P is for pergola

Mt. View Cemetery has a wonderful old pergola on stone pillars near its entrance.  It supports an equally old wisteria vine that now entwines most of the pillars.  The flower display is incredible but I guess you'll have to take my word for it since I never remember to get a picture of it.  Sigh.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Fruitvale Railroad Bridge

The Fruitvale Railroad Bridge spans the Estuary from Oakland to the island town of Alameda (on the right).  To my eye it looks like a 1930s construction but it was actually built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1951.  It's a vertical lift bridge with railroad tracks on it that is lowered into position when trains need to cross the estuary.  The Miller-Sweeney Bridge it the drawbridge next to it that carries car traffic.  It was designed to raise to full height it only 66 seconds.  The truth is that locals  call them both the Fruitvale Bridge.  Bridge fans will be happy to know there is a website for the bridges!  For a picture of the bridge drawn up, go here.

Monday Mural: hero

Found this dramatic mural by Craig Stuckey in West Oakland on Poplar Street.  I think it's called Super Hero.  Lucky for me Poplar Street is a treasure trove of murals that are new to me.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Sorry for the delay.  Snafu.

Port of Oakland

Along the estuary shoreline near dusk.  Linking to Weekend Reflections.

tulip time

It's tulip time at Mt. View Cemetery.  An added bonus is that the cherry blossoms are also on view.

downtown skyline

Walking downtown the other day I hit upon a view of our two government buildings.  The nearer buildings with the peaked roofs are the Dellum's Federal Building complex.  Down the block is the State of California building.  The morning fog had burned off to reveal blue skies.

Old Oakland

Old Oakland is the original downtown area that grew up around the train station where the transcontinental railroad ended.  It's primarily Italianate buildings were renovated in the 1970s and it is now popular for the many restaurants that dot the area.  Linking to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: condo jewelry

Spotted this mosaic adornment on a condo facade downtown.  Rhythmic colors and shapes.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

p.s.  Goggle+ contributors, please configure your comments page so those of us not part of Google+ can leave comments when you post.  Thanks.

Monday Mural: a brief history of Oakand

There are scads of mural panels on what would otherwise be a monolithic wall for a large power station in the Temescal neighborhood.  This panel shows certain highlights in Oakland's history beginning with the Ohlone Indians who inhabited settlements around the SF Bay before the coming of Europeans.  The train represents Oakland as the terminus of the transcontinental railroad.  The Palazzo Vecchio tower is our local newspaper's headquarters built in 1923.  I'm not so sure about the guy with the horse unless it's a nod to our agricultural past.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

p.s.  Goggle+ contributors, please configure your comments page so those of us not part of Google+ can leave comments when you post.  Thanks.

Monday Mural: radiance

This is part of a very large mural that wraps around the building.  You've seen part of it previously.  There's a lot going on in this panel, but for me it is the woman's radiant face that makes the composition.  Found in East Oakland on International Blvd.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Sorry about the delay.  Broadband issues.  Grrr.

p.s.  Goggle+ contributors, please configure your comments page so those of us not part of Google+ can leave comments when you post.  Thanks.

A laundromat

Just in case the washing machines and dryers didn't make it clear enough, this is a laundromat.  Found on Piedmont Avenue and linked to ABC Wednesday.

Theme Day: triangle

It's the first of the month, which means Theme Day in the City Daily Photo world.   Triangles a-go-go in this shot.  Taken along the estuary where multiple small marinas can be found.  For more takes on the triangle, visit CDP.