Next state over - to Detroit Rock City, Motor City, D-Town

Detroit - the largest city in the state of Michigan, the only U.S town to look south onto Canada, founded in 1701, viewed as the world's tradition automobile center and place of popular music legacies - which is then embraced in two of the cities nicknames - Motor City and Motown.

After spending one short evening in the city of Chicago, Illinois i hoped on the bus, the Megabus, in Friday morning (after applying for my Visa to enter Brazil earlier on) and headed for Detroit. I am here visiting Nikki Rawetzki who i also met in Germany.

Sunday afternoon was spent with the Rawetzki Family to celebrate Nikki's brother, Micheal's Birthday.. Nikki down the front with her mother to right, sister Christina, father and brother Micheal. Nikki worked in the afternoon, so i spent it at her family's house, and on a bike ride with Christina. It was a lovely sunny afternoon.

Today (Tuesday) Nikki and headed for the beach/ lake shore. Where we sun baked/bathed, where i was to find out the hard way - that it isn't just the Aussie sun that makes my skin turn red-, had a short dip, read our books and enjoyed being under the sun.

Then this evening Nikki and i Decided to go out for dinner in Downtown Detroit ( a short drive from where shes lives). After dinner Nikki wanted to show me the restaurant she used to work at. It was on the 72nd floor of the General Motors building in Detroit. After having a walk around the cylinder shaped building and looking at the views of Detroit, we then ate some desert there, a yummy dish, 4 star quality.

above photo of Nikki in the chair she would always pass at work, but never actually sat in.

Detroit River

SHAPES, SIZES AND DIMENSIONS





Parking lot by night. i really liked.

Chicago a city that made me feel very happy

Alot of hustle and bustle and summer vibes with free outdoor music shows and people enjoying the moment

Lions and tigers and bears, Oh my

downtown Chicago 7pm on a hot summers night.

these statues let off water, people came from all around to cool themselves off

I ran out of battery so i couldn't get anymore pictures... but i am to return to Chicago

More Waukee (only 25 minutes from downtown Des Moines and theres no Taxi or public transport service)

trying smores for the first time - a north American campfire treat, special kind of biscuits, with chocolate and toasted marshmallow inside - was tasty, but not all i had hope it to be.

woof woof woof bark woof bark and more barking goes Shari's dogs

-yo peace out Shari -

backyard by the Benders - notice the bean fields which i later learnt they weren't green beans like Shari thought, they are in fact soy beans

Sweet corn IOWA style


yep, that's why IOWA is known for its corn, it certainly is sweet and tasty and everywhere

corn and infinity

embracing Waukee

So we went to a baseball game - Shari's team lost by alot
baseball very popular in the U.S

smile Shari

Waukee, IOWA, the U.S - With Shari Bender :)

Shari is another friend i met on exchange in Germany.

End of her street.... the corn fields is the main object here..

her house

checkin the mail

Shari's street

houses for the corn grain

Ice cream shop where Shari works - opposite the grain houses

This is considered as the old downtown Waukee

the quilt that Shari's grandma made her from her old

t-shirts

driving around with Bender

Shari took me to Hessen Haus a German Resturaunt.. in Des Moines

2 of her friends also came

First time of going somewhere where German beer is sold, and not being able to drink it... Thanks America

outfront the haus

IOWA State Capital building in Des Moines the Capital of IOWA

Des Moines

CAITLIN - quote Shari " its like that apron you and Caitlin bought me"

In the Sculpture garden in Des Moines

In that sculpture, was pretty facinating

Stratford Shakespeare Festival

We started the day at Nonna Vito's. She made homemade Pizza, which was delicious and then gave us a huge amount of fruit to eat. In this photo is Rachel (Caitlin's sister), Ruth (Kathyrn's sister), Caitlin, Kathryn (Caitlin's mum), and Nonna Vito.

Outside the thearte where we were to see Peter Pan. Stratford was an hour and a half from Burlington, and was where Kathyrn and Ruth grew up. They attend the festival each year. Some renound actors come to the festival to perform. The play was fabulous, everything was put together so well, making you feel part of the dream of Peter Pan.

cute balcony

After the play we went to visit an old friend of Kathryn and Ruth's parents. Pearl who was a lovely old lady has pretty much lived on this farm her whole life.

Last Day

On my last day Kathryn wanted to show me this game she grew up playing, Krockonol. She believes its typical to Ontario
twas fun