39. Spokane

           I think everyone who lives in a little town or rural area has a larger “hub” town or city that they frequent for shopping purposes, entertainment or whatever. Spokane, Washington is that city for those of us living in North Idaho. Oh, sure we go to Coeur d’Alene but Spokane is the city and Coeur d’Alene is just a bigger town. I quite enjoy Spokane. I know my way around and I know the various activities and shopping the city has to offer. I don’t know that I’d consider Spokane a particularly safe city, but I know it well enough to not be uncomfortable with that. It has a gritty mid-sized eastern city feel about it. Most western cities don’t seem old, run down or just urban but Spokane does. There are houses upon houses that were obviously built in the beginning days of the 20^th century and they are all in various states of repair for homes of that age. The newer communities were built mid 20^th century so they aren’t too shining either. The downtown area has a lot of old brick buildings that seemed to be in their heyday from the 50s to 80s and only recently have they been given much care to bring them into this century.

I like that industrial feel of Spokane, the city that was built because of mining, timber, farming of the area and hydro-electric power that made aluminum affordable. I like that you can still find curious little shops that take you back in time to my childhood. I like the feel of athleticism that wells up in the city from Bloomsday, Gonzaga Bulldogs, national ice skating contests and Hoopfest yet no major professional teams. It’s a grass roots athleticism. I like that I can go there and see a play or hear a concert and drive home on the same day. I like that I can go shopping there and run into people I know or I can be anonymous depending on the day. I like that I can feel a sense of caring from a medical community that is big enough to do major surgeries, yet small enough that people there know where it is I live. I guess I just really like the comfort of Spokane, it’s gritty feel and the beauty of where it is. I’m just grateful for Spokane.