A Detroit Gallimaufry

If I've posted any of these photos, enjoy them again. I can't remember everything! Ok, I can't remember much at all -why do you think I take so many photographs? Wrapping it up gyro in Detroit, here we go.

This is one of the many tiled wall pieces in the people mover stations. They're pretty wonderful.

There are a lot more walls in other stations. You can look at photos here and it's worth the time to look. The idea of such amazing art in a place where you are only going to be so very briefly widely opens your eyes. Art of the moment, it's everywhere.

You can hop on and off all across town and tokens are inexpensive enough to make it another good way to see the buildings and different areas of the city. If I'd done this whole day trip as one post, this is where you'd see a lot of the water tower photos I put in earlier posts. I felt a bit like a voyeur in a not creepy way, getting a peek into hidden spaces far above the street. Grab it!

We got out to see the River Walk. There's a lot more to it than we walked and a lot more planned for the future. For one thing, a greenway connecting to Eastern Market, which warms the cockles of my food heart. How that all works out financially will be something for this part of Michigan to figure out, but I have a feeling it will happen one of these days. I hope so.

A freighter heading down the river, right past the casino in Windsor Canada. Sea gull, he don't care.

I had no idea (or forgot my history) that so much of the Underground Railroad was played out here, always thinking of it as a northeast corridor series of events. It wasn't.

The Detroit Princess tour boat. Originally built as a casino, over its life span has been quite a trip, from its birthplace in Louisiana, to Illinois, back to Louisiana and finally a very roundabout trip to Detroit. It's huge. Too huge to interest me for a tour, but cool looking enough to get my attention.

Work is goin' on! I missed them waving at us, but they did. More friendly Detroit'ers.

Back on the people mover we went by the bus station. The scale of the whatever they are's from mid-air was pretty hard to take in, zooming by. Parachutes?

The Rosa Parks Transit Center. Did you know Rosa Parks, though not from here, both lived and died in Detroit?

Finally, we were hungry and there we were, pulling into the Greektown station. As soon as we hit the street, Greek music hit our ears, coming from I don't know where, but it was just the right volume to transport me to a tiny slice of Greece. Real tiny, but real good. Greektown, I like you!

Stylin' Greektown server at the New Parthanon

Don't forget your coat, sir!

Another mermaid for my brother. I left a bit of the man's head in the corner so you can get the perspective of the size of this mural - and this is only the bottom corner.

Karen doesn't seem to mind that he has, apparently, lost his spear.

There are about 5 levels in this place. We were in there between lunch and dinner so it was pretty empty, but not hard to imagine parties going on.

 

This store had the biggest variety of liquor miniatures I've ever seen. Karen exhibited a rare restraint and left the Soprano's wine on the shelf. I left the miniatures as well. I think I was running.

For my beer buds.

You do NOT want to stumble here, it is truly steam and truly hot. How do I know this? I stuck my foo...ok, not really, I just heard a story about someone who stumbled and got seriously burned seriously fast. Ouch!

This church building is so beautiful and also, it was a big part of the Underground Railroad.  It is also decaying in a very sad way; I hope they can save it.

Everything was closed the day we were there; I hear it's pretty amazing inside.

I should have grabbed the preacher before he headed off, but I was too interested in his robe. It was beautiful.

This smallish building was across the street from the church building and sort of encapsulated so much of Detroit for me. History and modern, mismashed in a still intriguing way.

I was going for the weird triangular dormer window, but I got this instead. I like it.

Ah, there's the window. Different.

Empty. Sad.

The Ambassador Bridge is one way to go to Canada, this is another. Trucks can't use this and that guy doesn't own it, so I think unless I was into the bridge views, I'd take the tunnel. Karen says it's about a ten minute drive, I think I could do that.

This statue is outside of the courthouse. It is way way up high on marble or granite pedestal and is called The Hand of God. Really. Dramatic and startling both.

Michigan is almost in my rear view window, but I'm not leaving before I'm gone. It's not even snowing yet!

Have a take to the top Thursday. Do something textured.