Triumph

When one sets off on a sunny morning to explore a place, with no set destination in mind, and with no set agenda, other than that of successfully putting one foot in front of the other for some longish period of time, one might, while on that hike, happen upon any number of interesting sights. 

And, if one manages, during this ramble, not only to avoid obvious hazards such as twisting either ankle, stepping into traffic, or getting lost with no bus stops in sight, but actually records a batch of the best and brightest of the sights encountered along the way for posterity, well then, one can surely consider one's jaunt a triumph.  

I have the singular pleasure to announce that I did set off on just such an adventure one recent morning after breakfast. I was deposited at my starting point in the city by the third in the string of buses required to reach that particular street corner.  Also, I do indeed possess a number of clear and interesting photographs which I propose to share with interested parties.  

The reader will note that under most pictures is a description of the scene. This information may be useful if the reader happens to be sharing this publication with an inquisitive young person, an aging relative whose eyesight is failing, or some houseguests who have overstayed their welcome and in desperation, the reader has resorted to showing them what he claims are 'last year's vacation photos' in hopes of boring them to death, or to the door, which ever comes first.

The adventure begins...

 Narrow streets and old houses. Very well maintained of course, but old. 

 Narrow and old and steep. Nicely paved of course, but steep. 

 The date on that building is 1909, It is the Railroad Workers Center.  I would suppose that engineers, firemen, signalmen and brakemen are likely to have been the original residents of these bungalows. Possibly even porters. 

 The steepness of the grade intensifies....

(One imagines the mood of the horse before the weekly 'family night outing' at the Railroad Workers Center as the 250 pound fireman hitches her to the wagon at their house near the bottom of this hill and calls his sturdy wife and brood to pile in and hang on. 
"You older kids be ready to jump off and push if Daisy looks likely to give out on us. She ain't getting any younger. Don't know how many more of these climbs she's got in her."
"Well," his wife adds, "At least it ain't icy out tonight " )

 ...and I enter a neighborhood reflecting a slightly higher socio-economic standing among the inhabitants.  

 Artistic touches become evident. 

 Some residents reflect their artistic temperments with bold statements.

(These bright primary colors against the white might engage that young person's attention) 

 Some residents value dwellings of a more private nature. 

  

A good example of a 'vanishing point photograph,'  which adventurers often include in their portfolios. In fact, most would not consider their p. complete without one. 

(Seeing this photo, however dimly, the aged relative might imagine that it looks familiar and  may launch in to some animated reverie.)  

Having traversed a commercial area, his estimate of the frequency of artistic expressions the adventurer passed, if asked, would be described as 'widespread.' 

 Tattoo to the left, barber to the right. Each entry sports a decorated wall and each has a stairway beconing customers upward. 



While the owner(s) of these shops may not have been thinking of Oscar Wilde specifically while constructing these passageways, that writer's suggestion of, Be yourself; everyone else is already taken, was clearly a notion that had always resonated with them and expressed itself, in this case, through their storefronts. 

toward the tattooist

toward the barber

I don't know what year it was they first passed the law of diminishing returns, but all adventurers are familiar with its precepts.  No matter how zealous and persistant the adventurers are in their pursuit of any given enterprise, there comes a time when they stop, look around  themselves and realize that, having eaten their salty German pretzels and quaffed their thermoses of water, it may be time to consider heading back to headquarters for more substantial refreshment and recovery from exertions.   

While hiking and the compilation of photos is all well and good, the law clearly states that at some point, enough is enough.  

Accordingly, this adventurer, having also stopped and considered coincidentally, the depletion of his stores of those very items listed above, turned his steps toward that street corner which he knew would soon be visited by the first (but in reverse order) of those three buses mentioned earlier.  Luncheon would be waiting. 

As he approached his bus stop, one more piece of original art caught his eye. Although crudely rendered, the adventurer saw no reason to disagree with the advice this artist felt compeled to share with the public.                                      

(This might very well be the picture, since it states clearly what the unlucky hosts found themselves unable to express, that will precipitate the departure of the overstaying houseguests.)    -djf