Centralia

I have never thought much about Centralia Washington. Tia and I even stopped there once and didn't recall that we had been there before until we noticed the Burgerville we had eaten at on our way to Vancouver BC. It was wholly forgettable. Just another place off the interstate to fuel up the car and fill up on fast food.

However, once in BC, we met a couple from Centralia who recommended a more extended visit. Since it is less than 100 miles distant and Tia's birthday was near, it seemed like a good place for an overnight getaway. They even boast a McMenamins (Olympic Club Pub) which we decided to stay at. Evidently the town is known for its antique stores and an outlet mall. Sadly, neither proved impressive.

I should preface the rest of this entry by stating that we had a fun time. This was largely due to going to a nearby casino for a few hours and the cheap spirits proferred by the Olympic club after 10pm. The town itself resembles the kind of place where meth production probably began if for no other reason than because there was nothing else to do. The antique stores were chock full of expensive wares, though the houses in the surrounding area did not give the impression that anyone could afford them. The restaurants were the kind of cheap diner locales that sport tasty, inexpensive, and straightforward fare and the downtown lacked for most anything that was open after 8pm (save the place we stayed). The outlet mall was scattered about in three or four locations that were not near enough to one another to walk between and held about 30 stores, few of which were worth bothering with. The Olyimpic club itself was quite well preserved and has an interesting history behind it. The only failing of it was its proximity to fairly regularly used train tracks. The windows did little to dampen the sound of the horn blasts each time the train approached. However, the amber nitros did a fine job of mitigating that minor obstacle to restful slumber.

So, all in all it was a fun getaway, but I think Tia and I will probably not soon return to Centralia to stay........or shop for that matter. WE might, however, stop in for a pint at the Olympic club or some seasonal shakes at Burgerville on our way to more interesting destinations.