Downtown Phoenix - Murals

Last Sunday our Photo Club took a trip to downtown Phoenix to take some shots of all the murals.  While Phoenix depends primarily on its system of roads and freeways for transportation they do have an excellent, if limited, light rail system and for $4.00 per day, $2.00 next year when I'll be 65, you can get from Mesa to downtown in about an hour with no worries about where to park the truck.   We did this trip last year and thought it was worth repeating and it was also a good excuse to grab lunch at one of the many sidewalk cafe's.  

Some of the area is pretty run down and you come across some interesting characters.  I wouldn't be walking down here at night however during the day and with a group we felt safe and saw some great murals.  You will notice that most of the pictures have telephone poles, garbage dumpsters and other distractions to the subject however given its street photography the "distractions" provide an element of grittiness and realism.  

Here we go. 

Feel like I just became lunch

The back of a restaurant with all their patio heaters and propane tanks

It was the middle of the day however I thought the picture
deserved a starry night. 

See what I mean about hydro lines

Lots of new apartments and offices in many different colours

Jerry defending his cheese

Don't think this semi-trailer has gone anywhere in a long time

This house was covered all around in graffiti
Not sure if it was occupied or not. 

This Harley was parked in the alley behind the restaurant we went to.  

Me taking a picture of Wendy taking a picture of John taking a
picture of Monica with her wings.
Jo was looking on providing posing advise.

Who knew the Bank of Montreal has a large office building in Phoenix

The side of a parkade.

Entrance to the parkade

This is a series of shipping containers stacked on top of each
other all fixed up for retail and apartments.
Pretty interesting concept. 

I started some of our renovations yesterday which involved removing a door and a screen wall.  Today I did the framing which wasn't all that difficult except I had to attach the wood framing to some of the remaining aluminum studs.  Seems to have worked out okay and tomorrow I am off to Lowes to order the patio door.  Hopefully they can deliver it in a day or two and I can get it installed before friday as we are hosting a patio party.

Thats it for today.