Sunday Market, Lookout Mountain, and the Incline Railway

The next day we checked out and took a detour to the Sunday Chattanooga Market, which is predominantly a farmer's market with a few art and restaurant vendors. The Market also runs the Saturday Riverfront Market which has vendor booths downtown near the Tennessee Aquarium. Both markets are an eclectic collection and well worth visiting if you're in the area.

A few bags of vegetables and fruit later, we drove to the base of Lookout Mountain. The "Mountain" is actually in fact a ridge which stretches 84 miles from Chattanooga through Georgia and into Alabama. The highest point in Georgia is over 2300 feet in elevation. Lookout Mountain rises dramatically and substantially from the valley floors, so whether or not it's a true mountain, the name still fits. In a few of my photos from the first trip to Chattanooga, you can see Lookout rising in the backdrop.

Here's a previously posted view of downtown Chattanooga from the north side of the Tennessee River:


Lookout Mountain, Backdrop to Chattanooga

Several of the activities on Lookout Mountain are very touristy. Though in the case of the Incline Railway, there isn't much like it. At a grade of 72.7%, the Incline, originally built in 1895, is the steepest passenger rail line in the world.

Here's a few images from the lower station:



Going Up the Mountain


Closeup of the Upper Station

Railcar Approaching the Station

Initially, the car, on the trip up, passes through trees, alongside homes, and under and over roads. While I probably wouldn't want to bike up the slope, the grade isn't dramatic. However, near the top, the slope steepens--and greatly! When they say 72.7% grade, they mean here. It is a bit unsettling looking down the previously travelled rail. I felt like the car was perched alongside the peak. Unnaturaly, the railcar, oblivious to its location and the laws of gravity, kept rising. If you take a ride and are squeamish, you might not want to look down.



From the Car, Viewing the Rail Travelled

At the top, the railway has two nice observation decks, the lower being covered, which offer a great view of the valley east of Lookout Mountain and a good view of Chattanooga. Though on the Sunday we visited, the air was a bit hazy. Upon reviewing the photos, I believe the vista images from our next stop, Point Park, are better. Stay tuned.

If you would like to read more about the Incline Railway, check their website, Ride the Incline.

After the Game

After a nice dinner at the Easy Bistro on Broad Street in downtown Chattanooga, Sandra and I headed to the Tennessee to enjoy a short walk along the riverfront. The river was still very active with boats and kayaks. Even more people were hanging out on docked vessels or simply sitting on the slope along the walkway to enjoy the evening.

As we stood looking out at the river and the nearby people, a minor league baseball game finished at AT&T Field. Soon afterwards, the lights went out.



The Fireworks Begin

For several minutes, the fireworks continued, adding some sparkle to the moment. Despite not being carrier of the fireworks gene, I still enjoyed the lights and color of an enjoyable summer day and night.



Bursting in the Night Sky

August Evening, Nashville

Sometimes you catch, through the frame of trees, across the tennis court and the park--the moment after dusk--its light lighting the clouds in pastel hues. It's apricot and lavender, a composition your eyes photograph. Your mind remembers.

Tennessee Aquarium: Ocean Journey to Jellyfish

The last highlight for Ocean Journey was the the final exhibit which featured jellyfish. They are remarkable for their easy movement. They don't swim like other animals, but instead many propel themselves through the water in a manner that is somewhat similar to jet propulsion.


Gliding Through

One of the more interesting parts was the display of upside-down jellyfish, or Cassiopeia. These jellies have a symbiotic relationships with algae. Algae can photosynthesize, thereby providing some nutrition for the jellyfish. In order to accomodate the relationship, the jellyfish tend to lie their heads or bells flat against shallow ocean floors, allowing the algae on the inside access to light.



Quite an Arrangement

Another neat aspect of the exhibit, Jellies: Living Art, was the merging of art with the animals. Inspired by the invertebrates, Thomas Spake's glasswork was prominently featured.



Inspiration in Glass

Very cool, indeed.



The Image of a Jelly

For more information about the Tennessee Aquarium, you can check out their website. I consider the aquarium a must-see in Chattanooga.

Tennessee Aquarium: Detour to the Butterfly Garden

Resting for the Moment

Another interesting aspect of Ocean Journey is the Butterfly Garden. I'm not sure how it relates to the ocean, but the garden is an open room where the butterflies are not screened. So the aquarium takes extra precautions to avoid escapees. The garden has large fans which blow inward whenever a door is opened. It is also important to check clothing before leaving because sometimes a butterfly may try to catch a ride. These measures are necessary to keep the immediacy of the exhibit. Literally, when you are walking or standing in the garden, you are with the butterflies--no boundary.



Several for the Fruit Buffet


Hanging for a Meal

At several locations throughout, fruit is left for the butterflies. Though with hundreds of these delicate insects in the garden, there are many other places where they land for a break...



Wings and Color

...sometimes even an arm becomes a resting spot.



Along an Arm's Length

Tennessee Aquarium: Ocean Journey Begins

The second showcase building for the Tennessee Aquarium is the Ocean Journey, which starts like River Journey at the top floor but doesn't have the same linear narrative or expansiveness that the first building has. However, one especially neat aspect of Ocean Journey is the open pool at the top. There you can touch rays.



A Spotted Ray

Tennessee Aquarium: River Journey in Pictures

Now I'll let the images showcase the aquarium.



Small and Bright


That's a Smile!

Calmly Spying the Neighborhood


A Ray's Elegance


Shark in the Water


Sturgeon


Gliding in the Water

One More View

Tennessee Aquarium: The River Journey Begins

After the seashorse exhibit, we rode a long escalator to the top floor where the journey begins. River Journey features the story of water as it makes its way from hills and mountains down to the ocean, so we started at the top in an open space which contained a variety of trees and birds. The water contained many fish, most notably different species of trout.


Welcoming in the Water

Given the location, the main journey traced itself from the Applachians down to Gulf of Mexico, though there were smaller displays which showcased many species from different ecosytems around the world. Fish, reptiles, amphibians, and even mammals were featured.


A River Otter

Now, if only the otter could have slowed for a moment, I would have caught a decent snapshot. There were two of them going into and out of the water in rather frenzied motions. Of course, other animals were much stiller, like this little reptile.



A Little Guy in a Big World

In many displays, you can look and then look again and then--yes, there it is! You could definitely see how blending into the surroundings is an advantage. And then, sometimes, you see how stunning life is in its many forms and colors.



Just a Frog

Yep, beautiful.

Tennessee Aquarium: Detour to the Sea

The Tennessee Aquarium has two separate exhibit buildings. Opening in 1992, the River Journey building is home to largest freshwater aquarium in the world.

Oddly enough, the initial featured display was not centered on freshwater, but instead focused on seahorses and other animals which share their ocean reef habitat.



Seahorse

Seahorses often curl their long tails around coral reef and marine plants to hold themselves steady. Sometimes they are difficult to see as they blend with their surroundings. Seahorses are very elegant family and many species are threatened in the wild.



It's a Dragon!

This was my first close experience that I can remember with seadragons. They are members of the seahorse family. Gracefully moving through the water, they may look like dragons but the small creatures do not inspire any of the fear associated with the powerful mythical beasts.

The Seahorse Exhibit was a great start to the aquarium, and upon leaving, we were now ready to begin the River Journey.

Hunter Museum of American Art

The Hunter Museum, comprised of three adjoined buildings, lies atop a bluff along the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga and focuses on American art. We didn't have a lot of time to visit the museum so we first viewed the special exhibit, "Between the States: Photographs of the American Civil War from the George Eastman House Collection".

Powerful.

The exhibit displayed more than 100 facsimiles of photographs taken during the Civil War. From portraits of soldiers to candid snapshots of after battle scenes, the images brought history to the forefront. No photography was allowed in the gallery, but seeing a body and then an arm lying on the ground creates its own visual record in my mind. The exhibit runs through August 28th, so it is nearing its end at the Hunter Museum. If you're in the Chattanooga, try to visit. Elsewhere, I would suggest looking for the exhibit or other Civil War photographs from the Eastman Collection. The images can lead to a new perspective on the Civil War.



Lights in the Mansion

Afterwards, we quickly perused a exhibit featuring work in different mediums by Beverly Semmes and then walked to the Faxon-Hunter mansion. The mansion built in 1905 was the original home of the museum. Other buildings were later constructed for the art museum, but the mansion remains the central display to the outside world. In many ways, with the old home's grand scale and elegance, the structure rivals, perhaps even exceeds, the beauty of the older American works found within.

Much of the museum we did not see since it closed at 5. If Sandra and I return to Chattanooga, I believe we both would like to explore it further. For more information about the Hunter Museum, visit their website. it's an interesting find in southeast Tennessee.

Chattanooga: Take 2

The Local Ballpark

Simply we couldn't do everything in Chattanooga in a day, so we returned for another visit that included an overnight stay. Driving into the ridges and hills of southeast Tennessee is impressive even when traveling along the interstate, though we had a late departure which led us to arrive in mid-afternoon.

After checking into our hotel, we stopped by the Visitor Center. Once again, we spoke with Don, a very knowledgeable and helpful staff member of the Center. Following his recommendation, Sandra and I had a nice lunch at 212 Market, and then it was onward to our first Chattanooga destination, the Hunter Museum of American Art.

Richland Creek Greenway

A West Entrance to the Trail

Nashville has several greenways, trails which wind through some of the green space which the metro area has to offer. Near our house stretches the Richland Creek Greenway. The path follows along the namesake creek and partially circles the McCabe Golf Course.



Coneflower

Being paved or planked throughout, the trail is accessible. It's also still in the city, so it's not comparable to a trail like the ones we have hiked in Giant City. Yet, it's good to walk. There are also many entrance to the trails, making it possible for different neighborhoods to access the path without having to drive.



Bridge over the Creek


Green on the Course

During the summer, Sandra and I have spent time after work walking on the Richland Greenway. It's good to step along, spot some rabbits, view the flowers blooming and creek flowing, and talk about the details of the day. At the end of the walk, often the sun is setting, and as we make our way back to the trail entrance, we catch the sun filtering through the leaves and grasses, the light striking the clouds--it can be pretty amazing.



Through the Leaves


On the Clouds


Sunset Grass


Last Light of a Day

Summer Bloom

One of the nice aspects of Nashville is the amount of trees and greenery. Throughout the spring and summer, you see lots of flowers blooming. Even outside our house now, the blooms sway in a slight breeze. Of course, all the car wheels spinning on the busy road are a backdrop, but traffic is a whole another issue!

It's good to catch those flowers for a moment in the morning sun.



Blooming Red

Return to Pleasure Lake

Two Over the Lake

I had posted about Pleasure Lake, the small lake and trail in Palos Hills, in the past. Tucked away in the middle of the suburbs and easily overlooked, the lake is a nice respite from the urban world. This time, my Mom joined Sandra and me on a walk around the lake.

The trail circles Pleasure Lake, and, along one of the lake's sides, Stoney Creek also runs, leaving space for the pathway to cut between the two waters. On the walk, we spied a family getting their feet wet in the creek.


Ducks!

The lake is home to many dragonflies and it is a pleasure to view the multitude of these winged insects. The variety and depth of color can stun with their beauty. On my travels in nature, dragonflies have often caught my eye. Last year, I snapped this photo of one in the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge in Southern Illinois:



Perched in Southern Illinois

And seemingly, I found a close relative in the suburbs of Chicago:



On a More Northernly Perch

Like most of my photos, you can click on them and look at a larger version on ImageShack. The delicate detail of the wings really shows nicely on the larger image.

Our walk also presented us the nature of life as we watched two dragonflies buzz around one another. Suddenly from above, a bird swooped, froze its location, and snatched one of the insects in mid-air. Moments later, I caught the remaining evidence.



With a Late Morning Meal


A Closer View

As we left, my Mom photographed Sandra and me after the warm summer day walk.



Sandra and I

Yes, satisfying to return home.

Resilient

The logistics of our December move made bringing our plants to the new location questionable, so I brought them to my Mom's apartment. They looked quite healthy when we returned on our July visit.



In Bloom

In the background, you can see some basil leaves. Yes, this plant was part of a trio of basil plants which I first planted in 2009. Here's a look at them in the summer of '09:



Tall Basil in '09

Most of the plants, including all the basil, develop some type of issue, perhaps a fungal infection, which decimated them in 2010. However, one of the basils survived. It was a scrawny, twiggy looking plant with only 2 or 3 good leaves, but now, it is thriving once again.



Two Years Later and Thriving