I could happily spend the rest of my life in only 3 places: Greece, North Carolina, and DC. Though I'd like to go to South America, Holland, back to Glacier, Alaska and southern Utah, I'd be happier visiting Crete again, finally making it to Thessaloniki, and most of all seeing more of my home state.
Our stop over in Elizabeth City, NC, on our way to Avon on the Outer Banks, prompted this post. One summer I'd love to drive or bike or whatever from town to town along North Carolina's inner coast (it that is what it's called) - visiting Elizabeth City and Edenton and Bellhaven and New Bern and Bath and Swansboro (where I applied for a job once, with the NC Coastal Federation), eating seafood and barbeque at every meal.
That could actually be an itinerary. And one day, I'd love to mimic fellow alum Charles Kuralt and drive the length of North Carolina on US 64, from Manteo to Murphy.
We stopped here after picking up Ariadne at camp on Friday, and our Avon rental doesn't start until Saturday so this is our half way point. This town is cute. It's on the Pasquotank River with a few sea food places on the water. I had a great plate of grilled flounder and crab with a feta cheese salad (which featured feta, tomatoes, cucumber, some lettuce but also chow mein noodles and relish - and it was great! ) at the Marina Restaurant last night. Truth be told, it is across the Posquotank in Camden County and technically part of Elizabeth City.
Elizabeth City also has a downtown on the river that is a mix of old - a store that sells sewing machines and fabric, two fish houses - and new with two bakeries/coffee shops and a nicer restaurant in an old storefront on Water St. Three places - the river side park with a blues band, the coffee shop with a jazz combo, and the local arts society with a sloppy rock band - had live music downtown last night. Elizabeth City still feels southern and North Carolinian, but with enough funk and modernity to hold your attention.
I like it, and feel even more smug - and more of a homer - about my home state(s).
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