We got up early and started off right - with a trip to McDonald's. The meal the night before was REALLY expensive, and a bit fru-fru for us. Time to get back to basics.
I went for the combo breakfast because I knew we'd be all over town before it was done. Leisa ate the roll, as she usually does. That would be all there is to say about it except for the all-too-familiar homeless element that always frequents big-city McDonald's'. (Hey! Name another time where you get to use the double apostrophe!)
Our main man started by talking to himself - loudly. Later, as we were preparing to leave, I went to the restroom. He was in there, and I almost turned out right away. No, it was cold and I needed to take care of business, so I stayed. It was probably a mistake, because he appeared to be trying to drown himself in the sink. His head was buried face-first in as much water as he could run. He was apparently trying to draw the water into his sinuses, then he would raise his head, blow snot into the sink, then stick his face back in and repeat. You can't make that stuff up folks, it really happened.
First on the list today was visiting churches. There were two in particular we hit, one in Milwaukee, another in a neighboring town.
The first was good-sized, with a mixture of old and new. There were the traditional altars and pews, stained glass, and candles, like any Catholic church. Peppered here and there were signs of modernization, such as the sculpture suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the sanctuary, or the relatively modern painting adorning the sides. The final feature of note were the portraits lining the upper walls - might have been local bishops, may have been bishops of note in Wisconsin over the years - but some looked like painting, some like photographs. That was a little jarring for my taste. I've been to the Vatican, I know what they were trying for, and it fell way short. It was very striking on the outside, but on the inside... meh.
Our next stop was a basilica in a neighboring town. It was a Polish Franciscan church, and WOW! I've been to the Vatican, to St. Mark's, and this one compared very favorably. Naturally it was smaller, but it was very ornate and traditional. It was very much worth the trip, not only to the town but perhaps Wisconsin itself. This quality of church is seldom seen in the U.S.
There were touches of eastern European influence here and there, starting with the Polish writing. The paintings were also more of a reflection of Polish history and viewpoint on the church - subtle, but present. Classic Roman paintings tend to have angels and cherubim fighting for God, whereas the paintings in the basilica showed human warriors on the battlefield. It was an interesting difference.
The awe factor could be felt the second you entered. Your eyes started on the angels holding Holy Water and immediately swept forward down the aisle to the altar. From there your gaze lifts upward to the dome some 60 feet above, replete with intricate paintings commissioned to an Italian artist in the 1920's.
Everywhere you looked, the layer upon layer of art and finish work swept over you. Moreover, the scale of the room was breathtaking. It's difficult to relate using a meager iPhone camera the scope of the room - the size, the openness, and complexity of design and finish. To finish it all off, numerous exquisite stained glass works glowed in the morning sun, providing all the ambient lighting necessary. It was atmospheric and spellbinding.
We headed to the Historic Third Ward, a revitalized downtown area where the 19th century architecture is preserved and repurposed for modern usage. There were any number of shops, ranging from restaurants to fitness centers. Actually, that's one of the remarkable things about Milwaukee I didn't catch the first time... it's a fitness-centric town. There must have been a half-dozen fitness centers within a one-mile radius, and tons of fitness apparel stores to boot.
We also went to the museum, finally. Leisa liked it, or at least, appreciated the design. It is something to see when in Milwaukee. We didn't get to see any big exhibits, as they were closed for renovation, but we walked around the building admiring the design. It was too long to wait for the wings to close and open, so we moved on.
I did get a run in while Leisa did her thing. She went to the flea market stores, I went down to Veterans' Park to run. This is where the running portion of the Nationals has been held the last two years. I must say, it's a much more pleasant run when it's cold - and I haven't been churned in the harbor and ridden for an hour first.
We headed out to an REI outlet to see what a brick-and-mortar version looked like. I would fairly describe it as an upscale Dick's. Lots of name-brand outdoor gear at premium prices, and people lining up to purchase like it was being given away. I'll stick to the online version, thank you very much.
Our dinner was nice - it was a local pub known for its fish. The fish was okay, but the cheese sticks! O. M. G! I've never had mozzarella sticks dipped in beer batter before, but I can tell you this - it won't be the last. Best. Sticks. Ever.
Finally we wound up back at the hotel. I suggested we locate the hotel's fitness center, which we did. Leisa hadn't run for a few days, and she really needs to keep up on it for health reasons. Anyway, it was a really nice one, best I've seen in fact. It inspired me to show off for my loving wife. I... well, heck, let me just show you.
I went for the combo breakfast because I knew we'd be all over town before it was done. Leisa ate the roll, as she usually does. That would be all there is to say about it except for the all-too-familiar homeless element that always frequents big-city McDonald's'. (Hey! Name another time where you get to use the double apostrophe!)
Our main man started by talking to himself - loudly. Later, as we were preparing to leave, I went to the restroom. He was in there, and I almost turned out right away. No, it was cold and I needed to take care of business, so I stayed. It was probably a mistake, because he appeared to be trying to drown himself in the sink. His head was buried face-first in as much water as he could run. He was apparently trying to draw the water into his sinuses, then he would raise his head, blow snot into the sink, then stick his face back in and repeat. You can't make that stuff up folks, it really happened.
First on the list today was visiting churches. There were two in particular we hit, one in Milwaukee, another in a neighboring town.
The first was good-sized, with a mixture of old and new. There were the traditional altars and pews, stained glass, and candles, like any Catholic church. Peppered here and there were signs of modernization, such as the sculpture suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the sanctuary, or the relatively modern painting adorning the sides. The final feature of note were the portraits lining the upper walls - might have been local bishops, may have been bishops of note in Wisconsin over the years - but some looked like painting, some like photographs. That was a little jarring for my taste. I've been to the Vatican, I know what they were trying for, and it fell way short. It was very striking on the outside, but on the inside... meh.There were touches of eastern European influence here and there, starting with the Polish writing. The paintings were also more of a reflection of Polish history and viewpoint on the church - subtle, but present. Classic Roman paintings tend to have angels and cherubim fighting for God, whereas the paintings in the basilica showed human warriors on the battlefield. It was an interesting difference.
We headed to the Historic Third Ward, a revitalized downtown area where the 19th century architecture is preserved and repurposed for modern usage. There were any number of shops, ranging from restaurants to fitness centers. Actually, that's one of the remarkable things about Milwaukee I didn't catch the first time... it's a fitness-centric town. There must have been a half-dozen fitness centers within a one-mile radius, and tons of fitness apparel stores to boot.
We also went to the museum, finally. Leisa liked it, or at least, appreciated the design. It is something to see when in Milwaukee. We didn't get to see any big exhibits, as they were closed for renovation, but we walked around the building admiring the design. It was too long to wait for the wings to close and open, so we moved on.I did get a run in while Leisa did her thing. She went to the flea market stores, I went down to Veterans' Park to run. This is where the running portion of the Nationals has been held the last two years. I must say, it's a much more pleasant run when it's cold - and I haven't been churned in the harbor and ridden for an hour first.
We headed out to an REI outlet to see what a brick-and-mortar version looked like. I would fairly describe it as an upscale Dick's. Lots of name-brand outdoor gear at premium prices, and people lining up to purchase like it was being given away. I'll stick to the online version, thank you very much.
Our dinner was nice - it was a local pub known for its fish. The fish was okay, but the cheese sticks! O. M. G! I've never had mozzarella sticks dipped in beer batter before, but I can tell you this - it won't be the last. Best. Sticks. Ever.
Finally we wound up back at the hotel. I suggested we locate the hotel's fitness center, which we did. Leisa hadn't run for a few days, and she really needs to keep up on it for health reasons. Anyway, it was a really nice one, best I've seen in fact. It inspired me to show off for my loving wife. I... well, heck, let me just show you.
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