downtown saint paul is old. architecture is archaic and the neighborhood itself is an attraction for someone coming from asia, where the environment is totally different. some of the roads are even paved with cobblestones, there’s a lot of small parks, colorful flowers hanging along the sideways, small alleys with overlooking black metal stairways of old brick apartment buildings, huge rectangular trash bins on the level, random newspaper flying around. the 2 missing things are: stray dogs, and muggers. really typical american suburb i only see from movies before.
across the street from the office, there’s lot of places to see, the rice park and landmark in front, science museum farther left, a public library, and ordway (center for arts facility). i’ve been to the landmark for 2 lunchbreaks already and i haven’t seen everything in it. landmark center is a restored old federal courts building, has been a postal office, and now it’s a cultural center and houses diverse arts, history, and cultural collections and antiques. the building, from the outside, is like a castle owing to several turrets. as i’ve seen from posters, there’s a musical keyboard exhibit in the basement of landmark (by the schubert club), so it’s something i really wanted to see. after walking around the ground level first where we met uncle sam, a computerized american friend telling the history of the building, we then proceeded at the basement. the collection they have is outstanding! the antique keyboards are fragile, and a lot of them are so delicate that they’re hands-off to the public. some of the collections, however, are playable, and it was a grand opportunity to sample a 1935 wurlitzer grand among others! the oldest original they have is a spinet originating from the 1500’s! cool! it was also my first time ever to hear an authentic music box, and the sound it produces is so amazing, it’s captivating, and you wouldn’t imagine that the sound is coming from a piece that has probably survived world wars! i mean, it’s indeed an antique, a magnificent invention. it’s not something like chimes from a jewelry music box, with a plastic ballerina dancing. completely far from that. something more complicated. the sound is a whole orchestra. astounding!
and so, it’s friday today, my second weekend! so fast! =D
