providence has really come a long way
 

last time i really spent a lot of time farting around in providence was oh, 1986. i remember it being pretty run-down, with even the nicer parts of town looking downright dilapidated. i didn't see a heck of a lot of crime on the surface, but i frankly didn't get a very good impression of the town. you know this is pretty bad coming from a guy who grew up in detroit. :rotf2:

i've popped in from time to time since then, most recently yesterday (sadly i had zero fishing stuff with me ... had some biz to take care of). wow, what a difference a few decades make. i didn't see any of the disrepair and decay that i so vividly recall, especially around the college hill area. homes and businesses were well-maintained, lawns well-manicured, lots of shops and restaurants, even in these tough times. there is some unbelievable dining in town. if i didn't know any better, i would have guessed i was in a quiet suburb of boston.

downtown - no potholes, modern shopping malls and hotels.

just amazing, providence really is coming into its own even if it's always playing second fiddle to boston.

:wavey:

how u been BEN,nice to see you