Tourism tips from the South

This comes from j. pulliam's article in the Galesburg. There is a link at the bottom.
~C.S. Webbspun

Just because I recently took a two-week vacation doesn’t mean I have to write two columns about it. But, here’s “What I Did on My Vacation: 2.” (Sequels are all the rage these days.)
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Beware of building a hotel/motel in an area that can be mistaken for a warehouse district. This one’s tricky.

In Columbia, S.C., my mother began to get nervous when she looked out the motel window and decided the very nice establishment we were in was in a warehouse district. As I looked out at the nearby, massive Travel Lodge Suites, as well as myriad restaurants and other motels, I tried in vain to find the warehouse my mom saw. I never did find it, but it made me realize if someone did — for some unknown reason — build a motel that really was in an area with a large concentration of warehouses, potential customers might get nervous. Especially if there wasn’t a Waffle House nearby.

Friendly people, at stores and restaurants, as well as individuals just walking down the street, really do make a visit more pleasant. South Carolina’s motto is “Smiling Faces and Friendly Places,” or something like that. The people in Myrtle Beach really take this to heart. I’m not saying there are no friendly people in the Midwest (heck, I’m happy to say “hey” even if I don’t know you), but I find people in the South to be, if not friendlier, at least more likely to display this attitude. (What good is it to be the friendliest person in the world if you keep it to yourself? Hmm?)

Not only could I not walk around North Myrtle Beach without everyone saying, “Hi,” on Dec. 31, complete strangers made it a point to wish me Happy New Year. One person ran three blocks just to wish me well in 2008. (OK, I made that up, but I swear everything else in this column is true. Trust me.)
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Most people in Galesburg are friendly, just more reserved than our neighbors in the South. Maybe a few “Hi, y’all” or “How ya’ doin’?” greetings would give us the reputation as the city on The Grand Prairie offering southern hospitality. Even if we don’t have a Waffle House on every corner.

Read the entire article at Galesburg.