Picking up Ruby from the ferry terminal, we headed to Hubbard Lake where we had an Airbnb for a couple of nights en route to Detroit. The cabin was 10 steps from the private jetty and while it was way too cold to dip a foot in the water, we had a relaxing 48 hours here rugged up and warm inside the cabin with board games, Netflix and a great view of the lake.
We also spent our Sunday cheering on (long-distance) our friend Ryan who was racing in the Spartan World Championships in Lake Tahoe. We wanted to be there in person to cheer for him but the logistics of timing and distance proved to be too much. Inspired by his daughter, Ryan is an obstacle course racer and raises money for the CARES Foundation who are committed to improving the lives of families and individuals affected by Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). If you would like to donate to this worthy cause and help Ryan reach his fundraising goal, please visit www.bit.ly/Peden2019.
Our first stop in Detroit: The Henry Ford. This sprawling complex is made up of the Ford factory, the Museum of American Innovation and Greenfield Village. With limited time at our disposal we opted to visit Greenfield Village. Greenfield Village is Henry Ford’s creation to showcase America’s history of life and work. Incorporating a railroad track with running steam train, a working farm and historical buildings which Ford moved from their original locations to make up the Village, this is an outdoor living history museum full of fascinating exhibits, modes of transportation and plenty of history to absorb including the work of not just Henry Ford but Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers.
We were a little apprehensive about visiting Detroit due to the preemptive reviews of the city we were given by others. So with the words ‘drab’, ‘dirty’ and ‘run down’ ringing in our ears, imagine our complete surprise when we were met by a city that was bright, light and by far one of the cleanest cities in America we have visited so far. In fairness, we now understand that Detroit has been through a somewhat rough past and not so long ago it wasn’t a particularly pleasant city to visit. But we have to tell you that the investment and hard work that has gone into making Detroit a city to be proud of has paid off.
We signed up to do a walking tour with City Tour Detroit and were rewarded with Nancy, our tour guide, whose love for Detroit is so palpable it is practically contagious. Leading us through the city, Nancy introduced us to buildings, statues and different areas of the city as well as Detroit’s history. Thank you Nancy for such a great tour; we will be back to visit Detroit for sure! Also, a big hello to our friend David in Doha – known to us as Detroit Dave… your hometown treated us well!
One of the highlights of our walking tour was when Nancy took us into the Guardian Building. Completed in 1929 and originally called the Union Trust Building, it is a superb example of Art Deco architecture. However what makes it strikingly different to its counterparts is the fact that Wirt Rowland, the architect, abandoned the usual Art Deco materials such as bronze and brass, in favor of colored brick, terra-cotta and stone.
A stop at the Detroit Institute of Art took us to the Rivera Court where we saw the spectacular Detroit Industry Murals, painted by Diego Rivera between 1932 and 1933. It was Rivera’s belief that these murals were his finest works of art. He considered the murals a tribute to Detroit’s labour force and industries and modeled the murals upon the Ford motor plant.
Our final Detroit stop was at the Motown Museum on West Grand Boulevard. Nicknamed Hitsville USA, the first headquarters of the Motown record label was purchased in 1959 by founder Berry Gordon. We toured the museum and the studio building, finishing in the famous Motown Studio A, home to Motown smash hits from 1959 to 1972. After seeing the Motown Musical in London last year, this tour was particularly great for us.
From Mackinac Island to Motown, we have thoroughly enjoyed the state of Michigan. Now we head to Niagara to check out a really big waterfall ☺️
P&S