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!

Pittsburgh, Part 1

My interview adventures brought me to Pittsburgh last week, a city that I had heard good things about but that remained in my mind a crumbling, smoky, steel town. I was excited to explore a new city, nervous about doing it on my own, and unsure what the experience would ultimately be like. As the airport shuttle drove me to my hotel, I was amazed by the stunning view of Pittsburgh's downtown lit up at night, and I knew that I was in for a good time.

I had an afternoon interview, so I made sure to maximize my free morning by hitting the pavement and walking around the neighborhood surrounding the University of Pittsburgh campus. It was starting to rain, so I had to cut my walk short, but I was able to enjoy the beautiful buildings, the most striking of which was the Cathedral of Learning. I admit that I felt pretty self-conscious snapping away on my camera in front of all the Pitt students (I hate looking like a tourist), but once I started, I felt more at ease and embraced my visitor status.

The William Pitt Student Union

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

After my interview, I decided to go for a short walk near my hotel to try to get some shots of the sunset. Unfortunately, I wasn't at the best angle, but these couple of shots give you an idea of how nice it can be to see a setting sun through tree branches. Quite lovely!

Later that evening, I took a funicular up the Duquesne Incline to experience the beautiful Pittsburgh skyline at night. It's $5 for a roundtrip adult ticket, and the car has windows all around so that everyone can get a decent view. I was the only one on my car, which was a bit creepy, but I was relieved to see that there were other folks up top checking out the view.

The view was really beautiful. I saw quite a few couples cuddling as they looked out at the skyline, and I think this would be a cute stop for a date night. Since I was solo, I at first was focused on finding the right camera setting for a good photo, but I reminded myself to put the camera away after a while so I could just appreciate the view. 

My first photo attempt from the overlook. I know it's very blurry, but I like the abstract look of it, anyway. :)

Much better!

This time with the Three Points in the lower left.

Since I didn't want to just take the funicular back down after a few minutes, I decided to walk around the neighborhood. There are a few restaurants that capitalize on the view of the river of skyline, as well as several houses. I walked along until I found a break in the buildings and took a few photos of the skyline from a different angle. It was nice to go for a solo stroll, and even though it was dark out, I felt safe walking around with my camera.

The view from down the road

By this point, I was feeling a bit chilly, so I decided it was time to head back down the funicular. I was glad that I had made the trip up the mountainside, as there really is something beautiful about gazing down at bright lights and their reflections in the river. 

The view was a far cry from the podunk, rundown steel town I had originally envisioned. As I would find out the next morning, downtown Pittsburgh had its own special charm to offer...