Back in Da Burgh

We arrived in WashPA for a couple of months to enjoy the summer while taking care of our annual personal maintenance.  It is also a chance to get caught up with friends and family, many of whom we only see on our yearly visits. 

Our stay got off with a real bang when I split my head open on the edge of a slide while setting up.  As you can see there was much blood and a trip to the local ER was required.  They used a staple gun and had me all sewn up in no time at all.  It looks much worse than it was and as I write this the staples are out and I am healed.

We did a trip "dahn tahn."  Western Pennsylvania is very hilly so when you are driving in from the west you don't see any of the skyscrapers until you drive out of the tunnel and into the city.  For those who have never been to The Burgh here is a short video of that fantastic entrance into the city.  Above are PNC Park, Carnegie Science Center and Heinz Field looking from the Point across the river.  

We went to the Three Rivers Arts Festival for a day of checking out the art and a bit of people watching.  We were happy to see Toby Fraley, a former student, who had a booth at the festival.  Here is a link to his web site so you can see more of his very interesting work.

The festival also has a few music venues in Point State Park.

The Fort Pitt Blockhouse was built in 1764 as part of Fort Pitt and is the oldest pre revolutionary structure west of the Allegheny Mountains.  The fort was to protect the three rivers during the French and Indian War.  It has been renovated for its 250th anniversary next year.

There is always a lot of activity on the rivers.  Everything from big tow boats to small runabouts.

The fountain at the point has been repaired and it was just turned back on this week.  It is like a crown on the city.

Fountain, rainbows and skyline.

Another look at the fountain.

Here is a look at the Point from Mt. Washington in 2010 when the fountain was under repair.

We love getting together with friends and the weekly teacher's out to lunch group is always a fun time.  Left are Carol, Kathy, Becky, Patrice, Lisa and Gail.  Right are Nanc, Dave, Anne Marie, John and Jim.  The place we went to this week will remain unnamed as the service was terrible.  We waited an hour to get our drinks and longer to get our food.  The place is unnamed because they made it right by not charging us for anything.  We all had a fun time getting caught up so the time flew by and of course none of us are working so time is something we all have.    We love coming back to the Burgh!