Our First Full Day
As we drove through Green Bay from the airport last night I came to realise just how small this town actually is. Maybe it’s just my naivety but boy, as an outsider looking in, I truly couldn’t believe it. How can a small town like this host one of the most storied and successful franchises in football, nay, American sporting history? Take downtown for instance. It is as beautiful as it is small. And it’s beautiful. The greenest grass these Aussies have seen in a long time. The widest streets, the prettiest little Elementary School buildings and the people.
If anything could top the Packers and the softly undulating streets of Green Bay, it’s the people themselves. Here, in this little part of the world are some of the kindest, smiliest (sic) most generous people you will ever met. Also some of the most shocked. It’s quite funny in fact. When our accent is heard we become one of three nationalities to most. British, Kiwi (New Zealand) or Aussie. And when we answer the “Are you here for the Packers game?” question with, “Well, in fact, we’re here for the entire season” you should see their faces. Most simply follow our little story with a “There you go” as is standard in these parts before we are able to continue our conversation.
With the lack of shops and similar to LA, supermarkets, we venture in a cab to the Bay Park Plaza for our first shopping trip of many. It’s great to see familiar brands like Subway, Foot Locker and GNC. It’s especially good to see shops we have never seen before though. In particular a food court, in all Green and Gold, laid across a tiled football field with yard lines and all. Now, whilst this may sound stupid to some heading into Shopko for the first time was a blast. For those back at home this is a BIG W, Target or K-Mart type of store. Pretty general in fact but talk about Packers gear. I have never seen so much of it in all of my life. Without detailing every single little thing that I stopped to look at let’s just say there was alot.
Along the way, at a play area in fact, we met Levi, Melissa and Ian and this is where the mid-west hospitality really kicked in. Upon hearing why in fact we were here, our $20 cab ride and our need for nappies (diapers) fresh fruit and vegetables we were chauffeured straight to Wal-Mart to get everything we could have needed and more. The more part was experiencing the type of massive American all-in-one giant this once shopping centre chain has become. I’m not sure of it’s impact on the independent grocery store owner but for today at least we filled our trolley with as many unfamiliar brand names as we ever thought we would.
