Say cheeeese!

I remembered only a few things about America after our family trip here in Dec 01/Jan 02... I remembered snow in New York, basements in the suburbs of Chicago, theme parks in Cali and Florida.

I learnt more before coming here by casually flipping through the thousand-odd pages of my Lonely Planet and by actually paying attention to some of the travel stories told vividly by excited friends... Huge freeway interchanges in LA, vibrant cultural hotspots in Seattle and Vancouver, amazing musical communities in Memphis and New Orleans, fantastic hot dogs in New York.

I know I didn't come to America with a strong plan under my belt or a solid idea under my hat. My mother and most of my friends will happily testify to that. In fact, as far as trip preparation goes, I had none.

What I thought I did have was a good cultural preparation. I knew that Americans (in America) were generally hospitable people (if a little impatient at times). I knew that my Australian accent would get me out of a lot of sticky situations. I knew that America was the land of fast food, huge meals and plenty of carbs and protein.

However I was completely unprepared for the full frontal cheese assault that has been attacking my digestive system since I flew in on Tuesday. Everything in America comes with cheese. Everything.

I'm not talking about a creamy brie on water crackers with a French wine to begin your meal. I don't mean that your rocket comes with Italian shaved parmesan, or that your greek salad has some delicately crumbled feta dotted throughout. Nor do I infer that your dessert is a platter of New Zealand cheeses with fuit. No, not at all.

Cheese in America comes melted over your fries. Cheese comes in the form of a sauce all over your salad. Cheese comes dripping from your hamburger. Cheese is melted, cheese is oily, cheese is abundant. Cheese is also multicultural: "Would you like American, Swiss or Cheddar poured all over your sandwich, sir?"

Please don't think that this is a rant (although it might be). It is rather an observation, nothing more. I have actually discovered a way to benefit from this cultural difference and my stomach's inability to cope with the sudden influx of dairy and oil - rather than force the traditional three meals in a day, I can now happily survive on a hearty breakfast and a light evening snack. This saves me time and money, without which I wouldn't be able to update this blog.

So in effect, you benefit from the cheesiness that is the United States of America. God Bless America.

And Switzerland.

And Cheddarland...

Chili Cheese fries. Not even I could finish them.