We hit the ground running on Sunday morning, with a much-needed excursion to obtain iced, caffeinated refreshments. (Which proved the perfect antidote to even a non-alcoholic-celebration-hangover...yummm!) Since our local Starbucks is conveniently situated in the heart of Tarheel-nation, I parked the car and we set off on foot to meander Franklin Street and take in the sights. I took the opportunity to point out various Chapel Hill institutions (such as Top of the Hill, the Carolina Coffee Shop, Sugarland Bakery, and Sutton's Drugstore, to name a few) as well as several souvenir emporiums that proudly offer not only supportive and tasteful UNC gear of all kinds...but also hilarious anti-Duke apparel that ranges from the mildly obnoxious to the wildly inappropriate. (My Blue-Devils-fan sibling accepted this graciously...especially knowing that I'd already promised her a jaunt to Durham at a later point, so she could get her...collegiate rival revenge...or whatever...)
And obviously, we couldn't leave the scene without strolling onto the grounds of UNC, to admire its canopy of majestic shade trees, stately, serene red brick buildings (quiet and still now that the students are gone for the Summer, at least), and of course one of its iconic landmarks, the Old Well. No doubt fortified by the Frappuccino, she survived the experience (and even managed to look happy about it!).Perhaps that's due to the fact that she was already looking forward to the next field trip, to that other Blue Blood bastion of higher learning just a few miles away. Now it was MY turn to smile politely while patiently enduring a visit to the wrong side of the tracks--er "Triangle". (Totally kidding--I stop by the gardens on campus on a regular basis...but I tend to avoid the Krzyzewski-ville section like the plague that it is...to Carolina supporters.)
After taking care of the first order of business--the fangirl spending gobs of moolah on Duke-themed apparel and whatnot in the university store--we wandered through the cool, hushed, elegant chapel, with its towering organ and soaring stained glass windows; the always-gorgeous botanical displays; and, finally, the mecca for any Dooook...ie (snickers immaturely), the stadium complex, where my sister was unfortunately only able to pay her respects to the outside of Cameron (home of the basketball teams, if you're wondering), rather than being allowed to wander freely through its halls, oohing and ahhing at every turn. (Seriously, did we neglect to tell them we were coming so they could roll out the red carpet...or at least leave the doors unlocked? Doh!)Having completed our dual-collegiate tour on a warm, steamy day, we finished our regional tribute by settling in for dinner at yet another beloved local destination: Elmo's Diner in Carrboro. From pancakes to a burger to a sweet potato and bean burrito, that place never disappoints! Thus fortified, we needed to rest up for the continuing antics the following day, which would include a whirlwind outing through our neighbor to the slightly-east, Durm (spelling intentional--it's an affectionate nickname thing, apparently).
Wonder of wonders, we actually got the teenagers to consent to accompany us on our adventures--which actually isn't that surprising, considering we would be making a pilgrimage to one of their favorite spots: the DBAP (pronounced Dee-Bap, and shorthand for the Durham Bulls Athletic Park). Although the website proved uninformative, we happily discovered when we arrived that the ballpark store was open...allowing mi hermana to add to her collection of travel mementos. Then we played sightseers for a while, circling the field, reading the commemorative plaques around the exterior, soaking in the baseball atmosphere, and paying homage to the famous outfield bull. Finally we headed back to the Subaru, to drive around and see some more of the city. Downtown, the Warehouse District, Brightleaf, the 9th Street corridor--somehow...sheerly by winging it, I tell ya...I managed to hit all of these without having to resort to the GPS. Therefore, we got a nice glimpse of some of Durham's character--what I tend to think of as a mixture of lovingly preserved history...a dash of gritty urban decay...and a good dose of newly-renovated upscale chic.
I feel like we squeezed in as much entertainment as we possibly could on this sister-sojourn, but it was time to say farewell and let her return to her life in the northern Mid-Atlantic. There are many more things to see and do the next time she makes her way to NC...in the meantime, Team WestEnders will be making our Summer journey to MD in just a few weeks, so we'll get to do the whole thing in reverse. In fact, I just realized that there's plenty of time for me to pick up something with a Tarheels logo for her upcoming birthday...since she seems to have somehow...forgotten...to acquire anything fitting that description while she was here...ha! Here's to more future family fun!
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