Durham, NC: Contraband Country

Unfortunately a lot of the pics from Durham were NOT recovered. 

Durham is filled with woodsy beauty, Duke University, and a incredible medical pool to choose from.

And then there's this:

I happened to take this at a post office, but let me tell you, these signs ARE everywhere.

Durham is a Serious University Town.

Sports and Medicine. 

And I guess weapon wielding academics?

The University really is quite beautiful - I can see why this is an easy sell for academics and students alike. You could almost fake a few of the buildings for Cambridge.

Here is my dog enjoying a trail adjacent to the University:

Richard M Nixon, Class of 1937.

The real reason I stopped in Durham was to see an old friend from NY who was spending some time there at a health retreat. 

Now this is not a fancy pants kind of spa - no, no nonononononononono it is not. Think a little crunchy, a little 70's - you get the idea.

The meals are  predominantly vegan, have no sodium, no sugar and the beverages consist of filtered water, tea, and black coffee.

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was at the prospect of eating some kind of non fast food. 

Most people dread coming to the retreat knowing the blandness of the food  that they will have to eat for the next few months. 

Not I. 

Behold my first meal:

Starting with upper left: Wild Rice; Kale; Split Pea Soup; Roasted Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic.

Heaven. 

And if that doesn't speak volumes about the crap I was eating on the road (MINUS Dad's, and my Aunt and Uncle's) I don't know what does.

The best part is that the people who are participating in the retreat smuggle in "contraband"  during their meals. For one, it may be Equal, another Splenda. One has a vial of perfectly aged Balsamic.  

Me? 

I went out to the parking lot grabbed a Diet Coke out of my car, crouched down and chugged some praying that I wouldn't have soda breath when I walked back in.