Finally, an audience...
The little coal mining towns were fun--but I'm starting to get a hankering for "city vibe"--so I continue on northeast to the twin cities of Wilkes Barre and Scranton.
I parked my car a good ways from downtown so that I could walk through a variety of neighborhoods... wandered through some pretty standard urban neighborhoods... past a couple of decaying warehouses and industrial buildings... along the university campus... past a little cave converted into a Catholic shrine... on to a magnificent neoclassical County Courthouse... along a redevelopment project along the river... past an odd visual of a cathedral right next to an enormous mosque (actually a Masonic Temple--but it was still worth a photo)... wandered across the bridge to take a clip with an attractive city backdrop.
Overall, had a mixed impression of Wilkes Barre. It seems to be a city that's trying to put on a good face and look good--at the same time ignoring the sections of ugly decay in the background. But it definitely has character... and a really nice plaza with a fountain that kids can play in right in the center.
I'd just finished my set and was getting up to leave when a couple of rugged looking fellas hollered out "hey! why are you leaving? we were just coming over to listen to you!" Soon the kids joined the audience--one of them (a boy about 8 years old) even asked me to play along while he sang an "original song" of his...
...Finally, an audience... it's been a while...
