Downtown Columbus

Sunday 5-16
I am sitting down in the shade relaxing after two days of watching Miss L play in a soccer tournament. The weather finally cooperated and we had sunshine! Trouble is, I think I got a little sunburned. Romperoo has ordered me to stay in the shade and drink lots of water. Tomorrow the rain is supposed to start up again, but romperoo and I are going to head out somewhere beforehand.

Monday 5-17
It's a lovely morning and I am ready to paint the town red! Romperoo buckled me in the car and we were off! She is quite the stinker and refused to tell me what our adventure was going to be today!

I enjoyed looking out the window at all the tall buildings in downtown Columbus. Then I blinked my eyes a few times. Was that a crow's nest that I was looking at?!? It was! We were going to see the Santa Maria at Battelle Park! This is the world's most authentic, museum-quality replica of Christopher Columbus' 98' flagship here on the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio! I couldn't get too close because there was a school tour going on, so we wandered about the boat and took a few outside pictures. Here is the website

We also walked around Battelle Park. It is home to The Children's Fountain, The Columbus Firefighter's Memorial and the Battelle Immigrant Statue.

While the sun was still shining, romperoo decided to visit another favorite spot of hers - German Village. German Village is a quaint community that was settled in the mid 1800's. In typical German fashion, the houses are close together. They are well-made, usually brick and very charming. Most houses have small gardens, wrought iron fences and limestone lintels at the windows.

You can walk all over around here - in fact, it's the best way to get around (Although, I am still fond of the getting carried around mode of travel!). But, you can still see remnants of the past. The brick streets are lined with limestone posts and steps that were used by carriages and horses in years past.
Did you know that the first Max and Irma's restaurant is in German Village? We had to settle for taking a picture of the outside of the building; we couldn't get inside because it was still too early in the morning. I peeked inside to try to see the sundae bathtub that romperoo was describing to me. Imagine that - a bathtub full of ice cream fixings!

We also took a walk down to Schiller Park in German Village. Beautiful Victorian mansions surround the city park. Their architectural details are so impeccable. Gorgeous stained glass windows, heavy slab oak doors, turrets and Juliet balconies are some of the details that can be found in these homes. The park is very vibrant with people walking their dogs and playing with their kids. It's almost like stepping back in time.

Romperoo said that she was excited to be able to see another Shakespeare in the Park production this summer. The park has a stage and features several musicals and other plays during the summer months. She said it is amazing to see Shakespeare being performed under a starlit sky.

We tried to make our way over to the Umbrella Girl fountain and then it started to thunder. We dashed back to the car just as the sky opened up on us! I never thought that I would be happy for more rain, but it's all good - I need a nap after all this busy-ness!

Tuesday 5-18
It has rained all afternoon and night. There is supposed to a little bit of a break, so romperoo is taking me downtown today!

First, we went to the Ohio Statehouse. But, we couldn't get in! There was a water main break and the roads to park were closed off. Romperoo tried to drive around and find a place to park, but it was packed. So, she promised to show me the statehouse website when we got home. It's a cool looking building that has ties to the Underground Railroad!Here's the website

Then we headed over to COSI (Center of Science and Industry).This is a hands-on science museum for kids of all ages. We walked all over looking at the exhibits. They even had the Titanic Exhibit that I went to a few weeks ago!

I loved the Space exhibit the best! You have to walk though a huge rotating cylinder that glows in the dark. I was so dizzy! They also had a High Wire unicycle. The High Wire Unicycle is a unique experience that allows you to pedal a unicycle on a 1.5 inch cable spanning 84 feet while 17 feet above ground.

What keeps you from falling? Balance. All objects have a center of mass. For stability, it is important to keep your center of mass over your base of stability (where your feet touch the ground). In the case of the High Wire Unicycle, the attached 250 pound weight lowers your center of mass to below your feet and below where the unicycle contacts the cable. This makes you so stable that it is impossible to fall.

Was I mad when I found out that I couldn't go on the High Wire Unicycle! Know why? You have to have a 28" inseam and mine is about 20" too short!

Silly romperoo forgot her camera in the car. So, I had to settle for a few pictures outside of COSI. Check it out. COSI is the #1 Science Center in the country! You can visit their website to take a virtual tour of the facility. If you ever get a chance, come see it. Like me, you will be impressed!

Guess what...it's raining again. I think I'll play a game of cards with the girls.
~Maggie