Burlington

The drive from Spokane to Nauvoo was a grueling twenty seven hours, but we divided the trip into three segments by stopping to stay with friends in Missoula, Montana and Omaha, Nebraska.  

We took turns driving, and I ended up sleeping through most of South Dakota. On the other hand, I truly enjoyed the endless rolling hills and corn fields of Iowa. I wish we would have stopped to take more pictures, but that would have delayed our arrival more than we liked. 

When we finally reached the Mississippi River, we stopped for dinner in downtown Burlington, Iowa.  

Burlington was a different experience. I expected the center of the city to buzz with traffic and local business, but much to my surprise, the central district reminded me of a ghost town. Entire city blocks seemed devoid of any human activity. Many windows were empty or broken. On closer examination, signs of life appeared - a man walked down the sidewalk and a solitary car turned a corner - but much less than I would have expected from a city that size. 

Maybe we arrived on a slow day, or maybe there's a story behind the apparent absence of people.  

My observations are not intended as a criticism. I would love to know the history of the town. I also loved the old buildings, even the abandoned ones. 

We didn't find many eating establishments in the downtown area, but we finally landed at Napoli Pizza & Restaurant. That's where all the people were. Burlington wasn't our destination, but I actually loved our short visit.