Pea Soup

Best Western is a membership association of independently owned and operated hotels. (I looked this up, and it says so in their FAQs.) With more than 4,100 hotels in 80 countries, they call themselves "The World’s Largest Hotel Chain." Many are the standard place name like Best Western Dallas North or Best Western Falls Church. The really interesting ones are those that are themed, and there are many. The theme often doesn’t match the surrounding area, as in the case of the Best Western Swiss Clock Inn, in Pecos Texas. The design includes dark wood beams and a tall white clock tower visible from the highway. The Best Western Pecos Inn, on the other hand, is in Artesia New Mexico. Sometimes, the hotel takes its theme from a landmark already in place. This is true of the hotel we stayed in last night on the way to Portland from LA. It is the Best Western Peasoup Andersen’s Inn in Nella Village, CA. A Danish man and his French wife started drawing tourists with the original Pea Soup stop further south in CA, but this Pea Soup II has been there a LONG time as well. The sourdough bread bowl full of pea soup with 5 toppings (croutons, ham, bacon, scallions and cheddar) at the restaurant next door was delicious. . . and 10% off with our coupon from the Best Western. There are numerous other examples that don’t quite fit. I guess you can find driftwood by a river, but it’s not the first thing you think of. Nevertheless, the Best Western Driftwood Inn is in Idaho Falls, while Big Country is in Coalinga, CA. Other memorable stops include the Best Western Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma with above average Mexican food and nothing but highway and cows in view. Curious names we’re keeping an eye out for: Best Western Icicle Inn in Leavenworth, WA, Best Western Locomotive Inn in Laurel, MT, Best Western Lodge at Purgatory in Durango, CO and the Best Western Treehouse Inn in Mt. Shasta, CA.