Belle Isle: a Detroit Adventure

I know this blog is predominantly quilting, but I thought I'd share today another aspect of my life.  Have I mentioned that I'm pretty fond of my home state Michigan?  Even though we're dealing with record unemployment and uncertainty, Michigan and Detroit has some hidden treasures.

Icy Detroit River and the Detroit/Windsor skyline

Last week, my sister Lorna, my nephew Jon and myself spent some glorious (if not frigid) hours exploring Belle Isle Park.


According to Wikipedia: 

Belle Isle is a 982-acre island park in the Detroit River managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is the largest island park in the United States and is connected to the rest of the city by the MacArthur Bridge.

One of many beautiful bridges throughout the island.

It is home to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (1904), the Detroit Yacht Club, the Detroit Boat Club, James Scott Memorial Fountain, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, a Coast Guard station, and a municipal golf course. The city maintains a Nature Center where visitors are able to traverse wooded trails and view wildlife natural habitats. The island includes a half-mile swimming beach and a water slide.

This island is so amazing and so sad. You can truly envision Detroit in its heyday - men in hats and women in full skirts riding carriages along the paths. The island has a "casino" for dancing and parties, two yacht clubs, the country's oldest aquarium (now closed), a children's zoo, statues & walking paths & many, many little bridges of all design. Most of it's closed and neglected with remnants of its glory days poking out of the unkempt grass.

Here are some of the pictures from our outing:

90-year old palm in the conservatory

So many flowers already in bloom!

Lovely gardens outside the conservatory

Jon and Lorna at the Koi Pond.  The conservatory connects with the old aquarium.

Can't end a cold day without stopping in at Pizzapapolis in Greektown!

Hope you enjoyed sharing my day!
Elisa