Lancaster, Pa.

The train station in Lancaster hasn't changed much in decades.
It's a beautiful old station, needing a little repair.

The Marriott Hotel was built on top of the Watt & Shand Department Store on Penn Square, right in the center of town.
The lobby, above, incorporates a colonial era building and does it rather well. Then there's the exercise room and lots of extra space on the lower level, which also incorporates the back of the house owned by abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens, which, upon excavation, revealed a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Penn Sqare at night ...

and views of Lancaster as the morning fog drifts over the city from the Conestoga Creek.
The Greist Building at far right, next to the 19th century Farmer's market and the colonial tourist board, which was once the town hall.

Looking westward towards the 8th Ward, with the Kunzler Meat Packing Co., in the center of the photograph, sending off steam. St. Joseph's Church steeple just to the left of that.

The Greist Building used to be Lancaster's tallest building, but the Marriott Hotel, just across the square, has taken top honors in that department.

St. Joseph's Church, built in 1842 by German Catholic immigrants.

The humble 19th century row houses on St. Joseph's Street.

Moving up a notch, the red brick row houses in the 8th Ward.

And moving up still further, a beautiful 19th century town house on South Duke Street.

A colonial era house on South Queen Street.

And the Thaddeus Stevens House, above - just a few details.

And the cops and sniffer-dogs that everyone is getting used to at train stations. Welcome to our free society!

Mary

Goodnight, and God bless you.

Gowanus, A Hospital That Shall Remain Nameless, and Nite Scenes from the Cell Phone

Night-time via cell phone, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

It's all green lights from here on out, apparently.

***

A trip to a hospital that dare not speak its name. The ante-room for xrays is empty, except of course for the person at the desk and myself behind the camera . . .

While the waiting room to see a doctor is full of frustrated people, some of whom have been waiting for hours . . . time for a change?

The staff's a bit over-stressed as well.

Then one wants one's prescriptions, but one must speak to the pharmacist through a tiny, lowered window, which forces one to speak in a bent down and bowed position. Overworked pharmacist on the other side of the bullet-proof plexi.

Then one can finally exit via the quite nice and spacious lobby.

***

The beauty of Lowe's, Gowanus, Brooklyn

And the rugged handsomeness of the Gowanus neighborhood itself.