We made it to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is my childhood home and I love coming back and visiting! Waves of nostalgia roll over me as I remember past friends, my parents, and my youth. The beauty and solitude of the Upper Great Lakes forests, rivers, and lakes reenergize my spirit. The UP skies gave us a spectacular sunset upon arriving at the KI Sawyer International Airport (formerly a US Air Force Base). The fresh air and cool temperatures (15 C) were an antidote to the hot, dusty climate of Tashkent.
I was pleasantly surprised that my travel plans worked out. Nadia and I needed to go to Philadelphia during our layover in Chicago. I managed to get flights leaving Wednesday evening after we arrived at O’Hare and return the next day before our evening flight up to Marquette. So after a 5-hour and 11-hour flight from Tashkent to Chicago, connecting in Istanbul, Nadia and I took the 2-hour flight to Philadelphia. It was delayed by an hour which was OK because we only needed to get there in the evening. We were the first customers at the bank on Thursday morning. We needed to be present at a branch of our bank to make a transfer of funds. Immediately afterward we Ubered back to the airport and caught an 11:48 AM flight to Charlotte, North Carolina (90 minutes). Charlotte’s airport showed the vibrancy of the economy there, a real energetic feeling. I hear a lot of good things about North Carolina. The connecting flight was on time and we felt relief meeting Oliver and Ocean in the terminal.
My brother and his wife hosted the kids. Oliver and Ocean had a great time in Chicago, the highlight being a 3-hour visit to a vintage arcade place. I am glad they were able to order an iconic Chicago “Deep-dish Pizza”. I always laugh thinking about Jon Stewart’s bit on the deepdish! We arrived exhausted Thursday night in Marquette and stayed the night at my son’s college rental. We are renting our home in Marquette but thankfully, Owen is still a student at Northern Michigan University. His roommates are mostly gone for the summer so it worked out.
We love Marquette and walked to a delicious and cut cafe, Third Street Bagel. Marquette is home to Northern Michigan University and has a great regional hospital. With a population of over 20,000, it is an island of sophistication in the rural, north of the UP. The bagels were perfect and a great way to start our day.
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