Facade

An earlier post covered the Spruce Hill Inn at Oregon Corners. Just north of the Spruce Hill Inn on Oscawana Lake Road is one of the more interesting churches I’ve seen: The Church of the North American Martyrs. It’s a Catholic church but looks like a native american Long House. It’s made of wood and has face masks and plaques on the outside – all in a native american style. An article from the New York Times provides more information including this:

The martyrs, the most famous of whom was St. Isaac Jogues, had the misfortune to focus their ministry on the Hurons just when that tribe had become marked for destruction by the Mohawks and other powerful tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy. The Jesuits, called black robes by the Mohawks, who thought they were evil magicians, were canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1930. A grotto next to the church honors Kateri Tekakwitha, a Christian convert who died in 1680 and is known as the Lily of the Mohawks. She was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Totem Pole?

Face Mask

Commemorative Plaque

By the main entrance

 

Spruce Hill Inn – Facade

I’d been stuck inside for a couple of days because of bad weather and was getting bored. So one Sunday I decided I had to get out and I went to the closest thing that Putnam Valley has to a town centre: Oregon corners. Apparently they’re not used to people take pictures there. I was taking pictures of the exterior of the picturesque old Sherriff’s office when out came one of the deputies. I went over to him and he very pleasantly asked what I was doing. I explained that I liked taking pictures of old buildings and showed him the pictures I had been taking. You read on the photography forums of photographers having very unpleasant experiences with some policemen. This was quite the opposite. The young officer was friendly, polite, courteous and explained nicely that it was OK to take pictures of the front of the Sheriff’s office but that I should not go around the back (which I wouldn’t have done since it was obviously private property) and take pictures there. He then left me to get on with it.

Putnam Valley Sherrifs Department

Then I went over to the Spruce Hill Inn. As I was taking the pictures a woman came out and expressed interest in what I was doing. I explained again and then she invited me in for a drink, so in I went. I ended staying for an hour or so and had a really good time. The people were really friendly.

Spruce Hill Inn – Interior


Spruce Hill Inn- The Bar


Happy Couple – This is the woman (Liz) who invited me in for a drink with her husband (Andy)


Juke Box


At the pool table (Andy again and Carrie who was working at the bar)


Detail from the men’s room

In February 2013 I posted a couple of pictures of the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God Russian Orthodox Church in Mahopac. As I was leaving I noticed an interesting looking graveyard back in the woods behind the church. It has a look, which is quite different from the other graveyards in Westchester and Putnam counties that I’ve visited. I didn’t have the time to check it out then, but I’m promised myself I’d come back. I managed to do this yesterday. Here are a few pictures:

Interesting domed gravestones

Tumbled headstones

Trio of Crosses

Many of the gravestones feature photographs

Small gravestone with cross

Bells

Bells from below

Distant view of Shwedagon Pagoda from our hotel

In 2007 I went with a colleague on a business trip to Yangon (Rangoon), Myannmar (Burma). Since I was working I didn’t get a chance to see very much. Also at that time Myannmar was a difficult country to move around it. We weren’t allowed to leave Yangon. So the only non-work things we were able to do were an early morning visit to Shwedagon Pagoda and an evening performance of traditional dances.

Shwedagon is truly spectacular!  I’ve traveled quite a bit an this is one of the most impressive complexes I’ve seen.  The dance performance was also interesting.  We bumped into a Burmese colleague who on a personal trip from New York.   It turned out the the woman in who had choreographed and directer the performance was her former teacher.

Evening shot of Karaweik Palace (a rather over the top restaurant) from the other side of Kandawgyi Lake