Ann Arbor is a...

...pretty cool place, I have to say. The University of Michigan has a nice campus, and there's plenty to do within walking distance - great dining, shopping, etc. There was a really great used book store. I found a copy of the Sports Illustrated Super Bowl preview issue from 1985 (Niners vs. Dolphins!). I just had to get that for a friend of mine. And I found a couple of lesser known books by Tolkien ("Farmer Giles of Ham" and "Smith of Wootton Major"), plus one about him. Pretty neat stuff.

There was a nice range of bars, too. The Little Brown Jug had to be my favorite - surely a college hangout during the regular academic year. It was cozy and friendly, and there were good specials on beer, etc. I was introduced to Oberon, a great beer put out by a microbrewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Very tasty! It's a summer ale on the order of Blue Moon, but in my opinion, better.

One thing got me, though. We stayed in the dorms during the developmental biology conference we were attending. The blue mattresses were bad enough, but the sheets were maize-colored! (Blue and maize are Michigan's school colors.) What is that?? Needless to say, my friend and I, both from rival Ohio State, had a hard time sleeping! :^) We had our revenge, though. Several students were horrified to learn that we did an O-H-I-O cheer right in front of Michigan Stadium...