First night in Detroit

We arrived in Detroit about dinner time and checked into our hotel. Due to a random member sale, we got a really low price on Wyndham's signature Fort Pontchartrain hotel right in downtown. The hotel is significant because it is built on the site where Cadillac planted a flag for the French and construction of the original Fort Pontchartrain began. This is considered the founding of the city of Detroit. A famous art deco hotel was later built on this site and torn down, and the hotel we stayed in was built in it's place, retaining the design of the first hotel where every room has a view of the river. This was the view from our room:

Looking out on the Detroit River and over to Canada

The brown skyscraper is the famous Guardian building

After settling in, we set out on a walk towards the restaurant we had picked out. We started out along the river and got to take in the art in Hart Plaza:

This piece is called Transcendence and commemorates the Armenian genocide

This fist is to honor native son and boxer Joe Lewis

We turned on to Woodward Street, which is Detroit's equivalent of the miracle mile in Chicago:

Lots of random street art

Apparently "I'll meet you under the Kerns clock" was a popular phrase in Detroit for almost a century (or so said the sign)

I was tickled to see the Shinola Building

We had decided on Buddy's Pizza for dinner, based on recommendations of where to get the best Detroit-style pizza:

The pizza is square, made with "Wisconsin brick" cheese, and has crisp edges

After dinner, we continued our walk down Woodward, which took us past the Comerica Ball Park (the Tigers were not in town), before turning around and walking back towards the sunset, eventually getting on a streetcar to take us back to Hart Plaza:

In front of the ballpark

This is Eminem's restaurant, called Mom's Spaghetti from a line in his song "Lose Yourself"

Cool lights in a building in the skyline

Moon over Detroit

Benji was happy to get on the Q line. Streetcars in Detroit are free.

This is called The Spirit of Detroit

Back in Hart Plaza

Statue of Cadillac planting the flag

There's Canada!

Color changing fountain looked cool against the sunset

This statue is called The Huddled Masses

One last view of the sunset as we made our way back to the hotel