Pittsburgh, Part 2

After thoroughly enjoying the view of Pittsburgh's downtown skyline at night, I knew that I needed to see it up close during the daytime. Although I was leaving the city in the afternoon, I decided to spend the morning walking around downtown and seeing what the city had to offer. I started in Point State Park, which is along the riverside and features Three Rivers, the point where the Allegheny and Monogahela Rivers converge to form the Ohio River. Although it wasn't terribly early when I headed down there, the park was nearly completely empty, my only companions being the geese who were resting in the grass.

It was a little cool out that morning, but still warm enough to walk around with my coat open. There was a cute café seating area that must be nice during warmer months. Even with the quiet and lack of people, I could easily envision this park being lively in the summertime.

After walking through an underpass, you can check out the Fort Pitt Museum and the Fort Pitt Blockhouse. I decided to bypass those and head straight for the riverfront. 

Since I was the only person who seemed to be going for a morning stroll along the riverfront, I found it very peaceful and serene. The rain from the day before lingered in the damp air, and fog was slowly rolling over the water. I enjoyed the solitude of the environment, and while I would love to sit on one of the riverside benches with a book on a sunny day, there is something to be said for the quiet. A sunny day would attract crowds, which would change the experience. Not in a necessarily bad way, just different.

Three Rivers

There is a large fountain at the point where the three rivers meet, but it unfortunately is under construction until the summer, so I wasn't able to see the fountain or go to the very tip. Even so, I thought the view was spectacular!

After getting my fill of the riverside, I decided to head over to Market Square, which is basically just a town square. On my walk over, I kept looking up at PPG Place, a building that is striking both in its height and its architecture-- it looks like a mirrored castle! I think it is my favorite part of the Pittsburgh skyline, and I was excited to see it up close on my walk. Market Square was quiet on this particular Saturday morning, and I loved the contrast of the short brick buildings from earlier days alongside impressive structures like PPG Place. It's both quaint and modern, and it seemed to capture the spirit of Pittsburgh pretty well. 

Christmas tree and ice skating rink at PPG Place

Market Square

Shortly after, I had to head back to my hotel to meet my airport shuttle so that I could return home to the hubs. Pittsburgh definitely wasn't the depressed steel and mining town I had expected, and I was delighted to have enjoyed the city and my time there. Given my short stay, there was a lot that I missed out on, but the things that I did see were great, and I felt very content to just walk around and see what the city is like. I certainly wouldn't mind returning to see other parts of the city with the hubs!