From Sea To Shining Sea - "Buckeye Statements" (Columbus, USA)
/Dates of travel: 2 May 2013 to 7 May 2013
Location of travel: Columbus and Lima (United States of America)
Over the course of April and May 2013, I took a month-long meander across the USA. The main reason was to attend and report on the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California. The road to and from there was just as memorable. This is Part 4 in a series of 5 articles.
Further North Or South (I'll Meet You There)
During the first half of my trip to the USA, I had hustled my way between the northern and southern ends of the sunny West Coast before catching a flight to Nashville, Tennessee for some time in the ‘Music City’.
But as I reached the halfway mark of my meandering, there was uncertainty once again about the next leg of my cross-country journey, right up until the final day or so. But at least I knew who I'd be spending it with.
There were two choices leaving Nashville, and both involved another South African friend of mine who was based with his family in the 'Buckeye' state of Ohio: a place so far north that he was only a two-hour drive from the Canadian border. But the way things could've gone, I might have ended up way further south in Texas.
In the weeks before my arrival, my friend and I had debated meeting up with his older sister in Houston, Texas, and road-tripping to another American music city, Austin, for the few days I had to share with him. Settling on the more economical option of Ohio suited me fine; I had yet to visit either state—or see my friend in almost two years.
While he lived and worked in the state capital of Columbus, my friend's family resided in the small town of Lima, about an hour's drive away. The tranquility of open fields and farmlands offered a soothing escape from the rhythms of city life, providing a welcome respite for this weary traveller.
For the five or six days I was in town, time slowed down a tad, and I got to take stock and enjoy the everyday activities of a South African-American family.
I did arrive just before Cinco De Mayo weekend though, which is Mexico's independence day. Despite being their neighbour's special day, it has become an unofficial American holiday—an excuse to drink tequila and margaritas, eat tacos, and dance salsa (maybe not all at the same time, kids).
So it wasn't all rest and relaxation in the countryside. My friend lined up a weekend for us in the city, staying at his friend's apartment near the sights and sounds of the Short North district.
College Life In Columbus
Ohio has traditionally represented a sort of middle ground of the American experience. The markings on a locally grown nut and a fierce election campaign in 1840 gave rise to the name "Buckeye State," which is located halfway between the East Coast and the sizable interior Midwest. It is often labelled a swing state in election years as politicians try to test the pulse of the entire nation within its populace.
The capital, Columbus, also amalgamates this Americana into a city that feels much like a college town: entertainment avenues are near each other, and there are enough young people around to ensure there’s a party going on somewhere.
We cruised into Columbus on Saturday to meet up with our host there for the weekend. She stays in an off-campus, university-owned apartment complex near Ohio State University, and on our way in, I was introduced to the Short North district, a collection of streets lined with affordable restaurants, bars, clubs, and art galleries.
It was not only the weekend of Cinco De Mayo, but there was also a local 'Gallery Hop' happening.
The Short North district in Columbus, Ohio on the evening of a Gallery Hop
Held on the first Saturday of every month, this art-themed event sees over 40 galleries and non-traditional art venues (such as restaurants, boutiques, and salons) showcase art collections and new exhibits, opening their doors late at night.
Out on the streets, you could see an assortment of performers entertaining the crowds, including saxophonists, singers, and improvisational dance troupes. After enjoying dinner at a Greek restaurant, we took a stroll down the main street before nightfall to experience the district at its most lively and creative.
Only once we got to the apartment did we see that our sassy host was nursing a knee injury, recently received from a charity half-marathon earlier in the day.
With long walks rendered unsuitable, our group chose to chill out at Sahara Cafe—an authentic Egyptian lounge with beautiful blends of hookah and tea on the menu. The walls were adorned with a dazzling array of Middle Eastern patterns, all dimly lit by fairy lights and the glow of the hookah's coals. I sank into a haze of fragrant smoke and laughter.
Around The Zoo-World
Swapping party animals for wild animals, my friend wanted to show us around the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Sunday. Thanks to the efforts of director Jungle Jack Hanna, the zoo has an esteemed national and international reputation, and we found a world of fascinating creatures to get up close and personal with.
The zoo is a massive maze of paths, though, and our Columbus host preferred a seat where she could view it from her knee-be-braced state. So we hired a wheelchair for her to whiz around most of the eight world regions into which the zoo is divided.
Photographing animals in captivity is far easier than tracking a rock star onstage.
While some do flutter about (mostly birds, and Mick Jagger), it is a calmer, more therapeutic experience behind the camera. We set out on our animal adventure from the 'Asia Quest', which yielded stunning close-ups with an Asian elephant, tigers, lions, and a reticulated python. Next was a quick detour through 'Shores'—an indoor aquarium region—which had adorable yet hideously ugly manatees splashing about and swimming up to the glass.
Most zoos I'd been to offer little in the way of 'natural' interaction with the animals: either they're behind a cage, or you're watching them while you’re seated in the stands in an arena.
'Voyage to Australia and the Islands' was surprisingly open and free. Guests visiting here could walk through the enclosures with no barrier between them and the animals.
Kangaroos lounged on the grass right by your feet, wombats dozed in the branches above your head, and only a few zookeepers monitored the movements of all the species present. That implicit trust resulted in a nourishingly natural setting for a zoo exhibition.
This lack of constraint was taken to tactile extremes in the lorikeet aviary. The resplendent red birds flew about their habitat and were completely at ease with human interaction, climbing onto your hands and arms with little to no fear. For 50 cents, you could feed the cocky little guys nectar, and they weren't shy to squawk and demand more.
Monkey Business
Where I grew up in South Africa, my childhood gardens often had to withstand roving troops of small vervet monkeys.
These gangs used to reign terror over our kitchen fruit bowl and were a constant source of worry for my mother ("Close the front door, there’s monkeys”—as if a storm had started brewing). However, wild monkeys like these were more than just a nuisance; they posed a real threat, particularly for bites and rabies infections.
The varieties of apes we saw in the rest of the 'Islands' and 'African Forest' regions of the zoo were far more placid than what I had encountered in my back garden (even if they originated from there). I much preferred these close-enough encounters, studying the apes' movements and appreciating the similarities we humans share with them.
There were long-limbed gibbons, odd-looking black-and-white colobusses, and charming chimpanzees (unfortunately, the gorilla enclosure, one of the zoo's main attractions, was closed for the day). Seeing how human-like these animals are was a little unnerving at first, but I felt an unconscious connection to the hungry chimp sitting there on the grass with his bowl haircut. I know your pain, brother.
On our way out of the African Forest, we caught a lazy leopard relaxing on a log, almost touching the other side of the glass screen between us. Chances like that barely come around on an African safari, as leopards are notoriously camera-shy. This one was just aloof.
May The Fifth
Cinco De Mayo fell on a Sunday ('5th of May'), which deflated the city-wide carnival atmosphere you'd expect from such an event.
But a few places still flew the flag, hosting Mexican-themed parties and specials. Our Columbus Crew rolled out to the Short North in search of cheap margaritas and salsa music.
We found sanctuary at Cazuelas Grill on North High Street, whose outside balcony was a hive of activity. Margaritas were being served by the jugful, the place had Corona beers on ice, and the DJ allowed the music to wander to a more commercial region when revellers needed some variety.
But the night was young, and we moved on to a few more establishments. Dancing was traded for hookah bars, Coronas for craft beers, and the Short North still delivered a festive ending to a weekend in the city.
The USA is a large country, and as a tourist, it's unlikely that you'll ever get to visit all 50 of its states—or even want to.
Ohio was a place I wasn't expecting to visit anytime soon—no offence meant, Buckeyes—and only during my Coachella trip did it become a real possibility. But friends, family, conferences, a one-off event, or a sightseeing opportunity can nudge you somewhere unexpected yet still American.
My path diverted north instead of south. I took a Greyhound bus through Kentucky instead of Arkansas. I crossed the Ohio and Scioto Rivers instead of the mighty Mississippi. I made and left behind some great new friends while catching up with an old one.
I chose to say hi to Ohio. That is my Buckeye statement.
Writer Kurt Duvel’s 5-part series ‘From Sea To Shining Sea’ takes you on his month-long meander across the USA. His fifth and final stop is New York City, a diverse metropolis of skyscrapers and scenic views which continue to entice, even on his third bite of 'The Big Apple'.