Rochester: first impressions

Hello all!

On our first day (during our short journey with the vans from the Megabus station to the campus) the only thing I noticed about Rochester was that the environment looks simply like any industrial city without a special character. I definitely missed the gleam of New York. Genesee river seemed as being more polluted than the Danube, there was an old and scary factory in the middle of the city, a grey KODAK Museum, and some average edifices in the city centre which do not impress anyone. I guess, I had this feeling of emptiness and disappointment because the previous day spent at NYC consumed all my senses and the batteries of my perceptiveness died. I could have gone anywhere in the world after a day spent at New York, I wouldn't find anything as interesting and attractive as it was.

Thanks God, next day my whole opinion changed about the city, and I was already enjoying Rochester more than ever. This was because of the good weather, good company and its nice entity. I discovered Gothic churches in the centre, I've been walking near the jail, and on the bank of Erie Canal feeding the ducks, and I regained my lost harmony.

Consequently, Rochester's architecture is similar to many European cities', incorporating antique characteristics and showing varibility in design. Some buildings and streets reminded me of the romantic Italy, others of the grim, cold, but charming Scottish architecture, there were several elegant and classical constructions, and thanks God, no more skyscrapers, and no more neckpain.

I was satisfied with the green places too, much more than in NYC. Parks, bike paths, pedestrian ways, friendly ducks, less hurry, less noise and more peacefulness.

It wasn't easy to fall in love with the typical American wooden houses seen on the movies. Even though in Rochester I saw some block of flats (not many), there are way more wooden houses with gardens, yards, and garages. Interestingly, not every house has a fence in front, but anyway, squirrels don't seem to be bothered by this fact. Neither by the paparazzi.

Once I was in Rochester I really appreciated nature's closeness and wildness, the well-organized streets with houses and flower-gardens situated one near the other systematically, giving a uniform street image. The Campus of Nazareth College is the topic of my next post, that's going to be a 180 degree twist, so prepare yourself!

P. S. Sorry for the quality of the pictures, I'm not a professional photographer.

Thanks for reading. Dóra.

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