Charleston WV.

OK. I haven't spent a lot of time here, but I have been through a few times lately. I don't have a lot to say about Charleston, but I am interested in getting back soon. It did take a second visit for me to realize it, as the area seems to not have a lot going on at first.

First off, this is a bit of a neglected area for day trips from the Eastern Kentucky area. Sure, I think most of us might pass on Charleston West Virginia opting instead for a day in Louisville or a bigger town with more going on in general.

Charleston does have a really cool SAL minor league baseball park that I have mentioned on my other blog. They have a Quaker Steak and Lube. If you are a buffalo wing fan, this is a great chain that I would love to see hit Kentucky.

Charleston has a nice mall too. I know many people hate malls, but, as they become more scarce by the moment, I am really developing an appreciation for them. The Charleston Town Center Mall seems is nice and spacious, and it is maintained well. They have a nice food court on the third story where you can look out over the other stories on the mall. This is very relaxing.

Huntington and Marshall University are also close by. We stopped briefly in Huntington and hit their mall too. They have a nice one. I don't know why, but I love those big mall book stores with a Seattle's Best Coffee in them. I would like to see more of these too. Also, on the same exit at the Huntington Mall we went to, there is the Billy Bob's Pizza place that I mentioned before.

The area does have a bit of a X-Files vibe going on, and I love areas with that kind of feel. Flatwoods (birthplace of the "Flatwoods Monster") and Point Pleasant which is associated with Mothman are close by. Also, and I plan on talking about this later, the Weston State Hospital (aka the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum) is not too far off either. That is a cool place I will need to talk about more!