Marvelous Mondays Return--You Could Win a Book!

Note: I'm reviving "Marvelous Mondays" wherein I choose one lucky comment-er to win a free book. This week's prize is Sweet Revenge, A Lady Arianna Regency Mystery by Andrea Penrose.

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We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.--Jawaharial Nehru

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"Have fun in the ghetto," said one of my friends sarcastically when she heard I was on my way to Bouchercon in Cleveland last Thursday. 

I'll admit a bit of trepidation. I'd been told that things had been very bad in Cleveland. Bribes and corruption had had devastating effects on the local economy. 

But the FBI started investigating and caught several politicians with their hands in the cookie jar. Former Cuyahoga County commissioner Jimmy Dimora was sentenced to 28 years in prison for racketeering and 32 other bribery and corruption-related crimes. The US District Judge said, "The reach of his corruption was far and wide. The destruction left in its wake is incalculable." A few months later, Robert Peto, a labor leader and port authority board member was also accused of taking bribes--and indicted. In fact, these men seem to have been the tip of the iceberg. There are so many charges flying around that The Cleveland Plain Dealer published a comprehensive guide to the corruption charges!

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A cool door that reflects the gritty, hard-working side of Cleveland.

One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. -- Henry Miller

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I'm happy to report that there are also definite changes in the wind. You can see it everywhere--in the faces of the citizens, in the signage, in the re-vitalization, and in the attitudes of everyone you meet. And far from being downtrodden, I found Cleveland to be...delightful!

The downtown was spotless. The people were friendly and upbeat. My hotel--the Hilton Garden Inn on Carnegie--offered the BEST hotel experience I can ever remember. You read that right! Every member of the staff greeted me with a smile, accommodated my wishes, and went out of their way to be pleasant.

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Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else. 
                                      --Lawrence Block

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My visit provided me with a lot of serendipitous moments. For example, I was taking a walk and thinking about my work, when I looked up and spotted this cool statue of Jesus who appears to be blessing a parking garage! I poked around in the Erie Street Cemetery and discovered the grave of an Indian chief, Joc-O-Soc, who is said to haunt Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians. All in all, I had a grand time--and that's not even counting the fun I had at Bouchercon.

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How about you? What recent trip exceeded your expectations? What are your thoughts on travel? 

Tell me about it and you could win a copy of Sweet Revenge, a Lady Arianna Regency Mystery by Andrea Penrose.