When we awoke Wednesday morning we realized that the snow must have returned in the night, because there was a light covering on the bluff above the Monongahela River opposite our hotel. Neither Max or I had been to Pittsburgh before, although I believe my parents lived there briefly early in their marriage. After doing a little research in our AAA Tour Book, and with our next overnight stop in Columbus a reasonably short drive that could easily be traversed in the mid-to-late afternoon, we decided to explore the city a bit. We left with the conclusion that it is a most interesting city, and one we might want to revisit sometime when we have more time. Pittsburgh, not unlike Seattle, is a geographically challenged city, with the downtown circumscribed by the two rivers and the steep inclines on their respective opposite sides, and especially the Monongahela side, rising sharply so as to make development impossible. The city is known alternatively as the "Steel City" and the "City of Bridges" (there are reportedly 446 of them in the city). However the major bridges across the Monongahela lead directly into large tunnels, so maybe a reference to them should be added to the latter appellation. Because of the cold weather and Max's now-in-full-throttle cold we decided not to take the 30 minute ride up the bluff on one of the city's two operating inclines, but did drive to the top of the bluff over the Monongahela to take in the spectacular views of the downtown area that they offer. The picture at the left above is of a bronze that, according to the plaque posted nearby, depicts a 1770 meeting between George Washington and a leader of the Seneca nation at which they discussed the future of the region, and you can probably guess how that turned out. After lunch at Primanti Brothers, a restaurant near the University of Pittsburgh recommended by Robyn based on an article from the New York Times, where all sandwiches come with french fries and coleslaw built into them, rather than on the side. Max liked it, but I found it tasty but a bit weird, although certainly an efficient way to eat. Following lunch we headed west to Columbus, arriving just in time for dinner at the Cap City Diner, recommended by our token Buckeye friend, Linda Drygas, and then settled in for the final leg on the trip to Indianapolis.
When we awoke Wednesday morning we realized that the snow must have returned in the night, because there was a light covering on the bluff above the Monongahela River opposite our hotel. Neither Max or I had been to Pittsburgh before, although I believe my parents lived there briefly early in their marriage. After doing a little research in our AAA Tour Book, and with our next overnight stop in Columbus a reasonably short drive that could easily be traversed in the mid-to-late afternoon, we decided to explore the city a bit. We left with the conclusion that it is a most interesting city, and one we might want to revisit sometime when we have more time. Pittsburgh, not unlike Seattle, is a geographically challenged city, with the downtown circumscribed by the two rivers and the steep inclines on their respective opposite sides, and especially the Monongahela side, rising sharply so as to make development impossible. The city is known alternatively as the "Steel City" and the "City of Bridges" (there are reportedly 446 of them in the city). However the major bridges across the Monongahela lead directly into large tunnels, so maybe a reference to them should be added to the latter appellation. Because of the cold weather and Max's now-in-full-throttle cold we decided not to take the 30 minute ride up the bluff on one of the city's two operating inclines, but did drive to the top of the bluff over the Monongahela to take in the spectacular views of the downtown area that they offer. The picture at the left above is of a bronze that, according to the plaque posted nearby, depicts a 1770 meeting between George Washington and a leader of the Seneca nation at which they discussed the future of the region, and you can probably guess how that turned out. After lunch at Primanti Brothers, a restaurant near the University of Pittsburgh recommended by Robyn based on an article from the New York Times, where all sandwiches come with french fries and coleslaw built into them, rather than on the side. Max liked it, but I found it tasty but a bit weird, although certainly an efficient way to eat. Following lunch we headed west to Columbus, arriving just in time for dinner at the Cap City Diner, recommended by our token Buckeye friend, Linda Drygas, and then settled in for the final leg on the trip to Indianapolis.
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