SNAPSHOTS: Belle Isle & The Snake Goddess

Detroit's Belle Isle is filled Native American legends, prior to it's current name the island was called Rattlesnake Island a name coming from all the water snakes once found around it's shores. A shore home to the Snake Goddess. Legend suggest the daughter of Ottawa Chief Sleeping Bear was so pretty he that hid her - putting her on a canoe to Belle Isle (an island in the Detroit River) for her safety. Furthermore he asked the Great Spirits to protect his daughter, the spirits in turn surrounding the island with snakes (hence Rattlesnake Island) and the Snake Goddess she became. Legend also notes she gained the ability to transform into a white doe, a creature many claim to have spotted. Or of urban legends, parking along Tanglewood Drive, offering three car honks into the night to summon up a Lady in White. 

Truth be told, I could think of a lot worse places to haunt. 

DETROIT: Why Would You Come to Detroit?

Why would anyone come to visit Detroit? Why would I even move to Detroit (a question I get asked a lot). Surely it's that zombie wasteland we hear all about on the media, right?! There's even locals in the burbs that won't venture into Detroit proper (urgh pet peeve). 

But I mean it's not like we have; 

Fun places for big kids

Pinball machines (M-Brew) and skee ball (Marvin's) anyone?

 

An island park larger than New York's Central Park who are you trying to fool?!

Belle Isle - an island in the middle of the Detroit River, offering views of both the American and Canadian riverfront with museums, aquariums, gardens and beaches.

 

There's nothing to see here, literally 

Detroit is one of the few cities with a international river front - home to a river walk, a state park, a gorgeous view to special events. You can even wave at Canadians. It's not that 75% of the liqueur smuggled into the US passed over the Detroit River during prohibition or anything. 

 

Nor is it home to some important pieces in America's history

from the car JFK was shot in, the Lincoln's death chair, to the infamous bus Rosa Park refused to give up her seat upon, they both and more have a home at the Henry Ford Museum. 

 

Nor will you find America's oldest aquarium, nope 

The Detroit Aquarium, found upon Belle Isle (mentioned above) was opened in 1904 and was the oldest continually opened public aquarium in America. In recent years, it's been getting a new lease of life.

 

And the views aren't worth mentioning ... 

Whether it's driving along Woodward, from the 13th floor of the Greektown Casino or walking along the riverfront, Detroit has a pretty impressive skyline. 

 

It's not like there's anywhere decent to eat 

Be it great BBQ at Slows, a tasty burger at the Mercury Bar, to endless Coney's and diners, there's something for everyone. It's not that Detroit has it's very own style of pizza which inspired many of the big Midwest pizza chains or anything ... 

 

A market in the middle of an urban wasteland? What madness are you on ... 

Stock up on Michigan made goodies, vintage treats to thousands of with the sweet smell of flowers to food and street music fill the air around the Eastern Market. I'm personally super excited about stocking up on flowers once spring fully rolls around!

 

"Art" to spark a debate ... 

Whether it's a sly street cat in Corktown or a Chimera it all sparks that old graffiti verses street art debate. 

 

The buildings are nothing fancy either  

From big to small old buildings are finding new leases of life. Office buildings are being converted into apartments, new sports arenas are being proposed, new building ideas drawn up by the week. Old houses, long empty and trashed and finding loving new owners breathing new life into them. But it's about the small details as much as it is about towering skyscrapers, there is detail everywhere. 

 

They really don't know how to make doughnuts around here either

Dutch Girl Donuts at 7 Mile and Woodward - Best. Donuts. Ever. 

 

Everyone has a rival, even the food places ... 

Detroit is all about it's food. Everyone tries, everyone has their options it's either all about the American or all about Lafayette either way, you'll enjoy a tasty Coney dog or three. 

Because it's just a zombie wasteland right?!

Source

Yeap, there's nothing to see here, move along

But that's fine, I'm happy to enjoy this all by myself!

Detroit is all about misconceptions. Too many misconceptions that people believe to the point they avoid the city like the plague. Even locals.

For me, one of the reasons why I try and share positive Detroit posts here is to challenge those misconceptions. Whether you live down the road and get too scared to drive south of 8 mile or you live in the UK and all you see is the constant stream of Guardian articles about the city. Like seriously, the Guardian seems to be all over Detroit the last couple of months. The misconceptions need to be challenged, and often. But I always feel the need to justify why I like Detroit, why I would go out my way to share nice things, why would I stay in the area. If you follow me on twitter you know I'm constantly sharing Detroit related articles, sound bites - new places to eat, stores, things to do, things that are happening? Why (because it's somewhat of a bookmark for myself) but also because I'm proud to be around a city that's changing for the better.

Thanks for letting me harp on about Detroit all the time! 

Why Would You Come to Detroit was written to link up with Something Beautiful and Reckless Blog to celebrate everything 313 - March 13th, Detroit Day. 

LIFE: Early Spring Drive Around Belle Isle

We had to head into Detroit yesterday (Tuesday) for my biometrics (fingerprinting and such which took all of 10 minutes) for my green card paperwork and while we were killing time before heading over to Mexicantown for foods, we took a drive around Belle Isle. While we had lovely blue skies, and even somewhat warm enough to finally ditch that jacket, there's still no signs of spring on the trees or flowers around us.

It's the first time we've managed to get over to the isle since it became a state park in November of 2013 and by the looks of it changes are starting to be made improvement wise, there's certainly been a lot of trees cut down in the overgrown middle and possibly some tidying up around the old zoo. Either way it's still a perfect viewing spot for looking at downtown Detroit and all it's buildings it's certainly buzzing with life at the moment as workmen prepare the road and track for the Indy car races at the end of May.

Belle Isle is home to the William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse (just visible in the distance in picture 4) which is one of America's most unique lighthouses in that it's constructed of marble. Sadly the downpour from Monday night meant a wander without proper walking shoes was a bit of a no go but it's on my must visit list for this year.

DETROIT: America's Oldest Aquarium

Belle Isle's is home to America's oldest running Aquarium, or at least it was until it was sadly closed in 2005. With a history of 60 tank exhibits for native Great Lake species and other international fishes, the basement of the building also served as a speak easy during prohibition. The building was designed by arhictect Albert Kahn - a man infamous for many buildings around the city and the aquarium itself is worthy of being noted for it's beauty. With it's single large open gallery design, the walls and curved ceiling is covered in green glass tiles - ones aimed at recreating the sense of being underwater. 

When we visited the aquarium was open every odd weekend but now it's opened every Saturday as they raise funds to keep it open. Granted it's not worth a trip just to see the aquarium as about only a third of the tanks actually have fishes in, the others may be empty of fish but they do have interesting visual displays showcasing local business. 

It's sad to know it's future is unknown although just this summer it's been re-roofed, if this aquarium with such a great history was in any other city it would have masses of tourists and never have been left to decay.

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DETROIT: Belle Isle Nature Zoo

Hidden away on Belle Isle is a tiny little Nature Zoo which is run by the Detroit Zoo. I thought I'd write this post as a somewhat comparison and show and tell about American garden birdies after we spent a good while watching some birds having a feed. In America you'll find the normal sparrows and your starlings, but the other birdies they are bigger and brighter. Even the traditional Robin in the US is the size of a blackbird. 

The common grackle is the size of your blackbird and is similar in colouring expect the Grackle has a gorgeous blue/green/purple colouring to it's head. Apparently they tend to steel food from other birds and are more likely to feed from the floor.

American woodpeckers are a lot easier to find and spot when you're out in the woods compared to my former life in the countryside of Yorkshire. This a red bellied woodpecker is one spending most of it's time in southern Canada and the northeastern parts of the US. Not too sure why it's called red bellied as the redness is found on it's head, but there you go.  House sparrows are house sparrows were ever you are!

Pretty Blue Jays, apparently have a bit of an angry side to them with their lavender blue colouring and white underside. Being the size of blackbirds, maybe a little bigger they are easy to spot. They have a bad reputation of destroying other birdies nests and eggs.

Squirrels are pretty easy to find here in Michigan. They tend be a lot darker in colour too - in some cases actually being black. We get loads coming across the lawns in front of our apartment. 

At the Nature Zoo they also have this really neat two sided display connected to the outside of the building were bee's can fly along into and visibly show you making honeycombs. I even spotted the Queen bee. The rest of the Nature Zoo was filled with the typical species you might come across in the wilds of Michigan from Salamanders, turtles, fishies and frogs.

After spying their little allotment patch, they have a great little trail through fields of wild flowers and woodland around the nature centre too and what appears out into grasslands. We didn't have the best of footwear to be slogging around in overground grasses but it's certainly somewhere to wander back too.

DETROIT: The Anne Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory

We gave estate sales a miss at the weekend after nothing grabbing our attention on the websites so took ourselves off to play at being tourists again on Belle Isle - that island between the US and Canada. I had my eye on getting over to the conservatory come greenhouse and botanical gardens - also known as the Anne Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory for some photographs and it certainly didn't disappoint. 

To the front of the conservatory are huge sweeping lawns and boxed hedges leading to a fountain, flanked by brightly coloured flower borders. You can just see the Detroit skyline in the distance in the last image. I always love the vast grand architecture of glass conservatories and this one certainly didn't disappoint. While it was open we didn't venture inside as Joe's allergies were acting up but in the cooler autumn months ahead we're certainly coming back. Inside it's home to the worlds largest collection of orchids with many being shipped here from the UK to save British collections during WW2.

To the rear of the conservatory next to the aquarium which I'll be blogging about soon was a huge koi fish pond covered in flowering lilies, rocks and ornaments. It was such a tranquil peace to watch the water and reflect a while. I know my posts about life and things to do in Detroit don't appeal to everyone but to me they are important in providing the opposite to what people would like to see written about the city.