We weren’t sure quite what to make of Cleveland to begin with. At first sight, it seems to be a city at odds with itself. Lovely old churches, a tangle of bridges, construction and roadworks, and gardens and memorials all seem to be vying for attention against each other. Nestled along the shoreline of Lake Erie, there’s a feeling of something waiting to be discovered but lots of confusion in the way. So many great things to see and do and look at, but somehow getting lost amongst all the apartment buildings springing up all over the place.
But then, with a little patience and guidance, we started to see past all the noise and enjoyed Cleveland for the city that it was, is and is on the way to becoming. Between the beautiful buildings, cultural gardens, memorials and statues, and the largest outdoor chandelier, Cleveland kept us on our toes from the time we got here to the time we left.
But for us the highlight of Cleveland was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (although the chandelier ran a very close second for Pri). Simply terrific. Housed inside a glass tent that sparkles in the sun, the Hall of Fame honors not just inductees, but the entire history of rock and roll. We successfully managed to spend almost four hours here as we read everything, saw everything, watched everything and listened to everything that the museum offers. With music to listen to, recorded documentaries and concerts to watch, a studio in which to record your own music and memorabila galore, anyone who likes music must make a visit here if you’re in Cleveland.
We loved the Cultural Gardens of Cleveland. An entire street lined with gardens specially designed by and for different nations around the world. We also loved the sunsets over Lake Erie, a stark contrast to the angry choppy water on display when we were there.
Next stop: Toledo. Or, if like Sammy you’re a staunch fan of M*A*S*H, also known as Klinger’s hometown. Our first port of call was to Tony Packo’s, the Toledo cafe serving up Hungarian hotdogs and chili and mentioned several times by Klinger throughout the duration of the show. The food was good and the reminders of M*A*S*H all around the walls made for a very happy Sammy. Plus it was Two Dollar Tuesday for the hotdogs which made them taste even better 😂
The Glass Pavilion pays due to Toledo as the Glass City. This nickname was earned by playing host to many glass companies over the years, most notably Libbey Glass Company, the leading glass manufacturer in America, which moved to Toledo in 1888. The Pavilion houses an impressive historical collection of glassworks, one of the most extensive in the world.
While we were visiting the museum, we had the opportunity to watch Robert Zollweg, design and creative director of Libbey’s for over 40 years, give a sandcasting demonstration as part of a guest project he is working on in collaboration with the Pavilion.
Ohio, you surprised and impressed us. A big thank you to rock and roll and to Klinger for your recommendations. Let us say goodbye for now as we drive into Michigan for a few days of lakeside relaxing.
P&S