Photo #18 (and a new sub-series)

On our 6-hour road trip to Minnesota last weekend, I had quite a bit of time to think. As we drove through the flat, unexciting farmland of Illinois, and then moved on to the flat, unexciting farmland of Wisconsin, I let myself drift back to the summer of 2006, when my cousins and I took a different kind of road trip. That trip was a 14-day jaunt across Europe, and from our bus windows, we saw unbelievable, extraordinary sights.

Quite different from Midwest farmland.

But come on, I told myself. There has to be something good about the Midwest. I mean, farmers are important! And Chicago and the Twin Cities are pretty cool. And we have nice sunsets. And our pizza rocks the planet... and on and on.

Thus, my new series:

The Midwest: Pretty, and Pretty Ugly

I'll be posting two pictures a day, for the next few days, on the good and the bad of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. If you're from the Midwest, feel free to agree or disagree as you see fit (notice, I'm not including Indiana this time around. For one thing, I didn't visit there. For another thing, I'd have way too much material to work with. I mean, seriously. Hoosiers and NASCAR? Don't get me started...)

And now, without further ado, today's shots.

Pretty:

A farm's silhouette, against a gorgeous sunset. Beautiful, huh?

Pretty ugly:

Dear me. Europe has fortress cities and castles alongside the highway.* We have... giant-sized chili cans. Nice :)

*Please note that I am in no way promoting Europe over the U.S.
America is the most incredible country in the world, as far as I'm concerned.
But giant chili silos? Remarkable, really!