August 26, 2004
Omaha Is Fun! Who'd've Thunk It? Part One: The Area
Okay, when invited to a wedding in Omaha, I was like, “What? Omaha! Jesus H. mullet-headed Christ in a pick-up truck, why Omaha?!”
The answer being, “Cuz that's where the bride's ancient grandmother lives,” but that's neither here nor there.
The point is, Omaha is FUN! Not extreme-snowboarding-hookers fun, but I was taken aback by all there is to do!
First of all, our hotel ROCKED! And I thought so even after the Xanax for the flight wore off!
The suite was roomy and not hotel-ugly, and the service - holy crap! Free postage (I'm a postcard-sendin'-fool), free made-to-order breakfast, free cocktails every evening, and if you wanna go somewhere, you just tell the valet, and two seconds later, you're on your way! I want to live there.
Anyhoo, the hotel was right across the street from the Heartland of America Park, which is beautiful, and we took at gondola ride after dark. There's a huge fountain in the middle of the pond, and it lights up at night with all different colors. I'll repeat that for those of you who are on Xanax. We took a gondola ride in Omaha. I shit you not.
Also across the street was the Old Market. I would compare this to, say, the French Quarter in New Orleans. Lots of shops and places to eat, antique stores, cobblestone streets, flowers on the balconies, beautiful old buildings. Great place to just hang and gawk. I picked up some naughty pop-art from the 40's/50's, and some inappropriate, religious car-accessories for my parents' stocking stuffers.
I guess I also have to mention Omaha's Union Station, where Dad dragged us to. Surprisingly, I wasn't bored! The station itself is art-deco gorgeous. And in the museum, despite numerous signs warning us to stay off the exhibits, my Mom made me lie down on the tracks in front of an old locomotive and make like I was tied to the tracks for a photo op. The things I do for that woman.
Apparently, Omaha is home to one of the top five zoos in the country . Betcha didn't know that! I sure as hell didn't! They've obviously put a ton of money into it because some of the exhibits are just phenomenal. And they have long-term plans for the rest of them. I can't wait to check them out in a few years!
Yes, I think I will actually be going back to Omaha, Nebraska. On purpose. I'm a fan. An Omaha fan. Well, I guess there are worse things to be. Like a White Sox fan.
(Tune in tomorrow for: “Part Two: The Wedding”)