ANN ARBOR.

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Geo: 42.2819, -83.7485

ANN ARBOR
Friends, eating, drinking, laughing and 8 Mile.
Meeting up with other ex-Nanjing friends.It's funny when you haven't seen friends for a long time you just seem to fit back into each other's lives. Just like you haven't been apart. It's strange but it all feels normal.
We went to a really odd artsy place called The Heidelberg Project.
It's an area where artists have taken over a rundown housing area and have turned it into works of art by using lots of recycled objects. It's really organic and earthy.
There was a slogan that said, "Detroit vs Everyone"
My friend asked if I wanted to see something in particular I wanted to see in Michigan.
"8 Mile?" I replied.
"Really?" She said with a shocked face.
She listed of about five other things we could do.
"Ok. 8 Mile it is!"
My friend grew up in the area as a child. Her father was a police officer and all,police officers lived in that area but I don't think it was quite as bad as it is now.
We drove down her street and she could name the people that used to live in the houses.
Some looked ok. Others looks a bit sketchy. We didn't stop at any time we just kept moving along.
"I can take you to a trailer park if you like where M&M grew up." She said.
"Yeah.... Let's do it," I replied.
Let me JUST set the scene.
In the car there was her 3 daughters, my daughter and 2 other teenaged girls plus my friend and me.
The car was a brand new, shiny, bright red, big Ford pick up truck.
Very loud, new car full of girls!
Ok. So the moment we drove into the trainer park we looked at each other.
We didn't need to say a work.
Maybe this wasn't our best idea.
It was just a little scary.
There wasn't enough room for us to make a u turn or back out.
The only way was forward.
We turned off the radio.
The car was dead silent.
"We need to get out of here. Ah..... like now."
We didn't want to get out and ask for direction so we just drove around a small block as quietly and quickly without trying to draw too much attention to ourselves and got the heck out of there.
That was one scary place but l was so glad I saw it.
Zingerman's was the best place for lunch. Oprah and Obama both have eaten there. The sandwiches are amazing.
Huge and very yummy.
The pickles are brilliant too.
Loved the diversity of this place.

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