Two weeks ago, I went to Alabama for the weekend to visit my best friend who goes to the University of Alabama. On the plane I truly did not know what to expect when I got there. Were there going to be farms surrounding everything or would it be a little more civilized? I know it may sound a little harsh, but when someone thinks of Alabama what do they really expect. I saw the difference as soon as I entered the airport, especially when it came to cuisine. Of course there were many chains in the airport but there were many restaurants and places to eat at that I have never heard of before. The whole airport in general had such a different vibe and southern aesthetic to it. Leaving the airport we drove about 45 minutes on a highway that had nothing around it and didn’t seem much different than the New Jersey Turnpike or the Garden State Parkway. As soon as we got off the highway however, it didn’t seem real. There was about a mile long strip, possibly even longer, of fraternity houses lined up in a row. Across the street from this strip, was also a long strip of an ample variety of restaurants and drive through fast food places. The constructor definitely lucked out on this one. The placement of these food places couldn’t be better; they were situated in front of 20 houses filled with hundreds of guys who consume this food multiple times a day. These small businesses undoubtedly thrive and are very successful due to the placement of them. In addition to this strip, right next to the school was another strip of clothing stores, restaurants, and bars that consisted of many chains such as Moe’s and Starbucks but also included many authentic southern restaurants. The whole southern experience was definitely a bit of a culture shock for me, someone who grew up in NYC. Nonetheless, I would enjoy going back there to explore the town even more.