I love cheese perhaps as much as sunshine in Phoenix.
Football in the fall.
Any ad online that has 'yoga pants' in the title.
In fact, if you don't love cheese you're either lactose intolerant or your not a freedom-loving yankee.
Now that I've clarified that dairy is king...
About 2 months ago I flew to Appleton, Wisconsin to personally deliver a package for an airline that had a grounded airplane.
A grounded airplane equals no revenue. Airlines and other aviation-related businesses don't like that. So on occasion they will pay someone to physically bring a package to them to ensure that it doesn't get lost or delayed.
This is typically called an 'on-board carry'. Kinda like an escort without the seedy-lookin' dude stuffing a nude girl card in your shirt pocket while you walk down the Las Vegas Strip.
Regardless...
It pays very well and is usually a good adventure (free flight, hotel, get to see new places, etc...).
I flew Delta from Phoenix, connected at MSP (Minneapolis) and landed at Appleton Airport (ATW). I get off the plane, walk in to the terminal and meet my contact. I hand off the package.
Job completed without a hitch. (no swanky girl cards exchanged either...)
Started making my way through the small terminal. Small airports are great...hard to get lost and easy to find your flight. Then I noticed something: There's a quite the number of display refrigerators...like what you'd see in a market. And in each one they had...
Cheese Curds. Lot's of 'em.
For the uninitiated, Cheese Curds are a type of cheese that are rubbery, mostly soft (compared to their normal, 'harder' cheesy counterparts) and mild. They are a way of life in Wisconsin and Minnesota. And they are fabulous.
And therein lies the lesson: Everywhere you go, you experience the local culture. What people do, how they are...what they eat.
I have a question tho: Why is the town called 'Appleton'? I know I know, do a G search and that'll solve the conundrum. But shouldn't they have called it 'Cheesyton'? 'Lactville'? 'Milkeopolis'?
'Fondoo'?
That's what makes travel so great.
Unfortunately, there's a decreasing 'desire' of airlines to fly to smaller airports like Appleton. Mostly because it's not as profitable. We can't make them do it (well, some countries do, but that does not work long-term) but we can try to support them.
Next time you fly, consider flying to a smaller airport...if your budget allows, of course. Keeping the carriers in the smaller markets gives more choice for everyone and makes the airlines more profitable at the small fields.
That's it for now, gotta go...I'm a bit gassy...