Detroit Rock City

Well, it's the first day of summer holidays 2010 and that can only mean one thing in London: rain. Alas, it's been an incredibly sunny, warm, clear skied May, June and July so I darent complain. Plus, I'm off to Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Spain in less than a week for nearly a month so I'm taking some much needed raintime to practise that thing called relaxing.

It's been one hell of a school year with department reviews, ofsted, marathon training, marathon running and mini travels in and around the northern western hemisphere. These photos are from my hometown wanderings with my English teacher friends Dawn and Natasha in early April.

In a short period of ten days, we managed trips to Houston (well, George Bush Airport), Detroit (including Lafayette's Coney Island and a Tigers Game), Windsor (including a parking ticket), Mt. Pleasant, Traverse City and every shopping mall in a twenty mile radius of Rochester, MI. It all turned out strangely exciting in the end, which I suppose is the good news.


We spent two halfish days (so I suppose that's one whole day?) in Detroit. On the first, my mother drove us around, pointed at things that we then took photos of. We encored this with a wander around the Renaissance Center, a ride on the people mover and lunch at Pegasus where we almost got trapped in the lift. Good times.

I know Detroit's known for it's delightfully disgusting reputation as the city of crime, but I did feel a little bit sorry for it. It's distinctly empty and in decline without a sense of purpose. It peaked too young. The streets were empty, bereft of people, industry or charm.


Downtown Detroit from across the river in Windsor


The people mover (which moved very few people)


Comerica Park and downtown


more comerica park


The Spirit of Detroit


Tribute to Joe Louis


Chili-cheese fries, hot dogs and dodgy men...woo!


this may contribute to high american obesity rates


very ornate, very greek restaurant where the waitresses lit plates of cheese on fire. heaven? indeed.


Go Wings!

I agree with tourbooks that tout Detroit as 'not a place to visit', but it still makes me a bit sad. I don't know what will turn the city of Detroit around, but I hope that the city gets a mayor who won't embezzle money into porn, prostitutes and big cars and turns the little lost land around.