Effie, Ray, Maia and Raymond walk across the Plaza toward the Performing Arts Center (aka The Egg.)
While walking, we notice the large crowd gathered just to the left of the Egg (see them?) It was the Fallen Firefighers Memorial Ceremony. Raymond was a volunteer firefighter for over 20 years, and had never witnessed the ceremony. We wandered over to observe what we could without being intrusive. We arrived at the tail end of the event. In time to hear the pipers.
After this, we wandered the Plaza a bit. Here's the Capitol Building.
Lots of art and interesting architecture in and around the Plaza. As for sculpture, I always enjoyed this one. The two pieces that look like they're crossing each other are actually not stationary. They pivot independently of each other. Sort of a perpetual motion kind of thing.
I did a little research. This one is called Two Lines Oblique, and was created by George Rickey in 1968-71.
And yes, Effie has a death grip on Maia's ankles.
This (all you Grand Rapidians) is a Calder. In another city. Go figure. This one is called Triangles and Arches, I think.
Behind the Calder is a stage. Years ago, we attended Blues Fest here and saw Muddy Waters. Behind the stage is the Cultural Education Center, which houses the NYS Museum, Archives and Library.
As an item of note, on 9/11 - the NYS government buildings that surround the plaza were evacuated, in the confusion and fear that followed the falling of the Towers in NYC.
Maia loves to be outdoors, and really enjoyed looking around. However, she could hardly STAND having all this tantalizing water around and not being able to play in it!
Here she is yards away from the fountain in the midst of the reflecting pool...
... and so Daddy finally obliged her by letting her get a hand in the (very opaque and stinky) water.
She calmed down significantly after she'd gotten what she'd been begging for, however, Effie nearly had a heart attack!
On our way back to the car, we stopped for bathroom breaks, and Maia and Grandpa played peek-a-boo (or was it hide-and-seek?) around the pillars in the Concourse.
Exhausted, time for a snack and a nap, we headed out to get some lunch (Red Robin, yum!)
Also this day, we had an exciting event (well, for me anyway!) Maia learned to say her name correctly. It had been Mama. Then Mah-dah... and now she's got it. Maaaaah-ya! She pats both hands on her chest as she says it.
In the evening, Uncle Jerry came over with his Ford Model A truck.
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