Cincinnati Redux

I didn’t have any expectations about Cincinnati. I’ve never been here and didn’t know much about the city other than its sports teams and that it is on the Ohio River. The city is horrible to get around in, but it is a beautiful city.

On the north side of downtown is Mt. Adams, a hill named for John Quincy Adams. Much of it is a park, with tall trees, grass, an art museum, civic theater and the Krohn Conservatory. Very peaceful and green. We spent an hour or two at the conservatory, walking through the small greenhouse filled with tropical plants from around the world. One of my favorites was the cacao tree, which had several pods hanging from it. The conservatory also had a butterfly exhibit, some of them from southern China.

There’s also a business district, with apartments and houses, on Mt. Adams. It reminds me of the Larimer district in Denver. Old buildings given new life with restaurants, cafes, wine shops. Charming. We had a wonderful lunch at the Mt. Adams Fish House. Alta’s grilled salmon was served with a lavender sauce (lavender in color only because it is made with red wine and cream). My salmon and pasta used mushroom ravioli in an olive oil and tomato sauce.

The Riverfront area of Cincinnati is filled with ballparks. Baseball, football and hockey fields and arenas line the north side of the river. Mixed in with these is the National Underground Railroad and Freedom Museum, a new three-story glass and concrete facility. It tells the story of slavery in the U.S. and how slaves found their way to freedom by using a network of abolitionist sympathizers. Someone has thrown a lot of money the museum’s way and it shows. Vanessa Williams and Angela Bassett narrate the tour. Much of the museum is devoted to reading plaques and signs or looking at old photos or paintings. There are some videos and there is a reconstruction “slave pen” where a slave dealer held his goods until they were sold “down the river” to the South. A compelling story but one told best through the slaves’ own words and photos.

Sidetrips: On the way back to our motel we went took a bridge over the Ohio which was built in the mid 1800s. It took us into Covington, Kentucky, where we walked along the river and among stately mansions.