as coaches taught their sons and daughters the game on the same fields they played on years ago. I remembered when I played spaceships when I was little on the Mother-ship and it made me nostalgic, as most things did. All of the walking made me quite thirsty. I walked back in the town square and decided to stop in “Sweet Annie’s Bakery.” I ordered a Cappuccino and went to enjoy the nice day at the tables outside. The Cappuccino was much needed because it gave me the burst of energy that I needed.

With this new found energy, I decided to go golfing at the Flossmoor Country Club. I had no idea how to golf so I asked one of the golf pros to help me. I was not too good, but it was funny because instead of having to search for my ball I just tapped my space watch and it brought me there. After 9 holes, I was on my way back into town. This long and exhausting day only made me more excited for the next places I would visit. The next thing I knew, I was tapping my space watch and ended up in…

Visit to Walled Lake, Michigan 2/8/2016

After spending some time in China, I decided to visit some random place. I set my Space Pocket Watch to the random setting and went along for a new ride. I arrived in a small, but bustling city. After looking around for a little bit, I noticed that I was in the United States, but still wondered where I have ended up. I downloaded the google maps app onto my Space Pocket Watch and pulled up the map of my location. It looked like I ended up in a city called Walled Lake, located in Michigan. Upon further examination of the map, I deducted that it was approximately 40 minutes north-east of Ann Arbor. Never being here before I decided to explore further this city.

I had landed right on the shore of a lake, which I found out was the lake which the city was named after. It wasn’t a huge lake compared to rivers and oceans I have seen before, but It was still nice to sit on the shore of for a bit. I thought to myself, “Why is it called Walled Lake?” I then head to the other side of the city with the help of google maps and find a public library and decide to do a little bit of research. After some research, I have discovered that the land was used by the Potawatomi tribe for its rich fertile land back in the 1800s. This tribe created farms around the lake, which at that time was smaller, using stone walls as a source of irrigation and organization. It is rumored that on a clear sunny day, if you were to look over the lake from above, you can still see make out the stone walls under the water.

Upon further research, my nostalgic side of me found an interesting discovery. In 1929, the Walled Lake Amusement Park was built. I thought to myself, this would be a great place to visit. I then ventured down to the other side of the lake where the Park was located to find that the only place there was a bar called Lakeview Bar and Grille, along with a small scenic park in front of it. After walking around the park and reading the signs posted around it, I learned that the park was closed down due to it being on an old Indian burial ground

Wanting to do something fun, I decided to bike around the lake. I noticed a small bike shop down by the shores and proceeded inside. Realizing that the place only sold bikes and did not rent them out, I used my alien mind control powers to persuade the shopkeeper into letting me borrow a bike for a little bit. I then proceeded to ride the bike around the lake on a road called Lake Drive, as I was told that it circled the whole entire lake. The houses built on the lake were enormous and I thought to myself on how cool it would be to own one of these houses.

As I made my way around the lake, I realized that I was heavily out of shape due to using the Space Pocket Watch to do my traveling. I stop at a restaurant located across the street from the lake. It looked to be an old fashioned American drive in called Tom’s Root Beer Stand. I thought this would be a fantastic way to have an American Experience as well as to give my body some rest from the biking. I ordered a chili dog along with a root beer that was made right at the stand. I made sure that everything I ordered was lactate free, even though the root beer float looked really good. After I ordered, I walked across the street and I sat at a table that overlooked the lake. A few minutes later, a person came out from the stand and brought me my food right to the table. I proceeded to eat the hot dog and cool myself down with the very tasty homemade root beer. 

As I looked out over the lake, I remembered my time in Walled Lake. Even though I would have loved to see the Amusement Park in its prime and I felt bad for manipulating a person's free will with my mind, it was nice to see the quaint and small things that made the lake a humble city.