Cin City

The funny thing about going on vacation, especially when it's to an ordinary place is the reactions you get. The last couple of days where filled with people wrinkling their noses and asking why I was on vacation in their home town.

At first I would offer up explanations about the rich history and the architecture. Yet after the third cashier not buying my story, I said I was in Ohio for work. Funny how you can live in a city yet not know anything about it.

I soaked up Cin City like a sponge. I did every walking tour of anything historic I could find, I spent hours having the history of the art deco Union Terminal train station explained. My history nerd was in full force. At night I repeated the process but with Cincinnati's gay bars. I saw drag shows at Shooters and guys being flogged at The Serpent.




With all the walking and avoiding of drag queens the appetite I worked up was easily handled with local cuisine, like a four way. That's Skyline chili (Cincinnati's famous red chili), spaghetti, onion, and a mountain of cheese. It's funny how easily "Yeah, I'll have a Diet Coke and a four way" came off my tongue. If my palette wasn't satisfied with chili then there was an endless supply if White Castles.

To recoup my energy I spent my non-eating, drag queen dodging, man flogging time lying naked on a pool float at the newly-renovated lesbian Kentucky plantation.

There's something to be said about vacationing in a random city. Although don't get me wrong, give me the choice of London or Lincoln and you'll know my answer.