cincinnati...day 2 {october 1, 2021}

We head to Smale Riverfront Park for some exploration and to view the monarch butterfly  migration in the butterfly garden planted by the park staff. This 45-acre park is an urban green space along Cincinnati’s downtown riverfront with beautiful gardens, water play areas, playgrounds, walking paths, and relaxing swings. It’s a place to view the Ohio River and the river traffic and to celebrate the importance of the Ohio River in Cincinnati’s history.

We cross the Roebling Bridge (the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge) and explore the across-the-river town of Covington, KY. Sites visited include St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, which has the world’s largest handmade church stained glass window. This minor basilica also has three organs and two rosette windows. We also visited the Mutter Gottes Kirche (Mother of God Church). It’s much smaller than the basilica but very pretty in its own way. Gorgeous tile work on the porch outside the main door. These beautiful old churches show the importance of the early settlers’ faith in their lives. They built structures to show the importance of God in their lives.

St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

Gottes Mutter Kirche

Cincinnati, OH and Covington, KY…two cities settled by the Germans, right across the river from one another, but so totally different. Cincinnati is one of Ohio’s major cities and reflects that in the businesses and sports teams that call this city home. Covington is working on bringing businesses to locate and people to live there. Baby steps but it has a ways to go.

Last stop for the day, Stephen and Katie’s rehearsal dinner. What a beautiful celebration of family and friends filled with love, laughter, and happy tears.