Showing posts with label US. Show all posts

Old State House

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Old State House Museum is the most important historic buildings in Boston. Built in 1713, this building served as the seat of colonial government in Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest public buildings in America, and is now designated a National Historic Landmark. It is from the balcony of this building, the Declaration of Independence was read to the jubilius Boston public.

The infamous Boston Massacre happened right in front of this building.

The building currently serve as a museum, and is open to the public. The building was restored to its old glory.

The Lion and Unicorn symbol - the Colonial insignia of British government

The seat of colonial government in Boston

The meeting room - restored

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Friday, July 13, 2018

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is the fifth largest museum of United States.

Selected pictures are posted below. The full album is here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/13DKWoc69Bu2Twxm9

Trinity Church, Boston

Trinity Church is one of the oldest parishes in United States situated in Copley Square, Boston. Originally setup in 1734, the church burned down in the Great Fire of Boston in 1872. The church was later rebuild, and continues to serve the community.

The church is constructed in the region know as Black Bay. Black Bay is part of reclaimed land, which was originally a mud flat, Trinity rests on some 4,500 wooden piles, each driven through 30 feet of gravel fill, silt, and clay, and constantly wetted by the water table of the Back Bay as they will rot if exposed to air.

The building's plan is a modified Greek Cross with four arms extending outwards from the central tower. Its interior murals were completed entirely by American artists.

Trinity Church is the only church in the United States and the only building in Boston that has been honored as one of the "Ten Most Significant Buildings in the United States" by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). In 1885, architects voted Trinity Church as the most important building in the U.S.; Trinity Church is the only building from the original 1885 list still included in the AIA's current top ten list. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 30, 1970.

The floor plan of the church is designed like a Greek Cross - with legs of equal sizes going out to each side, with a dome tower in the center. The altar is so dramatic and beautiful - and a sight to see.

Unlike most other church and Cathedral buildings I have seen, Boston Trinity Church have a unique style and color scheme. The brownish-clay color throughout the interior gives a special touch. The inside artwork and glass work are also really nice.

Boston Public Garden

Boston Public Garden is America's first Botanical garden. Park was established in 1837. It reminds us the Central Park of New York, though its much smaller in size (24 acres vs 843 acres).

Interestingly, all that land, and beyond were reclaimed from the sea. The entire area were marshes and landfills, which were subsequently reclaimed by manually filling in dirt!

The lake in the center of park is around 4 acres. During summer season, the lake have small paddle boats, and during winter the water freezes and it is used as a skating ring.

Pearsons Falls

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Pearson's Falls is a water fall near Saluda, NC. There is a small quarter mile hiking trail that leads to the fall. The entire area consists of more than 260 acres. The area is preserved and maintained by a non-profit organization and volunteers.

The hiking trail..

And finally the falls..

Steven F Udvar Hazy Center National Air & Space Museum

Monday, April 23, 2018

Steven F Udvar Hazy Center is an annex of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum at Washington DC. This museum holds numerous exhibits including Discovery space shuttle and Enola Gay.

Udvar Hazy Center was made possible due to a 69 million USD donation by the millionaire Steven Udvar Hazy, who himself was an immigrant from Hungary. Steven Udvar Hazy founded one of the largest aircraft leasing companies in the world - International Leasing Finance Corporation - which leases Airbus and Boeing to worlds Airline companies.

The museum has a lot of old and new aircraft and aviation related items, and one can easily spend atleast half a day there. Aviation enthusiasts will easily spend more time there. The below pictures are only a selected few from my collection.

Space shuttle Discovery - was the third orbiter of NASA after Columbia and Challenger. It was launched and landed 39 different times, it launched the Hubble Space telescope. Both Columbia and Challenger were lost, Challenger breaking apart during the launch in 1986 and Columbia disintegrating upon reentry in 2003 - losing their crew both times. Discovery was retired on 2011, and was eventually put on public display.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird - its a strategic long range reconnaissance aircraft built by Lockheed. Only 32 such aircraft were build and went into service. It remains the fastest aircraft ever went into service.

Enola Gay - It is B-29 bomber, which was selected to drop the first atomic bomb, "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, Japan.

Air France Concorde - Concorde was a supersonic passenger jet that went out of service in 2003. Only 20 flights were ever built. The average ticket

Boeing 367-80 - an experimental aircraft built by Boeing to prove jet propulsion system, which eventually served as the baseline of Boeing 707. Only one was every build.