Pat Bean's blog

There are two sorts of curiosity – the momentary and the permanent. The momentary is concerned with the odd appearance of the surface of things. The permanent is attracted by the amazing and consecutive life that flows on beneath the surface of things” – Robert Wilson Lynn.

Ypsilanti: Home of The Brick Dick

The Ypsilanti water tower, more commonly known as the Brick Dick. This photo is courtesy of Wikipedia. For some reason I didn’t think to take one when I was in Ypsilanti.

When I travel, I try to find out something — the odder the better — about each town I visit. Often it’s as simple as observing a town’s welcome sign,

Such billboards say everything from “The Town Where Everybody is Somebody” (Hico, Texas), to “The Biggest Little City in the World” (Reno, Nevada.)

Ypsilanti, Michigan, which just happens to be named after an 1800s Greek Hero of the country’s war for independence against the Ottoman Empire, is known as home of the Brick Dick.

Its 147-foot limestone water tower won Cabinet magazine’s 2003 contest search for the “World’s Most Phallic Structure.”

One look at the tower, built in 1890 by someone either with a macho bent or a sense of humor, and I could see why it easily won the contest.

Locals call it the “Dick Brick.” It’s said that if an Eastern Michigan University student graduates while still a virgin the tower will fall down.

Travel is so enlightening, although I’m still wondering why Ypsilanti, which is located on the outskirts of Detroit, was named after a Greek hero. Do you know?

Book Report: Travels with Maggie: 37, 833 words. The above little ditty about Ypsilanti was in the section of my travel book that underwent rewriting today. It made me laugh, again, and so I thought I would share.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

Bean’s Pat: Another Header:  http://tinyurl.com/9824e9r Visit a couple of Istanbul bazaars. This one’s great for armchair travelers and lovers of bright colors.

Thank you Kay at http://funandmorebykay.wordpress.com for nominating me for the Super Sweet blog award. I’m not sure my blog qualifies as “sweet” but I’m grateful for any recognition a reader chooses to give me.

Super-Sweet Blogging Award

To answer your questions I prefer cookies over cake, chocolate over vanilla, and ice cream over any other kind of dessert. I want sweets mostly when I’m tired or stressed and I’ve actually been called Jelly Bean. My Bean’s Pat is my daily way of paying back very kind readers like yourself.