Postscript -- The Invisible Hotel

Did I mention how much I enjoyed Omaha's architecture? The big, beautiful, memory-filled old houses? The brick buildings everywhere? The age of the city? Once I got settled back at home, I wanted to pull up Google maps and check out the street views that I would recognize. Think again.

First of all, the Google maps' street view photos were taken in spring or summer, when there were GREEN LEAVES on all the trees. That was an improvement as far as being easier on the eyes, but not so good for being able to see any homes that aren't right on the street.

The second problem is the invisible hotel. Here's the satellite view of the hotel, by address:

View Larger Map

That's it, right where the arrow is pointing. See it? Yes, the vacant lot behind the old Model T factory. If you can't quite make out the hotel from above, go to street view. Find the intersection of North 16th and Izard, stand next to the street sign looking east. Do you see that big yellow building-under-construction? That's it!

Funny, when I stayed there, I never once heard the pounding of hammers or the whining of saws. Oh, the wonders of modern construction.

Blogging from Omaha

I finally understand what people feel when they visit Seattle and exclaim, "It's so green here!" While I'm at it, here's what else I've learned in Omaha this weekend...

The older the city, the better I like the architecture. Brick isn't used much in the Seattle area (something to do with earthquake events) so it's always interesting to see streets and streets of solid brick homes. Big, beautiful, unique homes. Craftsman, Prairie, Queen Anne, Revival... inspiring.

Nebraska beef is a gastronomic event.

Pipe organs and French horns add elegance to a wedding service.

Salt and other ice-melting compounds really do take a toll (!) on pavement.

I have indeed seen other early 1980's Dodge Rampages.

Brown, taupe, gray, and tan. Yards, streets, sidewalks, bricks, bare-limbed trees -- the brain can only process so much dormancy.

Traditional, simple, Protestant American weddings can take three days to celebrate properly. Three days of welcoming out-of-town guests (thank you!), three days of eating and drinking coffee and checking on final preparations and rehearsing and dressing and eating again and watching the opening of the presents. Again, the brain can only withstand so much, but what a wonderful occasion.

Although the overall wedding celebration occupies several days, the reception itself goes very quickly if there are many clergy in attendance:
Saturday wedding + Sunday morning obligations = no lingering.

I'm having a wonderful time here, and I'm confident the dogs are glad to stay home.