Second Week in Montana

After quiting my job and leaving California, I headed out to Montana to spend some quality time with my sister and her family.  I've now spent two weeks in the wonderful town of Missoula.  I haven't gotten out and about much, but here are my observations so far:

• It's pretty. It really is. The city is surrounded by snow topped mountains, and everything below the snow line is green and lush looking.
• Cars stop for pedestrians. This may not be a big deal for some people.  But I've spent the last however many years dodging cars in the crosswalk.  I was pleasantly surprised the other day when, while I was waiting at a corner with no crosswalk, cars in both directions stopped and waiting patiently for me to cross. It's a plus for this city.
• People are polite and clean up after themselves for the most part.  At the coffee shop today, the drink handed to the girl in front of me splashed a little on the counter. She ran and got a napkin to wipe it up, while the employee was busy working on another drink.  Also, every public bathroom I have been in so far has been decently clean: another sign of consideration.
• For a smallish town, they have culture. I've learned that Missoula is home to several great film festivals. This weekend I volunteered for a few hours at the International Wildlife Film Festival. They had films from around the world, and top experts in wildlife and film came to participate in panels.

On the downside, road planning was done by crazy people. There is actually a three-way road junction that the locals call "malfunction." Otherwise, so far so good. I would recommend stopping for visit if you are passing through Montana anytime soon.