The Argentina National flag features a sun, which is appropriate as the sun shines quite often here. The official presidential residence is in the suburb of Olivos, and the small, but well kept park on part of the grounds features a number of sculptures depicting this Incan sun from the flag.
Olivos is situated along the Rio de La Plata, which is called a river. It is a 30 mile wide river near Olivos and Buenos Aires, widening to 150 miles at the mouth at the Atlantic.
Olivos has a small harbor full of sailboats.
It is also in the landing path of Jorge Newberry Airport.
With the ‘river’ comes great sunrises, with this photo an interesting mix of clouds, sun and ‘sea’.
Tigre is at the end of one of the lines of the commuter rail from Buenos Aires. They have a very stylish station.
Tigre is known as the gateway to the Parana Delta. This area covers the size of Connecticut, and is made up of hundreds of islands (and no roads). All of the transportation into the delta is via boat.
As a result Tigre is a tourist destination, with many attractions throughout the delta.
We had no particular plans for this day so we wandered around town. There are numerous boat clubs along the Tigre River. In this case, they are across the street, so they have a unique rail system to get their boats to the river.
Many of the clubs have very ornate buildings.
The parilla is on the grill for later!
Where could this guy be going with his load of bamboo boxes?
Why to Puerto De Furtos (the Fruit Port) of course.
The port takes up a number of piers along the river.
Tourist boats are constantly going by.
While across the river are some unique structures.
It is an interesting blend of old and new.
We went looking for fruit, but were disappointed as the entire area has been restored into a tourist market area. Still is was an interesting area, with great photo ops.
On the way back to the rail station we passed by this interestingly decorated building, with American baseball greats of the past.
Tigre is an interesting town, and we look forward to spending more time there and adventure into the delta further.
In the early days of river transportation a common style of boat was the sternwheeler. With it’s distinctive large wooden wheel on the back (stern) to propel it, it was a common sight along the Ohio River.
Today most of the sternwheels are mostly decorative, with a traditional propeller providing most of the propulsion. The boats at the Marietta Sternwheeler Festival were mostly campers on boats.
With a trip for work to New York City I had little time for sightseeing, but my wife didn’t! This is her photo blog of a 4 hour New York Architectural Society (almost) circumnavigation of Manhattan. I say almost, since there was a bridge on the Harlem River in a down position so they had to backtrack back around.
They set sail from a pier in Chelsea.
And headed for the harbor…
Passing by Jersey City…
The trip was actually offered for college credit, so there was an instructor on board whom reportedly spoke ‘constantly’. The trip took them past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, which I wouldn’t think would need any dialog to explain.
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It was time to head up the East River…
This carousel in a park in Brooklyn came from a defunct amusement park in my hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.
Nearby was a jet ski school!
As you make you way up the East River you go past many areas that are undergoing gentrification.
An interesting view of Roosevelt Island, and the 59th Street (Queensboro) Bridge.
The United Nations Building
Roosevelt Island was once home to a Tuberculosis Hospital, but now is home to thousands in new apartment buildings.
A great view of the bridge and the Roosevelt Island Tram.
A series of bridges on the far end of the East River, where they ended up turning around.
If you have plenty of money ($850 one way for a 30 minute plane ride) you can get from Manhattan to the Hamptons in a hurry on a seaplane.
Or a helicopter…
The cruise continued back down the East River
The late afternoon sun made a interesting view of the Staten Island Ferry with the statue in the background.
The World Trade Center from the Hudson River
One of the many New York Waterway ferries.
Finally some interesting new architecture along the Hudson.
I think you will agree her photos were great – I am so jealous I had to work, it looks like it was a great cruise 🙂
We end the visit to Montreal with the random views of the city starting with this stylish building – once a gas station designed by none other than famed architect Mies van der Rohe. Today it serves as a community center.
Montreal has an efficient subway system, built in the 1960s and 1970s. This station is on Ile Notre Dame.
This island, and one next to it (Saint Helen’s) were greatly expanded to be the grounds of Expo 67, a World’s Fair. Today it is the home to a very large Park Jean Drapeau as well as the Formula 1 race track.
The city has recently started tours of the island on electric carts. We opted for this tour where Sonya and Andre provided amusing and interesting information about the island, and Montreal in general. Unfortunately we didn’t get much over 20 MPH on the track.
Unlike most World’s Fairs, Montreal has retained many of the pavilions that were built. This one was the French and Quebec pavilions, and now serves as a casino.
From the island you have a nice view of downtown Montreal.
Montreal is the 2nd largest French speaking city in the world, and at times they like to take their cues from Paris – like this retro (but accurate) Metro sign.
We say adieu to Montreal with some random scenic views of the city.
The city of Montreal was the host of the 1976 Summer Olympics. The area that most events were held still exist in the east side Olympic Park.
A number of the venues are still used for sporting events.
While it has recently been remodeled, the pool complex dates from the 1976 games. It is used for competitive events, with seating for 3,000, but is also used as the neighborhood pool when not in competitive use.
The Montreal Olympics are the poster child for cost overruns often associated with hosting the games. It is estimated it cost 720% (not a typo) more than originally planned.
Much of the cost overruns was due to the construction of Olympic Stadium.
Today there is a small museum dedicated to the games and the construction of the stadium.
The stadium looks like a 1970s sci-fi movie space ship. The large tower on the left was originally built to remove what was to be the first retractable stadium roof in history. Unfortunately it was not completed in time for the games, and when it was eventually completed it didn’t work.
So for the first 12 years or so of the stadium it was open air, and after that a permanently closed dome.
Walking around the large concrete plaza on this day with very few people gives one the feel of desolation in the middle of a large city.
Many North American stadiums used to sit in the middle of large concrete plazas like this – the newer generation of stadium more integrated into the cities are far nice, even if one can question the cost for holding so few events a year.
After the Olympics the stadium became home of the Montreal Expos baseball team. Unfortunately in 2004 they left town, moving to Washington DC. leaving the stadium largely quiet, except for a few concerts and other events like monster truck racing.
The cavernous domes stadium echos with the smallest noises. I did have the opportunity to attend a couple of baseball games here (one with the open stadium, the other with the roof in place). It was a great experience, baseball in French, with passionate fans using their own unique to Montreal style of cheering on their team.
Hopefully some day major league baseball returns to Montreal (but to a more appropriate venue).
The tower is now a tourist attraction. The inclined elevator is billed as the longest in the world.
The top of the tower offers panoramic views of Montreal.
The view of the Olympic Pool, and other venues in the park.
The Olympic Village apartments are still used. The soccer stadium is a recent addition.
The day was a bit hazy, but made the views towards downtown interesting.
Montreal’s east side is a working class neighborhood with numerous row houses.
The view of the islands in the middle of the St Lawrence River, as well as some of the bridges crossing the river.
Because much of Europe is fairly far north, the port of Montreal is the shortest route between a European port and North America.
Olympic Stadium cost the city of Montreal and all of Canada significant money, but as with most things Canadian, they have made the most of it.
As the Capital of Canada, Ottawa has a number of historic government buildings. With their longstanding connection to England, they tend to have a similar look to those in London.
The majority of the buildings are located on Parliament Hill.
The large Central Block (right with clock tower) has just started undergoing a 10 year restoration.
They offer tours of the House of Commons. With the Central Block under construction they enclosed this former courtyard to make it the new meeting chamber.
One interesting fact – the seats are green because the seats in London’s House of Commons is green. Why is England’s green – nobody knows.
A committee room.
Many other buildings in the city have the same look.
The Canadian Supreme Court.
Another government building on Parliament Hill.
The Canadian Mint.
The entrance to the Prime Minister’s Residence.
The Canadian History Museum across the river in Gatineau, Quebec.
The Alexandra Bridge.
The famed Rideau Canal.
The Rideau Falls.
Our day in Ottawa ended with an impressive light and sound show, detailing the patriotic history of Canada.
