Walla Walla, Washington, or as I like to think of it, the other www, is a Washington state wine country college town. There are over 100 wineries in this area and the best of them are producing the big bold Cabs that Washington is known for. It’s also home to Whitman College (and a bunch of other less-well-known schools). Whitman is a picturesque little campus right in the heart of the historical district and from the looks of things there, it is well endowed. (Think acres of manicured lawn and monster art installations.)
As one strolls across campus (and we did more than several times) one could feel as if they’d slipped into a time warp. The student body appears to be extraordinarily wholesome looking, almost like they are from a generation ago. Or, then again, maybe we’ve just been living in Portland for a year so we’re used to young folks with some ink on them. (Not a single tattoo shop was spotted in greater Walla Walla.)
Venture off campus and you will encounter another element of young folk, shall we say, a tad bit more expressive in terms of sartorial choices and grooming practices? We had a nice little convo with some young ladies born and bred about the division. Was it accurate to say the townies and the “Whitties” (their word for the college kids) kept to themselves? Was there no common ground between the two groups? They seemed reluctant to discuss it candidly leaving us to speculate on the sociological divide. It isn’t a matter of money. Lots of the townie kids come from wheat farmer families and/or are winery brats; they will never be economically disadvantaged. (Not as long as the third world needs American wheat and the rest of America needs their vino. So, never.) Lots of the Whitman kids are there on scholarship, so no, not wealthy. It was a real thing though. Suffice it to say, we felt a bit like extras in that old 90s movie Breaking Away about college townies vs. Indiana State University frat kids on bicycles. Remember the “cutters” vs. “the jocks”? – and the real villains, the Eye-talians? Great movie. Watch it and you’ve practically been to WWW. We had perfect weather for swilling wine on the patios of some pretty nice wineries but I suspect that the winters in WWW are nearly as bad as they are in southern Indiana. Oh, but the wine is sooooo very much better than the Indiana stuff of grapes. (Yes, Indiana makes some wine but we don’t recommend it. You’re on your own there. Sorry Hoosiers. (http://www.indianawineries.com)
