We checked out and headed, finally, into Pittsburgh. As you can see, we found the fiberglass dinosaur, the first of the fundraisers. It's covered with things that the Carnegie Museums show, both natural history and art. There's a new life-size fiberglass diplodocus, "Dippy", outside, as well. A bag-female (no lady, she) came by and said it was against the law in Pittsburgh to take pictures with people in them... that someday someone would come along and bomb all these things so the g-d tourists wouldn't come around, and then she started in on the n***ers and Jews and suchlike. We ignored her (though I was sure not to get her into any of my pictures) but I was thinking she sure didn't understand how the world worked, that the tourists are paying for her food and shelter.

Ah, well. We went into the Cathedral of Learning mostly looking for a restroom, and then overheard bits of a tour. No students in sight. I guess, because it's a three-day weekend, they're off. We walked to the bookstore. There they told me they no longer get Western Pennsylvania History. I poked around a little, and didn't see any new Pittsburgh mysteries from that author whose name I've forgotten. I located some books for which I might use my Amazon certificate birthday present. Then we sauntered back to the car and decided to go to Station Square, which is new to Rich, where the History Society has its offices.

We poked into that building and got chased off by a maitre-d' (fantastic restaurant!) because it's Saturday and the society is closed. The buildings are ancient freight railway depots, now a mall. I found a shirt that shows Pittsburghese. I recognize my inlaws a lot in there. I knew what "gumban" was. Rich was surprised that he didn't use "jaggers" since it makes a lot of sense, especially since he spends a lot of time in the jaggerbushes getting blackberries. The shirt mentioned "jynt igle", which is where we saw self checkout lines. (Giant Eagle, if your ear isn't tuned to the dialect.)

We were interested in the huge Bessemer steel converter, but just as we went to read the signs, the dancing fountain started up and soaked us. Their program was great to watch, though.

Then it was time to head up the mountain (I was tempted to take the Mt. Washington Incline, but parking was really pricy down in Station Square) to meet up with Dreama! (The first picture is me with an old fossil, the second is Dreama with an old fossil!) This was great. She told me a really funny story about the dinosaur at the airport. It appears that at first they planned to unveil it, but it's too big to "veil." Then the Mayor was going to cut the ribbon but he wasn't allowed into the airport with scissors! They couldn't follow him around with a TSA agent or anything. I gather they finally came up with some plastic scissors, or maybe he bit through the ribbon with his teeth, or something.

We also asked why the dancing fountain was so close to the Bessemer converter, and she says that the City Council (almost as intelligent as Sacramento's, apparently) were just all excited about getting a Hard Rock Cafe (hello? There are HRC's just about everywhere nowadays) and were all into pulling in tourists (not history buffs, it would seem.) We also talked about politics (it's the Libertarian candidate for California LIEUTENANT Governor who's the ferret advocate!) and Merci trains (of course) and finally, Musical theater. The 90 minutes went all too fast, but if we were to see anything of Rich's family, we had to leave. We're going to have to see each other more often.

Back in Coraopolis, we stopped for bagels, (though I don't think you can call "soft bagels" bagels. More like foccaccia!) then went to say goodbye. Rich's mother told us about his sister leaving for Hilton Head. She also told Rich some things about her early life that he hadn't known. And so goodbye, but we really want to come back next year.

The flights were a lot better than last time, a lot better than I'd feared. I think this guy has a lot to do with that. In the Pittsburgh airport, we talked to a TSA guy. (When he found out we were from Sacramento, he said something about the ICK Lakers! Might as well play "Marching through Georgia" for a Georgian.) The flights were speedy, there was no circling Minneapolis for a long time (maybe because there are fewer flights), the crews were polite and efficient and seemed to realize we pay their salaries. After the last time I'd filled out a survey and put Northwest right on the bottom. Perhaps a lot of people did that. I'm much better pleased this time.

We got our luggage, we got on the shuttle, we found our (very dusty) car, and we got home. Fitch even greeted us at the door, and Crombie warmed up within an hour. Nice trip!