Oak Park, Illinios 6/29/09-7/2/009

6/29/09
I began my trip in Enest Hemingway's hometownof Oak Park, Illinios. Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Oak Park. Since I myself live in Oak Park I did not need to wory about transportation or sleeping arangements because I slept in my house and drove my personal car. My first visit in Oak Park was to the Hemingway Museum. Admission to this museum costed seven dollars and there was a gift shop as well. In the museum I encountered all sorts of things to help me piece together Hemingway's childhood. Some of the most interesting things that I found in the museum were Hemingway's early writings such as his diary and letters. In his diary he describes his family and his antics as a child. What I found to be most interesting at this museum were the photographs. They portrayed the masculine, Hemingway that we know today dressed in little girls' clothes. I enjoyed this museum so much that I stopped at the gift shop on my way out to buy a coffee mug for ten dollars adorned with Papa Hemingway''s face and signature. It was a great start for my trip and I was looking foreward to the rest of my day. My stomach was feeling empty and my throat was feeling parched so I strolled to the Hemingway Bistro which was conveniently just down the street from the museum. As I walked in I felt immediately flooded with culture and history. This parisian style restuarant featured amazing French food and atmosphere that would explain every detail of Ernest Hemingway to any person without saying a word. I was seated at a table with a magnificent view. I ordered my twenty-five dollar meal and sat to reflect on what I had seen that day. As I turned to view the sun set on Oak Park I smelled my fillet of Halibut topped with Dijonnaise mustard sauce enter the room and for that moment I couldn't help but feel that Ernnest Hemingway himself was seated across the table. I snapped out of my fantasy when the waitress placed my meal on the table. After my meal I drove home and got a good night's rest to prepare for the next day.
6/30/09
I awoke at 9:00A.M. and headed to Ernest Hemingway's highschool to continue my excursions in Hemingway's childhood. At this location I found Hemingway's original desk that he worked at as a highschool student and some of his school work. I toured the school and spoke with the current principal there. Next door I visited the library where Mr. Hemingway rented books and studied. I then ate the school lunch for three dollars and spoke with a few current students at the school and asked them what they thought of Ernest Hemingway. Some replied with, "Who?" Others were responsive and commented on his lifestyle and stories. It was good to know that students still today are being educated on Ernest Hemingway and the stories he wrote.
7/1/09
The next day I traveled to The Hemingway Foundation in Oak Park. I paid my eight dollar admission and toured Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. It also had valuable photo galleries and a multitude of information about Ernest Hemingway. They were so nice that they even convinced me to donate fifteen dollars to the Hemingway foundation which helps them renovate his birthplace and carry out their tours. Here at this location there were true Hemingway fanatics who volunteered their time to help educate people on his life and his writings. After this visit to the Hemingway foundation I headed home to pack for my trip to Valencia, Spain which left the next day.