WaterFire and Photos of Apology

Has it really been a month since I last posted? It certainly doesn't feel like it. Well, to make up for it, I'm offering you some pictures!

Andrew and I went to WaterFire tonight. The WaterFire organization lights more than eighty little bonfires in a nice little row down the canal that bisects downtown Providence. They're lit at sunset, but the festivities--including live music and performances--start hours earlier. Roads around the canal are strategically closed, and food vendors set up in the middle of the streets. It feels a lot like Sights & Sounds, actually, with a hint of Dickens on the Strand (from back in my Galveston days). The bonfires burn until midnight, and ethereal music (rather like Enya, but slower and in deeper tones) plays through it all. It's gorgeous.

Click on each image to see it full-size!

(We were standing on a cute pedestrian bridge over the canal. This is about a fifteen minute walk from our apartment. The bonfires cover a lot of the canal--it'd be quite a walk to see the entire display. I'm glad we live so close to it! Parking would be terrible, otherwise.)

(I was trying to show how 15 West, that building with the columns, was lit up. My phone's camera is terrible, though. Trust me, it was much more dramatic and beautiful than it appears here. Also, that annoyingly bright blue light hovering between the buildings is actually a cute old-fashioned-looking lamp illuminating the sidewalk next to the canal.)

Occasionally, a black speedboat would go by very quietly, with a team of people dressed in black who added wood to the fires. More often than that, a pontoon or a gondola (with a real gondolier!) would float by with tourists inside. It was a slightly windy night, and when the fires had just been fed new wood, sparks would be flying everywhere; I was certain that some of the tourists would get singed.

Once, a boat went by with a guy standing in it, doing some fire poi. I got a little of it on video! Let's see if videos were here, shall we? . . . Okay, so almost an hour later, the video still wouldn't load. I've loaded it to a different site instead. Hopefully I can imbed it here. Fingers crossed!

(I also tried to get on video the beautiful beautiful buildings around the canal. Hence the random shots of complete darkness. Oh well. Andrew was equally difficult to catch on film, mostly because he was ducking whenever I aimed at him!)

We bought some Korean BBQ to snack on, and it was fantastic. We also wandered away from the canal to see what all the crazy lights were going on over there. Turned out to be a concert!

 (The very bright white spot above the center arch of the building is the face of a very stern-looking godlike guy. Somebody like Poseidon, caught on a really bad day. I'll have to try to get a better picture of him soon!)

(Side view of Angry God Dude and the people on stage.)

The building closest to this one was lit up entirely in red, which was what drew Andrew and I in that direction in the first place. Spotlights of shifting colors--red, purple, blue, green, white-- were spiraling around all the buildings. Beer and liquor were being sold on the street, and are allowed within the area. The barriers that keep cars out are also home to signs notifying pedestrians that no alcohol is allowed outside of the safe area.

I also took a short video of the band that was playing, but of course I pressed Record about two seconds before they finished their song. But I got the singer talking to the crowd a bit, and that amused me. I don't think you can make out what he said in the video, but here you go anyway. You can see the red-lit building, anyway!



On our way back home, we passed by the giant and beautiful First Baptist Church that perches precariously on College Hill and stares down at the canal below. I pass by it almost daily, but this is the first time I actually read its sign.

(I had to hop up onto the hill and hike away from the sidewalk to get close enough for a decent photo. I was a little afraid that someone would yell at me. I took it quickly and scurried back to safety.)

A week or so ago, I went to Providence Place Mall. The mall is lovely, and has a wonderful view of downtown. As you can see:

(Yes, it straddles the canal; I'm in a glassed-in bridge over it. Cool!)

Once I'd finished shopping, I walked back to RISD campus where the car was parked. Along the way, I passed by the Rhode Island capital building. It's surrounded by the greenest lawns and the greenest trees I've ever seen.

(This picture doesn't even begin to capture how beautiful it is. Just so you know.)

But it's green and beautiful everywhere. Here are some giant flowering bushes of some kind that one of our neighbors is very proudly sporting in their front yard. You can't tell, but the blue-flower bush is actually as tall as I am.

Inside our apartment isn't as pretty, but it's certainly happy. Especially the kitties!

 (Augustine fell asleep in a Superman position--sans tail.)

(Well, Superman/faceplant position.)

 (He's very pleased with his place on my book/storage shelf. I'm sitting on the bed, watching him watch me.)

 (He's also happy to help Andrew take breaks from drawing homework.)

 (And he lets Andrew know when he thinks it's time for him to take a break. [Yes, Augustine climbed up onto Andrew's giant sketchpad and curled up smack on top of the drawing. Subtle!])

 (Sophie has only one leg, and it protrudes from her face.)

 (One of Sophie's favorite places is on top of this kittybox I made for her. It's hard to tell in the photo, but in the bottom right of the box is a hole I cut out. Inside the box is another fluffy pad. I think Augustine's in there in this photo, though you can't really see him.)

(Augustine loves to be near Sophie, but at least he knows better than to try to take her spot on the comfy bathmat.)

It's past three here now, so it's definitely bed time. But! I bought clothes and shoes for exercise, and I intend to go walk around Blackstone Boulevard tomorrow or Monday, with camera phone in tow! Hopefully I'll get some more lovely pictures to share. =)