I once read an astute observation that most Americans think of Vietnam as an era rather than as a country. By that same token, I think most New Yorkers tend to think of Albany as a grievance rather than as a city. “Albany? That’s where all my tax money goes!”
I have passed through Albany on the highway more times than I can count, but I’ve spent almost no time experiencing it on the street level. I found myself in the state capital today with some time to kill, so I decided to take a stroll downtown, look around, and experience Albany as a city. Here are some shots I took during my brief visit:
Downtown Albany definitely has a gritty vibe to it. In that sense, it is a typical Upstate city. Maybe it was the overcast skies, but it struck me as an urban landscape best captured in black and white.I’m not sure what the Hudson River Club is/was, but this venerable sign makes it look like the kind of place where the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen would have convened.Parliament? Hogwarts? No, but it’s an entity that arguably has elements of both — the SUNY System Administration Building.The greenspace in front of the SUNY building displays banners of all the various campuses in the system. Naturally, I had to search until I found Oswego. It’s fitting that Oz is displayed on the same pole as their longtime arch-rival in hockey.That’s the New York State Capitol Building at the top of the hill. Say what you will about the decisions made therein, but it’s one of the most beautiful and unique Capitol buildings in the country.
[…] Haudenosaunee. I had been delving into that podcast when I found out that I’d be spending a day in Albany and was inspired to take a side-excursion to stand on the same ground my ancestors once did in Fort […]
Researcher. Marketer. Teacher. Father of adult children and dogs. 20th Century holdover. Central New York native. Long-suffering Buffalo Bills fan. History nerd. Traveler. Vintage advertising enthusiast. Hat wearer.
a.k.a. V.J. 
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