We went to PGH today to the 3 River Arts Festival. Rather than drive right to the festival and try to find parking there, we went to the Rivers Casino on the the North Side and took the newly opened train under the Genesee River and over to Points Park for the Festival. Public transportation makes me very happy. And riding on this branch of the transit will be free for 3 years! We started at Allegheny Station, which is right at the one of the ball parks and the Carnegie Science Center ...
Only 2 stops away and here we are in downtown Pittsburgh ...
... at the 3 River Arts Festival ...
Lots of things to look at. So much so that I get overwhelmed, and don't buy a thing ...
... but I was very impressed with this gallery of weed photography! (I'm going to put together something like this with my own weeds, I think.)
Some recycling art, like this "catch of the day" made from soda cans.
and other stuff ...
I found the building reflections impressive ...
... and this fake lady ...
We broke away from the festival and had lunch at Jimmy John's across the street ...
... we went in despite the sign ...
... Looked around for some live music ... and thought we were hearing a Bluegrass Band, "Well Strung" ...
but they said that they were just the "Roadies" who were setting up for "Well Strung". They were good.
... another fake man ...
... the Calligraphy Guild of PGH doing free names ...
... and then this fun little parade came along. I think that they must be the Public Safety Crew or something ...
... back down the subway ...
... everything is brand new ...
... and back to the Casino where we were parked ...
... we walked through the huge, very air-conditioned (and very many people smoking), and almost packed casino. There was a poker tournament going on, and a high stakes room where trays of (free?) drinks were being served.
So many people absorbed in the slot machines ...
... dunno, but I don't get it ...
Anyway, we felt like we had been to the city and seen many sites!
Casinos really upset me. I don't get it either. I guess I can't imagine throwing money away.
ReplyDeleteThere is going to be a calligraphy-based exhibit -- "regular", Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese, etc. in Old Montreal in September. My teacher will be participating.
Love that train and the idea of making it free for three years. It should attract ridership that way. I think it is free here only one day a year -- New Year's Eve, I think. Public transit gives me a good feeling, too. I always feel elated after a trip and resolve to do it again soon. It is less trouble and almost as fast as using your own vehicle.
I think that gambling has been going on for a long time, Barbara - many people find some sort of entertainment (or diversion) from it. The real winners (at least financially) are the casino owners. Still, there seems to be something strange going on there, I just can't put my finger on it. So many senior citizens ... Are they dreaming of hitting it big?
ReplyDeleteI hope that trains catch on more.