Why Raleigh
So of all the things to make a blog on with all the topics and all the hot topics, why Raleigh? To that, I counter, “Why make a blog in the first place?”. I chose this topic because some friends told me I should do it, and I suck at managing peer pressure.
But honestly, writing about my hometown does have a certain level of appeal to it. I’ve lived here maybe 90% of my life and have no plans so far of relocating because of all the cool things I’ve done here and people I’ve met. In part, I guess this blog is a way of sharing that with people and maybe landing a sweet sweet writing job in the process.
More than anything, I chose this topic because Raleigh has a certain warmth to me. A kind of melting pot experience of cultures, people, events, and sights that make exploring always feel worthwhile.
Nowhere I’ve been is “Oh, the international market” or “Oh, the game store”. It’s “The international market where that nice older woman shared cooking tips with me” and “The game shop me and my friends went to for Friday Night Magic”. It’s a great feeling and more than anything I kind of want that to shine through my writing more than anything else; that these aren’t just fun and/or hip destinations to visit, but places to build memories and be yourself.
A lot of these warm fuzzies I’ve felt have been at our local State Parks. Places like Umstead, which if I talk about now, I can avoid talking about it later to avoid being the world’s most basic travel blogger. It’s a huge park that spans Raleigh and Morrisville. It’s got three man-made fishing lakes, gorgeous trees, and hiking trails that can take all day with the right kit and the right people.
That, however, is all the easily findable stuff. I could literally tell you about Umstead Park by googling it and it’d probably still sound appealing but there’s so much more to it. For instance, there’s a LARPing group that meets on a set schedule to reserve a spot at Umstead’s community meeting spots and have fun for two nights. There are park sponsored hikes where the guide leads you off course to find cool and interesting natural formations without getting lost, so you can find it later if you wish. But more important than any of that, it’s a great community spot where people from all different parts of the city come to unwind and experience the joys of nature while still being in spitting distance of a Starbucks
That intersection, nature and urban development, is another feather in Raleigh’s cap. There are highways and toll roads and downtowns and malls and all the trappings of civilized living you’d expect from the city, but you’re not totally disconnected from nature.
It’s one of those things you don’t realize is there till it’s gone but visiting other states and other cities, especially places like New York, you have less foliage incorporated into the city and more held in place by giant cement planter boxes. Not to say the constant dotting of suburban neighborhoods means Raleigh is perfect, but in many ways, it fairs better than other cities.
Or maybe I just have a thing for powerlines running through nature. Who knows either way. If you don’t like being surrounded by nature though there are still places like Downtown Raleigh, where there’s a little something for everyone. Want to celebrate LGBTQ+ events? Want a weekend celebration of Carribean culture complete with food trucks serving culturally accurate foods? How about a Bluegrass festival because, yes, this is still the south? We’ve got all that, and that’s just isolated to Wilmington St. Cultural festivals, fairs, wrestling matches, and more spread across concert halls, convention centers, theaters, and fairgrounds. There really is something for everyone, and it’s not just some marketing blurb found on the back of a cheap tourist book
Of course, that’s because of all the wonderful people who live here. There are some not-so-wonderful people of course, and North Carolina isn’t exactly the most friendly state towards members of the LGBTQ+ community (yet) but I can say with utmost certainty that the diverse, interesting pools of people spread across the city and her neighbors lead to some very interesting groups of people coming together.
More to come later, but for now, I’ve gotta drag my girlfriend out into the night and force her to take pretty pictures for me. That aside, I could probably write my entire blog in one post if I don’t stop now.
