Jackson

Got to Jackson! Nic and I are on our first leg of the journey to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Jackson is disappointing. I was hoping for something new and neat in this city, but the stores, restaurants, and even TV channels are the same as in Arkansas. It's extremely disorienting to drive for five hours and then eat at the exact same restaurant that is five minutes away from my house in Little Rock. The homogenization of the American business-scape is terrifying and boring at the same time. It's terrifying because large chains are wiping out small gems of businesses. It's boring because I like being able to go to any city, small or large, and find a variety of restaurants, businesses, specialties, and cultures. Instead, I am met with the exact same IHOPs, Waffle Houses, McDonald's, Burger Kings, and Starbucks(es). What's the point in traveling if these chains are replacing local culture? Local culture is, in my book, the only thing that makes traveling worthwhile, refreshing, and energizing. New Orleans should be great. Though I am expecting to see some chains, the Muffalatta was invented in New Orleans, and you just can't experience local culture in any better way than via regional foods.