Manchester, Iowa

After a quick stop and history lesson in Clear Lake, Iowa we headed for Manchester.

Population: approximately 5,000, on a good day.

A very, very small midwestern town. Small enough that I was being whispered about in the teeny tiny Walmart that was about 20 feet from my hotel. I, clearly, was NOT from around here.

To put this into perspective there isn’t even a McDonald’s. And there are only two classy hotel accomodations. The Days Inn or a Super8. Choices, choices.

The “big” fair was starting up in town. But apparently my co-worker and I were the only people excited for it!

We decided to take our lunch break (not that anyone was there to take a break from) to go see “Monkey Time” the monkey show.

Yup! Monkeys in Iowa, I am all about seeing that.

So there were were watching these monkeys. They were great, but the only people clapping were ummmm…us. Rough crowd over here in Manchester!

I got selected as a volunteer and a bird flew right into my hand. I saw a monkey with a red butt and a monkey with a blue butt. I even saw just some regular old, furry monkey butts.

That was probably the highlight of my stay in Manchester, Iowa.

Well I did meet some pretty interesting people. One man even told my co-worker and I that criminals should be, and I quote “castrated and fed it as their next meal.”

I also did a lot of cow and sheep chatting. Anything and everything that would get someone to talk to me in that small town!

Monkey’s are usually the highlight of any event or vacation so I am not really doing my experience in Manchester justice.

Put it this way, for the first time in my travels this year I have found a state where I will never, ever live.

Ever.

Sorry, Iowa.