I HEART Detroit

So my travel blog is officially being delivered via the internet at snail pace, its like cute telegram stories from ye ol' past. But that's ok. Yes I've been back in Austin for a month but I still want to finish thing thing out. Two more entries to go. So DETROIT!!!! yes DETROIT!!!! What can I say other than the cheesiest line in the book, Dont judge a book by its cover. But I'm dead serious. I dont know how much stress I, my family and close friends induced on me, of course all in good faith, by warning me and worrying about the supposed dangers of the big scary city. And all I can say is the everyone couldn't be more wrong. Having just stayed in hotel in Pittsburgh, I was a bit more comfortable with the idea of being along in the city but the thought of wandering around in search of life around downtown Detroit was nerve wrecking. After the first few hrs of being there, I quickly realized how wrong I was and I was completely comfortable roaming through the busy streets. While I was there, the state's democratic convention was happening so there were hundreds of eager and loud democrats roaming the streets so that was pretty entertaining.
As part of my research I visited the newly opened Dequindre Cut Greenway which I like to call Detroit's "urban" version of the Highline. It is essentially a bike/running trail below grade and connects the city's recently redeveloped riverfront/riverwalk to the most incredible market which everyone should one day visit called the Eastern Market. The Cut goes under 10 or so street overpasses that are completely covered in graffiti and street art. The fact that the city chose to preserve this as an element of place for this newly designed trail is endearing and a great example of how sanitation is not always the answer. The Eastern Market which is current terminus of the trial has been a part of Detroit every saturday since something like 1875. It is an urban market( sort of a farmer's market) that is held on over 5 city blocks of the north east corner of the downtown. There as so much food, so many people and the place where everyone from the city comes to enjoy music and have a good time EVERY SATURDAY. While at the market, I walked past a saxophone player that was playing his jazz version of lady Gaga's greatest hits, jajaja it was pretty amazing jajaja.
I honestly think that there is so much hope for this city and a large amount of energy to revitalize its urban core that is exciting to see cases such as here in our own national state of downfall and depression. I think Detroit is one of those places that I would love to revisit every few years to keep up with its redevelopment. It is a place in America with such bad stigma but everyone needs to go see it for themselves and learn that it is actually an incredible city.

Pittsburghhhhhh

A couple of weeks ago I rode across country, left the west coast and three days later I landed in the land of steel! I was extra nervous for this part of my journey because it would be the first time on my trip that I would be going to place not knowing a single soul. To get to Pittsburgh, I left Portland to take a train up to Seattle, transfer there to take a 2 day train to Chicago, to then transfer there onto a train that's set for DC(which I would later take again) and deboard in Pittsburgh.

During my stay in the city, I visited the Andy Warhol Museum( 7 stories of all multi-media, all you ever need to see to get deep into the mind of this man and creep yourself out) but it was really cool. I walked around the downtown district which is one of the smallest for a major metropolitan city. I rode up the Duquesne Incline( as seen in the picture) and got the most incredible view of the city. After that I like to call Pittsburgh the city of red brick. The city is very much a working class city and I was surprised to see how much of the city still runs as an industrial king.Being in Pittsburgh made me feel as if I had taken a trip back to the times of the industrial revolution. I was great!! People of all socio economic statuses use public transportation which is entirely overwhelmed by users with not enough buses to make up for the need. The drivers were the rudest I encountered, they wouldnt stop even if you were at the stop and standing, you needed to wave them down to get them to pull over. Everyone seemed to always be on the go. But I managed to get around after much stress and annoyance.
And I was told I couldn't leave Pittsburgh without having one of its famous Primanti Brothers sandwich. Its a super meaty, hardy sandwich stacked with french fries and coleslaw IN the sandwich for a fast and easy meal. It was HUGE and I couldn't believe I ate the whooooleee thing.
On my final leg of train ride from Chicago to Pittsburgh I made a new friend, Jennie a third year journalism student from Northwestern. By complete coincidence we overlapped on both our rides in and out of Pittsburgh, making it a bit comforting to know that a familiar face would be there to see that I left safely from my stay alone in the city. It was fun to meet someone that gets a thrill out of architecture without having been brain washed liked the rest of us through our design schooling. Maybe that's why we clicked so well, because our mutual love for buildings. Thats her in the picture; we got "Amtrak Junior Conductor" hats at the station and I thought it was a good idea to snap a shot of that jajaja.
Oh and P.S. I was told that the bridges in Pittsburgh are all yellow because of the movie Inspector Gadget that was filmed there a few years back...who knew! They look kind of cool actually.