Des Moines
Jun. 2nd, 2006 03:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
furtechThe way this is going, I'll be doing my trip report in reverse order.
I'm not sure if the placement of this cannon (morter) was intentional or not. Des Moines isn't -that- bad a place.
Des Moines was one of the most difficult cities to get to from anywhere. Cost as much as two tickets to NYC! As cities go, Des Moines isn't so bad. They have a zoo, a murky river running through it and aside from being the Big Thing come Presidential elections, their principle industry is insurance.
The capital building was beautiful
Lewis and Clark and Pocahontas? Or have I watched too many Disney cartoons? Anyway, the chick on the dollar coin. I wonder if this is the part of their exploration where the endless flat lands drove them nearly mad?
A Buffalo fountain (spigot?) that I liked for no particular reason.
Des Moine's Skyway The downtown area had second floor walkways similar to the ones I experienced in Minneapolis. I think these are neat: they're almost like another world, with shops and a unique environment with different sections having their own flavor. Unlike Mpls's skyways, however, the City of Des Moines owns these and they are required to be open 24/7.
As the weather was hot and *humid*, I took the Skyway back. This was late in the afternoon on Memorial Day. The downtown was deserted, but lo-- the Skyway was open! Accessable from any building. And the shop-filled route was just as deserted. It felt like "The Omega Man" What struck me was how little security there was. There were a number of stores where I could have reached in and taken any manner of merchandise or display. Maybe there were security cameras or something, but none that I could see. Here is a pic of a large coffee stand where the cups, coffee thermos bottles and equipment were just set out there in the open . Living in L.A. all this time I was wide-eyed with shock!
When I mentioned this to a local, they simply smiled and said, "Welcome to Iowa!"
These next pics are specifically for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kvogel. I took a walk across town (probably a whole two miles each direction) to see the capital building.
Civil War era Boombox
Side view
Rear view
Peeking inside
I'm not sure if this is Civil War or not, but it looks old (my expert eye).
Same as above.
I got a neat shot of the insides, though.
I'm not sure if the placement of this cannon (morter) was intentional or not. Des Moines isn't -that- bad a place.
Des Moines was one of the most difficult cities to get to from anywhere. Cost as much as two tickets to NYC! As cities go, Des Moines isn't so bad. They have a zoo, a murky river running through it and aside from being the Big Thing come Presidential elections, their principle industry is insurance.
The capital building was beautiful
Lewis and Clark and Pocahontas? Or have I watched too many Disney cartoons? Anyway, the chick on the dollar coin. I wonder if this is the part of their exploration where the endless flat lands drove them nearly mad?
A Buffalo fountain (spigot?) that I liked for no particular reason.
Des Moine's Skyway The downtown area had second floor walkways similar to the ones I experienced in Minneapolis. I think these are neat: they're almost like another world, with shops and a unique environment with different sections having their own flavor. Unlike Mpls's skyways, however, the City of Des Moines owns these and they are required to be open 24/7.
As the weather was hot and *humid*, I took the Skyway back. This was late in the afternoon on Memorial Day. The downtown was deserted, but lo-- the Skyway was open! Accessable from any building. And the shop-filled route was just as deserted. It felt like "The Omega Man" What struck me was how little security there was. There were a number of stores where I could have reached in and taken any manner of merchandise or display. Maybe there were security cameras or something, but none that I could see. Here is a pic of a large coffee stand where the cups, coffee thermos bottles and equipment were just set out there in the open . Living in L.A. all this time I was wide-eyed with shock!
When I mentioned this to a local, they simply smiled and said, "Welcome to Iowa!"
These next pics are specifically for
kvogel. I took a walk across town (probably a whole two miles each direction) to see the capital building. Civil War era Boombox
Side view
Rear view
Peeking inside
I'm not sure if this is Civil War or not, but it looks old (my expert eye).
Same as above.
I got a neat shot of the insides, though.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Hurray!!!
Date: 2006-06-02 10:20 am (UTC)Thank you very much for posting more about our locale than I was able to see! :)
no subject
Date: 2006-06-02 01:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-02 01:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 05:53 pm (UTC)