So, my sister and her hubby have gone back to Grand Rapids in Michigan and settled down there. My parents were visiting them, so I took a couple of road trips with my wife and kid to meet them.
Their house is extraordinary. It's a massive and beautiful house which would cost 3 or 4 mil. easy in the Greater Toronto Area. But I think they paid around 500K.
I am trying to be polite but Michigan itself feels like a very neglected state. Driving from Ontario is like going from an advanced and wealthy province to a state that really needs help. The highways are broken and just awful. My car has low-profile tires and no spares and I was scared they'd burst. Some of the roads are so bad you feel like you're riding a horse. To make matters worse, there's no rhyme or reason behind the road closures. You have no choice but to get off the highway for construction and oh man, the backroads are terrible.
We went into a store in Grand Rapids and when the lady at the counter learned we came from Canada, the first thing she mentioned were the roads heh.
I was also told that the water isn't safe to drink in many parts. Of course, Flint is also in Michigan and infamous for its water problems.
Didn't really have time to do much except check out some excellent museums but we went to Olive Garden on the way back.
THIS IS WHY THERE IS A HEALTH CRISIS!
I think any Italian would cry eating there. The portions are huge and there is just cheese all over. It's super delicious though. The fresh bread, sauces, and salads were all so tasty.
