He's probably their next Senator.
Greetings from Burlington, VT!
- Thread starter vraiblonde
- Start date
He's probably their next Senator.
Wait, what do you mean by no recycling in VT?It's one of the like, 12 states listed on stuff like your aluminum coke cans for collecting 5 cents per can or whatever. I'm not being smart, I'm genuinely curious because CT is one of those states too, it was mandatory actually.
I'm looking right now at the Coke Zero can I bought in Burlington and there is a small symbol that says "Please recycle", which is what they say in every state. Nothing about getting 5-cents. Neither our hotel nor any of the places we've been has recycling bins - I looked. At the waterfront and parks they have garbage bins but nothing for recycling - it all goes in the same trash.
The places we've been, we're used to having two trash bins: one for trash trash and one for recycling, and sometimes separate recycling bins for bottles, cans, and plastic. Not in VT.
Their two old white men Senators aren't going anywhere. They are immortal, like vampires.
VT *is* weird. Ben & Jerry's (and Bernie Sanders) are true representatives - nice, affable, rural, congenial, likeable, wholesome....but once you get 'em going you realize they're bat#### crazy and don't live in reality. That's Vermont.
Or let me rephrase that: they don't practice what they preach. I can't get over that they don't recycle. And they also have a homeless problem.
We'll be in Marathon 11/21 - 1/22 - I keep just missing you.
I'm still betting that you won't make it the entire month.
Okay, I do see the 5-cent recycle etched very faintly on the top of the can. You have to really look for it, so apparently they don't really want you collecting. And yesterday we were in Vergennes and I saw a combo trash/recycling can on the street. But that's the only one I've seen. So if I want to recycle my cans and get my nickel, I have to go somewhere; if I want to recycle my cans and not worry about the nickel (which is what I really do), I have to go to Vergennes.
I'm still betting that you won't make it the entire month.
They have a surprising number of vacationers at our hotel. I'm like, are there really that many people who want to see the teddy bear factory?? There was a car show last weekend that a lot of people came for. So that's the type of visitor VT attracts: someone who would drive 8 hours to look at cars.
lucky_bee
RBF expert
Ohhh...well, that's how all those states are though: In CT you can take your bags of recyclables to a designated station, or in my town, the local grocery store has a big garage next to the entrance where you can dump them all in and get your money. Your actual garbage collector ain't gonna pay you for that. And almost all private residences with trash collection have recycling and trash collection bundled together (as in they give you a recycling bin for you to sort and a garbage truck comes round - your trash goes in one side, recycling on the other - and you don't have to pay extra, like here in MD - it's included bc they want you to do it)
However, I'm surprised you aren't seeing more 'public' recycling bins. I swear they're all over CT. I never thought about how much I was used to recycling until I came to MD.
HeavyChevy75
Podunk FL
Don't knock it. When I lived up there and was particularly broke and needed fuel for the car. I would go collect cans and get gas money. There are only so many ways an 18 year old can make extra money. Collecting cans was one of them. My dad had a machine shop and I would just go and cash in all the cans from the shop.
What I really love is being able to spend a month in a location so Monello and I can really get to know it. Burlington has a lot to recommend it; it's highly liveable. There is a real community feel to this small city, with festivals and a sense of the local when it comes to entertainment and food.
Today we spent the day at the super cool farmers market in downtown Burlington. Local businesses come out hard for this and there was fresh produce and local meat; plus high end craft items; food vendors of every kind; local beer, wine, and liquor; locally made pottery; and every other thing you can think of. I ate a breakfast taco and a skewer with pork, bacon, and sausage from "heritage pigs" (ooh, fancy...). And we had maple soft serve cones, that they call "creamies" here.
The other day we went back to Stowe, which is adorable and walkable, with an interesting and lively downtown area. They were having an art festival, with street food and crafts. They make it attractive for people to come spend the day (and their disposable income) wandering, getting an ice cream, and listening to local musicians.
So far, in all the public venues and festivals we've enjoyed, we have not seen one incident of unruly behavior to spoil it and make people avoid these things in the future. Today downtown there was a homeless encampment on the side of City Hall that was being somewhat of a nuisance, but they weren't right there in front of everyone and easy to avoid. It still confuses me that a state known for being super liberal has homeless people living on the street and panhandling for money.
But that aside, it's very clean and inviting here. Walking in the evening, you don't have that sense of heightened awareness that you develop in Baltimore (or parts of St. Mary's). There aren't gangs of unruly young people being jerks; there is no sense of menace. It's refreshing and relaxing. There are adorable towns to explore, each with a New England feel, but their own personality.
We're really enjoying Vermont and will be sorry to leave next week.
Today we spent the day at the super cool farmers market in downtown Burlington. Local businesses come out hard for this and there was fresh produce and local meat; plus high end craft items; food vendors of every kind; local beer, wine, and liquor; locally made pottery; and every other thing you can think of. I ate a breakfast taco and a skewer with pork, bacon, and sausage from "heritage pigs" (ooh, fancy...). And we had maple soft serve cones, that they call "creamies" here.
The other day we went back to Stowe, which is adorable and walkable, with an interesting and lively downtown area. They were having an art festival, with street food and crafts. They make it attractive for people to come spend the day (and their disposable income) wandering, getting an ice cream, and listening to local musicians.
So far, in all the public venues and festivals we've enjoyed, we have not seen one incident of unruly behavior to spoil it and make people avoid these things in the future. Today downtown there was a homeless encampment on the side of City Hall that was being somewhat of a nuisance, but they weren't right there in front of everyone and easy to avoid. It still confuses me that a state known for being super liberal has homeless people living on the street and panhandling for money.
But that aside, it's very clean and inviting here. Walking in the evening, you don't have that sense of heightened awareness that you develop in Baltimore (or parts of St. Mary's). There aren't gangs of unruly young people being jerks; there is no sense of menace. It's refreshing and relaxing. There are adorable towns to explore, each with a New England feel, but their own personality.
We're really enjoying Vermont and will be sorry to leave next week.
Yesterday we went for a narrated sightseeing tour of Lake Champlain aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen. About an hour in, the kid sitting near us asked his parents what time it was, and they replied "3 o'clock". He said, "Oh man, another half hour of this! 
" Straight up, I was thinking the same thing. We enjoyed the ride for the ride's sake, but there's not a lot of coolness going on on Lake Champlain. Our Newport, RI boat ride was very interesting with a super engaged human narrator who told us trivia bits and answered questions. The SoEA was a recording and not terribly interesting.
Supposedly this is the #1 Burlington activity on TripAdvisor, which I find amazing. There are many ways to entertain yourself in this area, and a crap ton of things to see and do and enjoy - I find it hard to believe this boat tour ranked as the best.
We leave Monday and we still need to get down to Montpelier.
" Straight up, I was thinking the same thing. We enjoyed the ride for the ride's sake, but there's not a lot of coolness going on on Lake Champlain. Our Newport, RI boat ride was very interesting with a super engaged human narrator who told us trivia bits and answered questions. The SoEA was a recording and not terribly interesting. Supposedly this is the #1 Burlington activity on TripAdvisor, which I find amazing. There are many ways to entertain yourself in this area, and a crap ton of things to see and do and enjoy - I find it hard to believe this boat tour ranked as the best.
We leave Monday and we still need to get down to Montpelier.
You didn't see Champy? Not going to Montreal while you're that close? Lake Placid? Lake George?Yesterday we went for a narrated sightseeing tour of Lake Champlain aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen. About an hour in, the kid sitting near us asked his parents what time it was, and they replied "3 o'clock". He said, "Oh man, another half hour of this!
Supposedly this is the #1 Burlington activity on TripAdvisor, which I find amazing. There are many ways to entertain yourself in this area, and a crap ton of things to see and do and enjoy - I find it hard to believe this boat tour ranked as the best.
We leave Monday and we still need to get down to Montpelier.
We just spent a week in Montréal before we came here.
Damn, that is what that whole other thing was about.
Are you trying to say you don't hang on my every post???
Today we spent the day in Montpelier, which is a super cute town AND the smallest capital city in the US. The government area is very cool and historic, with amazing buildings and a terrific lawn that people recreate on. Downtown Montpelier is walky, shoppy, and eaty - it reminded me of Gettysburg.
When we visited the capitol building, I asked the docent if I could take pictures. He said, "Yep, and you can definitely take that one around the corner. Nobody likes that one."
It was Howard Dean's official portrait. *lol* I'd forgotten that that nozzle use to be their Governor.
Picture time!
Downtown Montpelier
The Capitol building
The Donut Dude - mini apple cider donuts that he fries up while you wait. OMG!!!!!
The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory (they had Shrill and Bill, too)
When we visited the capitol building, I asked the docent if I could take pictures. He said, "Yep, and you can definitely take that one around the corner. Nobody likes that one."
It was Howard Dean's official portrait. *lol* I'd forgotten that that nozzle use to be their Governor.
Picture time!
Downtown Montpelier
The Capitol building
The Donut Dude - mini apple cider donuts that he fries up while you wait. OMG!!!!!
The Vermont Teddy Bear Factory (they had Shrill and Bill, too)
On Grand Isle (South Hero), you get a drink at the bar/restaurant and nab a lounger to enjoy Lake Champlain while you libate
Vergennes, VT
I have a ton of pics of the cute towns we've visited, but they don't come out attractive because people are rude enough to drive their cars on the street while I'm trying to take pics.
Burlington
Vergennes
Stowe
Waterbury
Winooski
St. Albans
I'm glad we spent a full month here.
Vergennes, VT
I have a ton of pics of the cute towns we've visited, but they don't come out attractive because people are rude enough to drive their cars on the street while I'm trying to take pics.
Burlington
Vergennes
Stowe
Waterbury
Winooski
St. Albans
I'm glad we spent a full month here.