Photo: Dr. Who

It's Wanderlust Sunday, so I'm hitting the road — Going to visit my Dad for Father's Day. My present to him is my presence. For a few days, I'll be an audience for his stories. No need for him to thank me. Really. It's the least I can do.

I've mentioned before that my Dad is a great storyteller. His sardonic wit makes people roll on the floor. Scratch that. His sardonic wit makes people who get it roll on the floor. Others are sometimes more fun to watch. See, my Dad has this Steven Colbert-esque ability to get random strangers to keep talking if they're blithely revealing something that might be funny to others. And he can describe a scene that makes you feel like you're there.

So for today's Father's Day "travel" post, I made a list of events that I've been to or heard of. Places quirky or surreal. Has to be something with great people-watching. It would entertain me to no end to see these things through my Dad's eyes...

Six Places I'd Like to See Through My Dad's Eyes Listed alpha by state
	SPORTING EVENT Ostrich Racing National Date Festival — Indio, CA Sporting events offer some of the best people watching opportunities, but I wouldn't send Dad to some run-of-the-mill race. The National Date Festival hosted by Riverside County, CA offers food, fun and ostrich racing. By random coincidence, Rufus and I found ourselves in the area during this past February's event. Dad's description of this sport and the people who follow it would be much funnier than mine. Photo (left): zachinglis
HOLIDAY CELEBRATION Mardi Gras — New Orleans, LA New Orleans' celebration of  Mardi Gras is not exactly a little-known event. But in my opinion it must be included on any list of incredible people-watching locations. Contrary to what you might think, Mardi Gras is a weeks-long family celebration tied to Catholicism. Flashing is for frat boy tourists and confined to the French Quarter. The real deal is in town, where locals dress up and drink beer in the name of Jesus. Photo (right): Dr. Who
	FESTIVAL EVENT Burning Man — 120mi North of Reno, NV My Dad wears Hawaiian shirts and khakis... So with this crowd, he'd fit right in. According to the organizers of this notoriously surreal experience in the desert... "Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been tothe event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color lookslike to someone who is blind." I'd really love to hear my Dad try. Photo (left): carnivillain
CONCERT EVENT Grand Ole Opry — Nashville, TN Concerts are THE BEST places to people-watch, in my opinion. They draw like-minded folks from out of the woodwork into one central spot. The concert environment I think I'd most like to hear my Dad describe is The Grand Ole Opry, where people come from all over to pay homage to men wearing rhinestones. They sit in the auditorium and clap and woo without irony, seriously on a pilgrimage to see this hallowed place. Sorry if you're a big fan, but it felt like the Twilight Zone to me. The only thing that would entice me to go back is Dad's commentary during the show.  Photo (right): TheWordWire
	GAME OF CHANCE Chickensh!t Bingo Ginny's Little Longhorn - Austin, TX Why doesn't Vegas have chickensh!t bingo? From Wired Magazine... "The low-tech concept of Chicken Shit Bingo is beautifully simple: Put alive chicken in a cage atop a piece of plywood marked with a grid. Selltickets for each of the 54 squares, then let the chicken strut aroundthe cage. When the bird relieves itself, you've got a winner." If he didn't win at bingo, he'd surely win a new friend or two. How could you not enjoy the company and conversation of regular attendees? Photo (left) and link to feature article: wired magazine
PERFORMING ARTS EVENT Bread and Puppet — Glover, VT Bread and Puppet is one of the coolest, most surreal places I've ever gotten to visit. Located in a rural area of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, it's an enclave of hippies and artists who put on shows and make political art. I personally would never satirize this place, which is why Dad would satirize me. The title of his composition describing his visit there would be called something snarky like "Not Christmas." Photo (right): redjar

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